Impact of Gender, Living of Area, and Academic Streams on Mental Health of College-Going Students

Abstract

Mental health has emerged as a critical concern among college-going students in the present academic and social context. The study aimed to examine the influence of gender, living area, and academic streams on the mental health of students. A total sample of 180 students (90 male and 90 female), equally distributed across urban and rural areas and Arts, Commerce, and Science streams, was selected using a quota sampling method. Mental Health Battery (Singh & Gupta, 2005) was administered to assess psychological well-being. Data were analyzed using Mean, SD, and ANOVA. The findings revealed significant differences: female students reported higher mental health compared to male students, rural students scored higher than urban students, and Arts students demonstrated better mental health than Commerce and Science students.