Mental Health and Stress in Generation Z Students

Abstract

  Generation Z students, typically defined as those born between around 1997 and 2012, pursue higher education in times marked by rapid technological advancement, increasing academic expectations, economic uncertainty, and the lingering psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence from secondary data sources consistently indicates high levels of perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, academic burnout, and sleep disturbances among this cohort (American Psychological Association, 2023; Roy et al., 2025). This paper utilizes a secondary data research design and systematically synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed journals, international health organization reports, and large-scale student mental-health studies. Its objectives are to examine the prevalence and nature of stress among Generation Z students, identify key academic, digital, and psychosocial stressors, review common mental-health outcomes based on established conceptual frameworks, and analyze coping mechanisms and resilience factors. Institutional and policy-level interventions are discussed, supported by available evidence. By synthesizing contemporary research, the study gives direction towards evidence-informed scalable responses to support the mental well-being and academic success of Generation Z students.