IMPACTS OF NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS ON MENTAL HEALTH OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS; RECOVERING FROM ADVERSITY AND ENHANCING RESILIENCE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN PESHAWAR

Nadia Qazi; wisal khan; Haseeb Khan; Maryam niazai; Malaika bakhtawar shah; Inam shah

doi:10.46903/gjms/23.4.Suppl.2046

IMPACTS OF NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS ON MENTAL HEALTH OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS; RECOVERING FROM ADVERSITY AND ENHANCING RESILIENCE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN PESHAWAR

Nadia Qazi, wisal khan, Haseeb Khan, Maryam niazai, Malaika bakhtawar shah, Inam shah

Abstract

Background: Negative life events (NLEs) can substantially affect the mental health of students. Resilience, however, plays a protective role. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of mental health problems associated with negative life events in undergraduate students and to explore the moderating role of resilience in lessening their impact.

Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted over six months in private medical and non-medical colleges in Peshawar, Pakistan, Using the WHO sample size calculator, 340 undergraduate students were selected. Participants completed standardized, anonymous questionnaires, including a demographic survey, a negative life events scale, the DASS-21 mental health assessment tool, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and statistical analyses such as correlation, regression, and mediation were conducted.

Results: The scales showed good reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.811 for NLE, 0.859 for mental health impact (MHI), and 0.798 for resilience (RES). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between NLE and MHI (r = 0.108, p = 0.047) and a strong negative correlation between MHI and RES (r = -0.376, p < 0.001). Regression analysis indicated that NLE significantly predicted resilience (β = -0.0546, p = 0.0359), while resilience strongly predicted MHI (β = -0.5233, p < 0.0001). Mediation analysis confirmed that resilience partially mediated the relationship between NLE and mental health, with an indirect effect of 0.0286.

Conclusion: Negative life events harm students’ mental health, but resilience serves as a protective factor. Strengthening resilience through targeted interventions can help mitigate these effects, highlighting its importance in educational settings.

Keywords

Coping Behaviour; Mental Health; Negative Life Events; Psychological; Resilience; Stress.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46903/gjms/23.4.Suppl.2046