The Relationship Between Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support with Academic Performance of Payam Noor University Students in Tabriz
Keywords:
Academic stress, perceived social support, Academic performance, Payam Noor University studentsAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between academic stress and perceived social support with students’ academic performance.
Methodology: The study was applied and correlational in design. The statistical population included all undergraduate students of Payam Noor University of Tabriz (N=8082) during the 2023–2024 academic year. Using Cochran’s formula, 384 students were randomly selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using Gadzella’s Student-Life Stress Inventory (1994), Zimet’s Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (1988), and students’ GPA from the previous semester as an indicator of academic performance. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 27 using stepwise linear regression.
Findings: Results indicated that components of academic stress (frustration, pressure, changes, and self-imposed stress) had significant negative effects on academic performance. Behavioral, physiological, cognitive, and emotional reactions to stress were also negatively associated with performance. Conversely, perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others showed a significant positive effect on academic performance. Regression analysis revealed that 71% to 73% of the variance in academic performance could be explained by academic stress and social support factors (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that academic stress is associated with decreased academic performance, whereas perceived social support can buffer this negative effect and enhance students’ success. Strengthening supportive networks from family, peers, and universities may play a key role in improving students’ academic outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 محمد حاتمی ایلخچی (Author); نگار استوار (Translator)
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