Factors Affecting the Happiness of Learners in Higher Education: Attitude, Grade Point Average, and Time Management

Student well-being is essential for academic achievement and personal growth. Fostering happiness among university students is crucial for individual development, strong family bonds, a harmonious society, and national progress. This study aimed to identify key determinants of student happiness in higher education. Eight factors, including GPA, workload, family support, university environment, attitude, motivation, time management, and social relationships, were examined among 388 Thai students using an online survey. Students were categorized into distinct groups based on these factors using k-means clustering. ANOVA was employed to assess whether these factors significantly differentiated the groups, and significant factors were further analyzed using regression analysis to confirm their impact on student happiness. A neural network analysis was also utilized to evaluate the relative importance of each factor. The results revealed that attitude, GPA, and time management significantly affected student happiness. A positive attitude fosters a sense of opportunity and achievement, a high GPA reflects academic success and enhances self-confidence, and effective time management reduces stress while allowing more time for enjoyable activities.