The Impact of Academic Stress on Females: The Case Study of Pakistani University Students

Abstract

Academic stress has been recognized as a major element influencing the mental health of university students in the world. It has been observed that student’s particularly female university students face difficulty in dealing with academic stress in Pakistan. Much research has been conducted on the factors that analysed academic performance, socioeconomic status, or institutional support, without adequately addressing the gender-specific dynamics that may contribute to these outcomes. There is a lack of comprehensive study that critically analyse these issues through a feminist perspective. By applying feminism theory, this research aims to fill this gap by examining how gender roles, societal expectations, and institutional structures impact female students' experiences of academic stress. The findings of the study conducted revealed that how societal expectation and gender stereotypes influences female university students and contribute to academic stress. This research contributes to the existing knowledge by providing the evidence of the experiences of female university students in Pakistan. The study highlighted the importance of mental health services, mentorship programs and awareness campaigns that aids in catering mental health needs and academic stress.