Exploring the Roles of Resilience and Detachment in Student Well-being in the Face of Academic Stress

Background: While student days are often romanticized, research finds that more than 60% of students appear to suffer from mental health problems. Many studies point to academic stress as the leading cause of the deteriorating psychological well-being of students. Aim: This study aims to investigate resilience and detachment independently to find out which of the two is more important in protecting students´ PWB from the negative effects of academic stress. Method: This study uses a quantitative cross-sectional research design in combination with convenience sampling by using the university’s internal student pool. The sample consisted of 60 undergraduates (N = 60) from the University of Twente of which more than three-fourths were female (76%) (M = 21.5 years, SD = 1.69 years). Model 2 of the SPSS extension PROCESS Macro was used to analyze the data. Conclusion: Although the present research did not find significant moderation effects, it does provide a foundation for further investigation into the protective qualities of detachment and resilience and their potential to improve students´ mental well-being.