Predictors of Mental Health among Undergraduates: Assessing the Impact of Specific Phobia and Academic Stress on Academic Self Efficacy and Coping Mechanisms

Abstract

The mental health of undergraduate students has become a growing concern, with academic stress and anxiety disorders increasingly recognized as significant predictors of poor outcomes. This study examined the impact of specific phobia and academic stress on academic self-efficacy and coping mechanisms among undergraduate students. A sample of 350 undergraduates (54% female; mean age = 20.4 years, SD = 1.67) completed self-report measures assessing specific phobia, academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant). Multiple regression analyses revealed that both specific phobia (β = -0.21, p < .001) and academic stress (β = -0.31, p < .001) significantly predicted lower academic self-efficacy, explaining 19.7% of the variance. For coping mechanisms, specific phobia and academic stress did not predict problem-focused coping but significantly predicted higher emotion-focused coping (R² = 10.6%) and avoidant coping (R² = 19.2%). Avoidant coping showed the strongest associations with both specific phobia (β = 0.32, p < .001) and academic stress (β = 0.23, p < .001). Significant group differences emerged: female students reported higher specific phobia and emotion-focused coping than males; first-year and younger students reported higher academic stress and avoidant coping but lower academic self-efficacy compared to upper-year and older students. These findings indicate that both environmental demands (academic stress) and individual vulnerability factors (specific phobia) independently undermine academic self-efficacy and promote less adaptive coping patterns. Universities should implement targeted screening and evidence-based interventions, particularly for first-year and female students, to enhance self-efficacy and reduce avoidant coping.