BMC Psychol. 2026 Jul 11. doi: 10.1186/s40359-026-05100-5. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Transitions to a new educational ecosystem result in students’ academic distress, particularly at the university level. Thus, this study aimed to examine academic distress and help-seeking practices among first-year domestic and international university students in the fields of Engineering and Health Sciences. The study mainly focused on academic distress and help- seeking behavior abided by the help-seeking process model and mind sponge mechanism. A quantitative correlational research design was used. A total of 361 students were selectedusing simple random sampling. Standardized questionnaires were used to measure the variables. Descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were used to achieve the study objectives. The results revealed that University students had moderate levels of help-seeking behavior and academic distress. Moreover, male students had higher academic help-seeking behavior and lower academic distress than their female counterparts; whereas academic help-seeking behavior and academic distress were lower for female students. Statistically significant sex differences were also noted in academic distress. Based on the mind sponge theory, measures for the prevention of academic distress should be targeted at the optimization of help-seeking behavior with a special focus on female students who manifest a high vulnerability to academic distress. Moreover, ways such as digital-based interventions that assist in addressing a large number of students at once also merit attention.
PMID:42436567 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-026-05100-5
