Title: Relationship Between Mindfulness, Emotional Wellbeing and Academic Performance Among University Students

Abstract

Mindfulness and emotional wellbeing have been independently associated with positive student outcomes; however, empirical evidence regarding their combined influence on academic performance remains limited, particularly within developing educational contexts. This study investigated the relationships between mindfulness, emotional wellbeing, and academic performance among university students in Pakistan, addressing a critical gap in the existing literature. A correlational quantitative research design was employed, with a sample of 150 undergraduate students drawn from The Islamia University of Bahawalpur and Government Sadiq College for Women University Bahawalpur using stratified random sampling to ensure representation across academic programs and years of study. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) to assess mindfulness, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) to measure emotional wellbeing, and self-reported cumulative GPA as an indicator of academic performance. Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 26, incorporating descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis with bootstrapping to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings revealed significant positive correlations between mindfulness and emotional wellbeing (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), mindfulness and academic performance (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), and emotional wellbeing and academic performance (r = 0.57, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that mindfulness and emotional wellbeing jointly predicted academic performance, accounting for 42% of the variance in GPA. Furthermore, mediation analysis confirmed that emotional wellbeing partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and academic performance, indicating that mindfulness influences academic outcomes both directly and indirectly through enhanced emotional health. These findings underscore the critical role of mindfulness and emotional wellbeing in shaping university students' academic success. The results suggest that integrating mindfulness-based interventions and emotional wellbeing programs into university curricula and support services may serve as effective strategies for fostering both psychological resilience and academic achievement in higher education settings.

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