Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being and Resilience among University Students in Bamenda, Northwest Region, Cameroon.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between psychological well-being and resilience among university students in Bamenda, Northwest Region of Cameroon. The motivation for this research stemmed from rising concerns about students' mental health in the area, driven by ongoing socio-political instability caused by the Anglophone crisis. The study's specific goals were: to determine the levels of psychological wellbeing among university students in Bamenda; to assess the levels of resilience among these students; and to explore the connection between psychological well-being and resilience among them. The research used two well-established psychological tools: Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale to measure well-being and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25) for resilience assessment. These instruments served as the theoretical basis for quantifying the key concepts under study. A quantitative, correlational research design was adopted, targeting approximately 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled at the University of Bamenda and the Catholic University of Cameroon, Bamenda. A multi-stage sampling method, incorporating simple random sampling, was used to select a sample of 360 students. Out of these, 301 completed and returned questionnaires, resulting in an 83.6% response rate. Data collection involved structured, self-administered questionnaires, and analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive data showed that 48.2% of participants were aged 18–25, with a nearly even gender split of 51.16% male and 47.84% female. Most respondents (84.1%) were undergraduates. Respondents from the Catholic University of Cameroon made up a larger share (56.81%) than those from the University of Bamenda (43.19%). Regarding psychological well-being, 38.9% of students scored high, 57.5% moderate, and 2.3% low. The average score was 2.3704 with a standard deviation of 0.53036, indicating moderate variability. For resilience, 33.2% showed high resilience, 57.8% moderate, and 9.0% low, with a mean of 2.2425 and a standard deviation of 0.60359. Inferential analysis with Chi-square tests found no significant links between resilience and demographic factors such as age (χ²(4) = 4.552, p = 0.336) or gender (χ²(4) = 3.651, p = 0.455), suggesting resilience levels were mostly unaffected by these variables. The findings indicated that most students exhibited moderate to high levels of both psychological well-being and resilience. However, a notable portion of students with low scores highlights the need for targeted psychological support. The study underscores the importance of implementing mental health initiatives and resilience-building programs in university environments, especially in conflict-affected areas. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of student mental health and provide a foundation for policy development and future research into student well-being in crisis settings.