Relationship between academic stress, quality of life, mental health and social support in university students

The purpose of this study was to estimate a model explaining the relationship between academic stress, quality of life, mental health, and social support in students at the Universidad Tecnológica de Jalisco (UTJ). A quantitative methodology was employed with an exploratory scope and a cross-sectional design, utilizing both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The variables measured included academic stress, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), social support, and mental health, as well as sociodemographic data such as age, gender, semester, and academic program within a targeted and purposive sample from UTJ in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The findings indicate that mental health influences the relationship between academic stress and HRQoL, although it is slightly moderated by the level of social support. Differences across academic programs and genders highlight the need for tailored interventions. Academic stress showed a significant inverse relationship with mental health, which is consistent with the literature reviewed. Although social support did not significantly moderate the effect of stress, a slight decrease in the strength of the indirect effect was observed as social support levels increased. It is concluded that improving mental health could mitigate the effects of academic stress on students' health-related quality of life.