A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: GENDER PERSPECTIVES

Background: The concept of psychological well-being (PWB) emerges as a complex multidimensional construct that serves as a fundamental determinant for achieving both academic and personal success during the critical transitional period of university life. The examination of gender-based variations in psychological well-being (PWB) delivers essential knowledge that enables the creation of customized student support frameworks. Objective: The central purpose of this academic investigation involves a detailed examination and comparison of psychological well-being among male and female university students by focusing on critical dimensions including satisfaction levels, personal efficiency, social interaction abilities, mental health status, and interpersonal relationship quality. Methods: The investigation utilized a comparative, cross-sectional research design which included 100 postgraduate students (50 males, 50 females) from Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University in West Bengal who were selected through purposive sampling. The research team gathered data through the implementation of the Psychological Well-being Scale which Sisodia and Choudhary originally designed. Researchers employed descriptive statistical methods alongside independent samples t- tests to investigate gender-based differences across five dimensions as well as overall well-being. Results: Results indicated no gender differences in satisfaction (p = 0.45), efficiency (p = 0.95), sociability (p = 0.23), interpersonal relationships (p = 0.44), or overall well-being (p = 0.52). However, a statistically significant difference was found between mental health scores (p = 0.03), where female students had higher mean scores, suggesting improved emotional well-being. Conclusion: The results indicate that despite being on par in terms of general psychological well- being, there are notable differences in the field of mental health, which may be determined by gender- related coping and sociocultural expectations. These findings call for gender-specific mental health interventions and resilience courses in higher education institutions to promote healthy psychological development.