Academic pressure and perceived stress: The mediating role of life satisfaction

The level of perceived stress of college students has been increasing steadily in recent years. This study investigated the effect of academic pressure on perceived stress and examined whether life satisfaction mediated this relationship. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 290 Chinese college students using standardized scales for measuring life satisfaction, academic pressure, and perceived stress. Pearson correlation and mediation analysis results showed that academic pressure had both direct and indirect effects on perceived stress, with life satisfaction playing a mediating role. The multiple mechanisms by which academic pressure affects perceived stress point to its harmful effects and the need to reduce its impact. Our findings suggest that health interventions aimed at improving life satisfaction may be beneficial to mitigate the severity of perceived stress both directly and indirectly among college students.