Academic Stress of College Students and Sports Participation: Mediating Role of Social Intelligence

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between academic stress, sports participation, and social intelligence among college students in the Multan Division of Pakistan. A stratified random sampling strategy was employed to select a sample of 663 participants from the Government Degree Colleges. Standardized tools, including the Student's Academic Stress Inventory and Social Intelligence Questionnaire, were used to assess academic stress and social intelligence. Participants self-reported their previous youth sports participation. A cross-sectional survey approach was used to collect quantitative data. The results indicated that college students reported high levels of academic stress. College athletes reported significant social intelligence competency, and there was a significant positive relationship between academic stress and the social intelligence competency of college students. Additionally, there was a significant positive relationship between sports participation and social intelligence, suggesting that participation in sports has paramount significance in the development of social intelligence competency among its participants. Social intelligence was found to significantly mediate the relationship between academic stress and sports participation of college students. Furthermore, the data revealed that male athletes reported higher stress levels on various dimensions of academic stress, highlighting the need for counseling centers to provide extra attention and care to athletes and promote mental health awareness. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between academic stress, sports participation, and social intelligence among college students, shedding light on the mediating role of social intelligence in mitigating academic stress and improving mental health outcomes. The findings have important implications for educational institutions and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of promoting sports participation and social intelligence development to support students' overall well-being.