COPING STRATEGIES AS MEDIATORS BETWEEN ACADEMIC STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Academic stress has become a critical determinant of psychological well-being among adolescents, particularly within high-pressure educational environments. While prior research has established a direct association between academic stress and mental health, limited attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms that shape this relationship. The present study investigates the mediating role of coping strategies in linking academic stress to mental health outcomes among adolescents.A quantitative research design was employed using primary data collected from 300 students in Chennai through a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses, including correlation and multiple regression, were conducted to examine direct and indirect relationships among the variables.

The findings reveal that academic stress exerts a significant negative effect on mental health, whereas coping strategies demonstrate a significant positive influence. The regression model explains a substantial proportion of variance in mental health outcomes (R² = 0.61), indicating strong explanatory power. Importantly, coping strategies partially mediate the relationship between academic stress and mental health, suggesting that the psychological impact of stress is contingent upon individuals’ adaptive responses. Higher stress levels are associated with reduced coping effectiveness, which in turn contributes to poorer mental health outcomes.

The study advances existing literature by empirically validating the intermediary role of coping strategies within an integrated stress–coping–outcome framework in the Indian adolescent context. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening adaptive coping mechanisms as a means of mitigating the adverse psychological consequences of academic stress. These insights hold significant implications for educational policy, school-based mental health interventions, and resilience-building programs aimed at promoting adolescent well-being.