Abstract:
Introduction: Academic Burnout is an emerging key challenge affecting the mental health of university students. Perceived stress and academic burnout have become rapidly prevalent among university students, especially in a demanding educational environment, particularly in Islamabad. University students often experience high stress levels due to academic performance, social expectations, and personal demands. Exposure to such stress for a long time may lead to academic burnout, negatively impacting the students' mental well-being and academic performance. Aims & Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of perceived stress and academic burnout among university students and to examine the nature of the relationship between these two psychological constructs. Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed in this study to collect the data from the students. 305 students who were enrolled in various degree programs across different universities, mainly CUST and Riphah University, were assessed. This standardized literacy scales instrument, such as the Perceived Stress Scale and Burnout Tool Assessment, was used to measure the perceived stress and academic burnout among the students. Results: Descriptive analysis results revealed that there is a low level of stress and academic burnout among students. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to test the hypothesis and assess the relationship between two variables, which were perceived stress and academic burnout. The results revealed a strong, statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.237, p = 0.01) between perceived stress and academic burnout, indicating that students who reported stress were more likely to experience symptoms of academic burnout.Conclusion: Based on the findings of the result, we can conclude that the alternate hypothesis was accepted, which confirms the meaningful relationship between perceived stress and academic burnout. This study follows the theoretical framework that is social cognitive theory, which stresses the dynamic interaction between personal environmental factors and behavioral outcomes in response to stress by individuals. This research contributes to the limited regionspecific literature on the mental health of students and highlights the pressing need for institutional interventions. Since the results of this study have shown that there are higher levels of stress and academic burnout among students. Therefore, to help students overcome academic stress and burnout, psychological support services should be created within the universities. The results of this research suggest that universities in Islamabad should implement psychological support programs to reduce academic burnout and enhance the overall wellbeing of students by having stress management workshops and academic counseling
