Predictors of psychological well-being in university students: a mental health perspective

Estrada-Araoz E.G.; Yana-Salluca M.; Chura-Quispe G.; Quispe-Aquise J.; Larico-Uchamaco G.R.; Cruz-Laricano E.O. · Gaceta Medica de Caracas (2026) · DOI: 10.47307/gmc.2026.134.s2.19

Resumen

Introduction: University life entails academic and emotional demands that may affect students’ psychological well-being. In this context, academic procrastination and problematic social media use may act as predictors; however, there is limited evidence examining their joint predictive role. Objective: To determine whether academic procrastination and social media addiction predict psychological well-being among Peruvian university students. Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and predictive study was conducted. The sample consisted of 234 university students selected through probabilistic sampling. The Academic Procrastination Scale, the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale for Adults were used; all demonstrated adequate psychometric properties. Results: Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that academic procrastination and social media addiction were negatively associated with psychological well-being, accounting for 10.3% of the variance (adjusted R2 = 0.103). Academic procrastination showed the strongest predictive effect (β = −0.260; p < 0.01), followed by social media addiction (β = −0.132; p < 0.05). Finally, the Durbin–Watson statistic (1.831) confirmed the independence of residuals. Conclusions: Academic procrastination and social media addiction act as significant predictors of psychological well-being among university students. These findings underscore the importance of considering academic and digital behaviors in analyses of students’mental health, providing empirical evidence for understanding psychological well-being in the university context.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional del Altiplano; Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios; Universidad Nacional de Cañete; Escuela de Posgrado Newman