RELATIONSHIP OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS WITH ACADEMIC BURNOUT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Academic burnout characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced academic efficacy is an increasingly prevalent and serious concern among college students in Pakistan, where academic pressures, limited mental health support infrastructure, and competitive educational environments combine to create high burnout risk. Physical activity (PA) and mental toughness (MT) have been theoretically and empirically linked to burnout outcomes, yet their combined relationship with academic burnout in the Pakistani college context has not been systematically investigated. Methods: This cross-sectional, quantitative survey study recruited 1,900 college students (n = 1,900) from 49 Government Degree Colleges across the Sheikhupura region of Punjab, Pakistan. Physical activity was measured using the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Mental toughness was assessed via the 8-item Mental Toughness Index (MTI) on a 7-point Likert scale. Academic burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS), capturing emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic inefficacy. Data normality was confirmed through skewness and kurtosis analysis. Inferential analyses included Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, independent-samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA, conducted using SPSS v.25. Results: Physical activity demonstrated a strong positive correlation with academic burnout (r = .655, p < .001), and significantly predicted academic burnout, accounting for 43% of its variance (β = .655, R² = .429, F = 299.368, p < .001). Mental toughness demonstrated an even stronger positive correlation with academic burnout (r = .711, p < .001) and accounted for 51% of its variance (β = .711, R² = .506, F = 408.632, p < .001). No significant gender-based (p > .05) or program-based (p > .05) differences were found. Significant district-based differences were identified across all three variables (p < .05). Age-based differences were significant for physical activity and academic burnout (p < .05), but not for mental toughness (p = .371). Conclusions: Both physical activity and mental toughness are significant positive correlates and predictors of academic burnout in Pakistani college students, with mental toughness demonstrating a stronger predictive effect. These findings underscore the importance of integrating structured physical activity programs and evidence-based mental toughness development interventions into the academic welfare infrastructure of Pakistani government colleges, particularly in geographically diverse district settings.

Keywords: Academic Burnout, Physical Activity, Mental Toughness, College Students, Pakistan, MBI-SS, IPAQ-SF, Punjab