Pengaruh Persaingan Akademik dan Digital terhadap Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa Generasi Z

Analisis Studi Literatur

Authors

  • Nabila Aulia Syifa Universitas Nasional Pasim
  • Vira Febriana Universitas Nasional Pasim
  • Sri Mulyeni Universitas Nasional Pasim

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62383/risoma.v4i1.1513

Keywords:

Academic Competition, Digital Life, Generation Z, Mental Health, University Students

Abstract

Mental health among Generation Z university students has become an increasingly important issue amid rising academic demands and the rapid development of digital life. Students today face various academic pressures, including competition for achievement, heavy coursework, and performance targets, which may negatively affect their psychological well-being. In addition, advances in digital technology have reshaped students’ daily lives, particularly through intensified information exposure and social comparison. This study aims to examine the influence of academic competition and digital dynamics on the mental health of Generation Z students using a literature review approach. The research employs a descriptive qualitative literature review method by analyzing 20 relevant scholarly articles published in national and international journals between 2018 and 2024. The findings indicate that academic competition is closely associated with increased levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion among students. Prolonged academic pressure without adequate psychological support may lead to a decline in students’ psychological well-being. Furthermore, digital life reinforces psychological pressure through mechanisms of social comparison and self-presentation demands. However, several studies also identify protective factors, such as social support, mental health literacy, and emotional regulation skills, which help students manage academic and digital pressures more adaptively. Therefore, the mental health of Generation Z students is shaped by a complex interaction between academic competition and digital life, highlighting the need for comprehensive efforts from both individuals and educational institutions to promote students’ psychological well-being.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Stress in America™ 2020: A national mental health crisis.

Auerbach, R. P., Mortier, P., Bruffaerts, R., Alonso, J., Benjet, C., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., Hasking, P., Murray, E., Nock, M. K., Pinder-Amaker, S., Sampson, N. A., Stein, D. J., Vilagut, G., Zaslavsky, A. M., & Kessler, R. C. (2018). WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 127(7), 623–638. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000362

Barbayannis, G., Bandari, M., Zheng, X., Baquerizo, H., Pecor, K. W., & Ming, X. (2022). Academic stress and mental well-being in college students: Correlations, affected groups, and COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.886344

Benítez-Agudelo, J. C., Restrepo, D., Navarro-Jimenez, E., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2025). Longitudinal effects of stress in an academic context on psychological well-being, physiological markers, health behaviors, and academic performance in university students. BMC Psychology, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03041-z

Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020). The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry Research, 287, 112934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023.

Compas, B. E., Jaser, S. S., Bettis, A. H., Watson, K. H., Gruhn, M. A., Dunbar, J. P., Williams, E., & Thigpen, J. C. (2017). Coping, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis and narrative review. Psychological Bulletin, 143(9), 939–991. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000110

Haniifah, N. R. N., Isbandi, F. S., Rahayu, K. A., Natasha, A. D., Thoriq, A., & Fadillah, H. (2025). Pengaruh penggunaan media sosial terhadap kesehatan mental Gen Z: Studi kasus survei waktu penggunaan media sosial. Jurnal Bisnis dan Komunikasi Digital, 2(2), 16. https://doi.org/10.47134/jbkd.v2i2.3581

Jackson, L. M. (2020). The psychology of prejudice: From attitudes to social action (2nd ed.). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000168-000

Keyes, K. M., Gary, D., O’Malley, P. M., Hamilton, A., & Schulenberg, J. (2019). Recent increases in depressive symptoms among U.S. adolescents: Trends from 1991 to 2018. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54(8), 987–996. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01697-8

Krause, K. H., Mpofu, J., Brown, M., Rico, A., Andrews, C., & Underwood, J. M. (2022). At the intersections: Examining trends in violence, mental health, and suicidal risk behaviors among U.S. high school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 71(3), 293–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.03.012

Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Sheppes, G., Costello, C. K., Jonides, J., & Ybarra, O. (2021). Social media and well-being: Pitfalls, progress, and next steps. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(1), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.10.005

Li, P., Yang, J., Zhou, Z., Zhao, Z., & Liu, T. (2022). The influence of academic stressors on mental health during COVID-19: The mediating role of social support and self-identity. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.917581

Mathews, S., Williams, B., & Nedeljkovic, M. (2020). Temporal self-appraisal in depression and anxiety: Comparison between clinical and non-clinical samples. Australian Psychologist, 55(4), 389–396. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12442

Mudarya, I. N., & Kurniawati, N. N. N. (2024). Meningkatkan sumber daya manusia di era Generasi Z melalui kesadaran kesehatan mental. Daiwi Widya, 11(1), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.37637/dw.v11i1.2011

Murtaza, M. A., Ibrar, M., Ali, R., Anas, A., & Rehmani, T. (2025). Effect of academic stress on mental health of undergraduate students. The Superior Journal of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, 5, 48–54. https://doi.org/10.56536/sjptr.v1i1.88

Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R. (2020). Adolescent mental health in the digital age: Facts, fears, and future directions. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 336–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13190

Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1

Pascoe, M. C., Hetrick, S. E., & Parker, A. G. (2020). The impact of stress on students in secondary and higher education. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 104–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1596823

Pertiwi, E. M., Suminar, D. R., & Ardi, R. (2022). Psychological well-being among Gen Z social media users. Indigenous: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi, 7(3), 204–218. https://doi.org/10.23917/indigenous.v7i3.19851

Rayaginansih, S. F., Cahyati, S., & Fahriza, I. (2024). The impact of the digital era on the mental health of Generation Z. Journal of Education and Counseling (JECO), 4(2), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.32627/jeco.v4i2.1080

Ren, X., Sotardi, V. A., & Brown, C. (2025). Academic stress and coping among university students during COVID-19. Education Sciences, 15(3), 314. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030314

Salmela-Aro, K., & Read, S. (2017). Study engagement and burnout profiles among Finnish students. Burnout Research, 7, 21–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2017.11.001

Sharma, E., & Nigam, N. (2025). Digital age influences on undergraduate students’ mental health. Discover Social Science and Health, 5(1), 174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00327-w

Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e21279. https://doi.org/10.2196/21279

Sugiyono. (2019). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.

Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Screen time and psychological well-being among children and adolescents. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003

Vannucci, A., Flannery, K. M., & Ohannessian, C. M. (2017). Social media use and anxiety in emerging adults. Journal of Affective Disorders, 207, 163–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.040

World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health of adolescents.

World Health Organization. (2025, October 8). Mental health.

Yulina, E., Yunita, Y., Dewi, I. K., & Lubis, D. M. G. S. (2025). The relationship between academic stress and mental health of Medan Area University students. Journal of Comprehensive Science, 4(7), 2284–2291. https://doi.org/10.59188/jcs.v4i7.3455

Zulfatus Izza, N., & Natalia, V. R. (2025). Peran musik untuk mengatasi stres dan krisis mental Gen Z di era digital. SWARA: Jurnal Antologi Pendidikan Musik, 5(1), 113–124.

Downloads

Published

2026-02-02

How to Cite

Nabila Aulia Syifa, Vira Febriana, & Sri Mulyeni. (2026). Pengaruh Persaingan Akademik dan Digital terhadap Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa Generasi Z : Analisis Studi Literatur. RISOMA : Jurnal Riset Sosial Humaniora Dan Pendidikan, 4(1), 348–361. https://doi.org/10.62383/risoma.v4i1.1513

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.