Work

Keeping Up or Burning Out? Peer Pressure and Academic Burnout among Third-Year University Students in Changchun, China

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Academic burnout is increasingly recognised as a challenge in higher education, yet the contribution of peer-related pressures remains less clearly understood in Chinese university contexts. This study examined the association between peer pressure and academic burnout among third-year undergraduates in Changchun, China. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed, and data were obtained from 310 students recruited from two universities using adapted self-report measures of peer pressure and academic burnout. Analyses were conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics 32 and included data screening, Harman’s single-factor test, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression. Both measures showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .941 for peer pressure and .901 for academic burnout). Participants reported moderate levels of peer pressure and academic burnout. Peer pressure was positively correlated with academic burnout (r = .369, p < .001). The regression model was significant, F(1, 308) = 48.530, p < .001, with peer pressure accounting for 13.6% of the variance in academic burnout (R² = .136). Peer pressure also emerged as a significant positive statistical predictor of academic burnout (B = .275, SE = .039, β = .369, p < .001). These findings indicate that peer pressure constitutes a meaningful social-academic factor associated with burnout during a stage of university study characterised by increasingly visible academic and career comparisons. The results extend understanding of academic burnout by drawing attention to interpersonal pressures alongside formal academic demands. Universities may therefore benefit from fostering healthier peer climates and integrating academic, psychological, and career support for third-year students. Given the cross-sectional design and convenience sample, the findings should be interpreted as evidence of association rather than causation.

Source: International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science

DOI: 10.47772/ijriss.2026.1026edu0516

Authors: Zhao Xiaojun, Noryati Alias

Institutions: Kuala Lumpur University of Science & Technology, SEGi University

Language: English

Topic: Stress and Burnout Research

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W7204454998