A Comparative Study of Psychological Capital and Academic Stress among Students

Introduction: Psychological Capital is the concept under positive psychology which is defined as the development of an individual’s positive psychological state (Seligman, 2008). Academic stress is a serious problem in students in the present time. Students face difficulty regarding syllabus, clarity of content, exam pattern and pressure to achieve their career related goals. Objectives: The present study investigated the psychological capital and Academic Stress among students on the basis of Gender and Area (Rural and Urban). Methodology: The sample comprised 100 students (17 to 24 years) selected through purposive sampling from different educational institutions of Uttar Pradesh. A Biographical information sheet was used to record information regarding demographic profile of students. A scale developed by Matos, F.R. & De Andrade, A.L. (2021) in a student context, was used to assess the psychological capital among students. The Academic Stress Scale, developed by Rajendran and Kaliappan, was used to measure psychological capital among students. Results: Findings revealed that there was no significant difference in Academic stress in male and female students. There was a significant difference in Psychological Capital and its dimensions on the basis of Gender There were no significant differences in Academic stress, PsyCap and its dimensions in rural and urban areas of students. Conclusion: For managing academic stress, parents should care for students’ mental health and promote wellbeing and positive thinking, teachers should organize counselling sessions in educational institutions.