Stress perception, academic motivation, and mental well-being: evidence from Chinese undergraduate students

Objective Stress is a pervasive feature of university students’ learning experiences, yet its psychological consequences depend less on stress exposure than on how stress is perceived and cognitively appraised. Drawing on the transactional model of stress and Self-Determination Theory, this study examines the relationships among stress perception, academic motivation, and mental well-being, with a focus on the mediating role of academic motivation. Methods A sample of 322 Chinese undergraduate students completed validated self-report measures, including the Perceived Stress Scale, the Short Academic Motivation Scale, and the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results Perceived stress was positively associated with academic motivation and mental well-being. Academic motivation statistically mediated the association between stress perception and mental well-being. Conclusion The findings suggest that the associations between perceived stress, motivation, and mental well-being may be more nuanced than traditionally assumed. Rather than reflecting exclusively maladaptive strain, perceived stress may capture appraisal-based responses linked with academic engagement. These results highlight the importance of cognitive appraisal and motivational processes in understanding student psychological functioning.