Abstract
Academic pressure has become a critical concern affecting the mental health of college students in contemporary higher education systems. Increasing competition, continuous assessments, high parental expectations, and uncertainty regarding career prospects have intensified academic demands, leading to psychological distress among students. The present study examines the impact of academic pressure on the mental health of college students, with particular emphasis on stress, anxiety, and depression. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected from a sample of 250 undergraduate and postgraduate college students using standardized instruments, namely the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that academic pressure is significan