The Mediating Role of Loneliness in the Relationship between Academic Burnout and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between academic burnout and psychological well-being among university students. Academic burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced academic efficacy, has become increasingly prevalent and is known to negatively affect students’ psychological well-being. Drawing on Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Theory and the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness, this research explores how loneliness may serve as a key mechanism linking burnout to diminished mental health. A total of 389 undergraduate students participated in the study, completing validated scales measuring academic burnout, loneliness, and psychological well-being. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data. Results revealed that academic burnout was positively associated with loneliness and negatively associated with psychological well-being. Furthermore, loneliness significantly mediated the relationship between burnout and well-being, suggesting that students experiencing higher burnout also suffer increased loneliness, which in turn lowers their psychological well-being. These findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness in interventions aimed at reducing the negative psychological effects of academic burnout. Universities are encouraged to implement support systems that foster social connection and emotional resilience to protect student mental health and academic success.