Mental well-being and its association with academic performance among final-year students of the Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA: A case study

• Published in: Journal of Physical Education and Sport
• Main Author: Abdullah N.D.T.; Fadhil M.F.; Radzuwan R.; Hua K.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editura Universitatii din Pitesti 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85140919390&doi=10.7752%2fjpes.2022.10293&partnerID=40&md5=3e942b28c7fa8730d39e845b8329ca84

Mental health problems are prevalent and severe among university students, which is a serious concern for all campuses. Due to academic pressures associated with coursework, being away from home, and some financial strain, students are believed to eventually develop mental health concerns. Although mental health does not show the features of mental illnesses and negative symptoms, it affects a person’s subjective well-being and psychological functioning. Positive mental health is the bedrock of mental well-being and a critical aspect of the life of university students with respect to their learning process. Mental health difficulties obstruct not only their daily activities but also their academic success. Thus, it is timely to research the potential relationship between mental well-being and academic success in relation to university students’ ability to live a balanced existence. This study adopted a survey design based on a questionnaire method. The Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale was employed to obtain the data of 226 final-year students from the Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation at the five campuses of the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). In relation to the status of mental well-being, the respondents revealed that they are enjoying a high degree of mental well-being (96%), whereas only 0.4% are suffering from depression. Meanwhile, moderate positive significant relationship was observed between the mental well-being and academic performance of final-year students of the Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation, UiTM. This indicated that mental well-being sets the groundwork for an individual’s optimal psychological development, including the development of efficient learning. Mental health has a favorable and significant effect on students’ academic achievement. However, there are a few minor gray areas that the institution should address to help students overcome this problem. Additional research is required to understand the ways to improve students’ mental well-being and the elements that contribute to this population’s positive mental well-being. © 2022, Editura Universitatii din Pitesti. All rights reserved.