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International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Relationship between Personal Well-Being and
Academic Achievement among Pakistani
International Students Studying in China
Amna Khalid Chaudhry1, Zainab Ikram2
1Master’s degree program of Applied Psychology at School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University (NENU) Changchun, Jilin, China
2Masters in Basic Psychology from Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
Abstract: This study explored the relationship between academic achievement and personal well-being of a sample of 85 students
(Male=72), (Female=13) studying at the prestigious universities (Pakistani international students) in China enrolled in the scholarship
program. The sample comprised 10 undergraduate language diploma students, 44 Master's, and 10 Post-Graduate students. The
students who were not in the People Republic of China during the epidemic was excluded from the survey. Due to the epidemic situation,
the data collection was done through an online website as a survey method. The relationship between academic achievement the
previous grade and expected grade point was self-administered by the respondents. Personal well-being and the demographic group
differences including gender, age, educational level were assessed. In addition, the personal well-being index (PWI-A) for adults was
used to analyze the personal-wellbeing of the student population. A positive correlation was identified between academic achievement
(expected grade point) with subjective well-being (.913**) Whereas, there was no significant correlation between (previous grade)
academic achievement and subjective well-being respectively. Testing Anova for the group differences, there were no significant
differences between the demographic groups respectively. Keywords: Personal Well-Being, Academic Achievement, Pakistani
International Students.
1. Introduction
The term “International student” is referred to any students
who go abroad in pursuit of learning to a foreign country.
The number of students at Chinese universities is increasing
every year due to quality of university education, social
development and introduction of various types of
scholarships that is China government scholarships,
university scholarships and MOFCOM scholarship.
According to the (Project Atlas Infographics, 2018) China
holds the 3rd position among the countries, hosting
international students with a number of 489,200
international students, United Kingdom holds 2nd position
with 506,480 whereas US has the top position hosting
1,094,792 international students. The major population of
international students in China is composed of Asian,
African, European as well as American students. Chinese
Universities are experiencing more complex and a diverse
student population. China plays a leading role in Asia
hosting international students. Thus, China attracts more
international students by providing them with free and
quality education in Chinese universities. The purpose of the
study is to evaluate and understand the relationship between
personal well-being and academic achievement and in order
to integrate the last semester grades and expected semester
grades conducting a survey related to the personal well-
being and academic achievement of Pakistani students living
in China during this epidemic situation. During the epidemic
situation globally all academic activities and educational
assessment changed to an online platform. Technologically
it is a great achievement of science of continuing education
process. Although students faced situations academically
related to personal well-being. This study aimed to explore
the relationship of personal well-being and academic
achievement respectively.
Subjective well-being refers to how a person feels or
experiences pleasantness in his or her life (Diener et al
1999). Several studies that examined the relationship
between academic achievement and subjective well-being
consistently supported this theoretical assumption with
samples from different countries (Gilman Huebner, 2006
Marks, Shah,Westall 2004 Ng et al 2015 Park Huebner,
2005 Quinn Duckworth,2007). This association was also
found with self-reported academic achievement or academic
efficacy, when official Grade Point Average (GPA or
standardized test scores were unavailable (Salmela Aro
Tynkkynen 2010 Suldo Huebner,2006 Yoo Choi, 2016).
Some results indicate that higher academic functioning leads
to higher SWB and lower levels of psychopathology (Suldo
Shaffer, 2008) and that students’ great point average GPA)
positively predicts changes in life satisfaction (Steinmayr et
al 2015) However, in other cases, SWB and academic
achievement were not statistically significantly correlated
(e.g Huebner, 1991 Huebner Alderman,1993).
The concept of university engagement considers dimensions
at individual (i.e., students themselves) and the contextual or
institutional level. For example, in a widely-cited definition
given by Kuh (2009a), university engagement was regarded
as “the time and effort students devote to activities that are
empirically linked to desired outcomes of college and what
institutions do to induce students to participate in these
activities” (p. 683). Similarly, researchers framed university
engagement in terms of external factors (e.g., institutional
factors) and internal factors (i.e., students' personal
factors; Zhang et al., 2015). A Pakistani study by Bhukari et
al. aimed to determine the association between academic
performance and subjective well-being (depression,
subjective happiness, and life satisfaction) among 300
university students using the Subjective Happiness Scale
(SHS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale, and (SWLS) found
Paper ID: SR201223220912
DOI: 10.21275/SR201223220912
1718
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
that academic performance is significantly negatively related
to depression, whereas it is significantly positively related to
subjective happiness and life satisfaction. In addition, the
transition to higher education itself is a great challenge,
which may cause physical and psychological distress and
negatively affect the quality of university students' academic
life (Tobolowsky, 2008; Wynaden et al., 2013). Yet,
students who can cope effectively and function adaptively in
university would flourish amidst these challenges (Stamp et
al., 2015). Whether students can function optimally in
challenging circumstances is a result of complex interactions
between individual (e.g., personal attributes and biological
condition), social, environmental, and cultural factors. Most
importantly, protective factors can modify students' response
to challenges and buffer them from the negative influences
(Bouteyre et al., 2007; Burris et al., 2009). Thus, to help
students deal with developmental and transitional difficulties
in university, and to promote their gains from higher
education, it is very important to explore such protective
factors. At a personal level, previous studies have shown
that personal well-being such as interpersonal confidence,
social and emotional skills, and self-esteem were associated
with better adjustment and academic achievement
(Eisenberg et al., 2009; Stamp et al., 2015). Hence, focusing
on these attributes represents a promising approach to
enhance university students’ academic gains.
Although educational level and age are highly correlated,
they are not the same, particularly not on the university level
where student populations tend to be heterogeneous with
respect to age. For example, some studies using university
samples report a mean age of almost 26 years (e g Grunschel
Schwinger, Steinmayr,&Fries 2016) whereas others report a
mean age of 18 years (e g Schmitt Oswald, Friede Imus,
Merritt, 2008). Fazel (2010) enlighten that the perceptions of
students about the learning environment can be a basis for
the application of the amendments and, therefore, optimize
the educational environment.
However, less literature and research is being conducted
regarding the relationship of personal well-being and
academic achievement. The foundation and basic research
questions of the study are as follows:
Research Question
RQ1: What is the correlation between PWB and
academic achievement (last semester grades and
expected semester grades)?
RQ2: What is the differences between the academic
(previous and expected) grades, gender, age and educational
level?
2. Methodology
2.1 Research Design and Participants
Quantitative research study design was used to analyze the
result. The sample consisted of 85 International Pakistani
students studying in China under the CSC- scholarship
program taught in English program, (10 Undergraduate
language diploma, 44 Master, and 10 post-graduate students
(Male= 72, Female=13). Purposive sampling was used to
select the participants. All nationalities were excluded from
the study except Pakistani students studying in China. The
study was carried out at one normal university located in
Jilin province, China. Due to the epidemic situation the data
was collected through online website. Whereas,
questionnaire was distributed online and one participant can
fill the questionnaire from one mobile set.
2.2 Instruments
The dimensions of the questionnaire included socio-
demographic information: age, gender, school of study, and
educational level of study. The tool also included the
cumulative grade point average (CGPA), which is an
indicator of academic performance of previous semester and
expected grade point (CGPA).
2.3 The Personal Wellbeing Index Adult (PWI-A)
The Personal Wellbeing Index Adult (PWI A) is a seven
item, self-administered scale that measures personal well-
being. With the following life domains: standard of living,
health, life achievement, personal relationships, personal
safety, community connectedness, and future security. Each
item is rated on a 0-to-10 scale (0 = No satisfaction at all; 10
= Very satisfied). Self-administered last semester and
expected semester grade point was asked. Quantitative data
was analyzed by using SPSS version 21.0. Students’
responses were compared using mean scores, One-way
ANOVA and Paired Samples t-test and Pearson Correlation.
2.4 Ethical Consideration
The anonymity and confidentiality of the participants were
respects and they have complete right to participate and
leave the study if they want to.
3. Results
While processing the data, the current academic score and
expected academic score of students’ and personal well-
being were set out separately. The table 1 shows there is no
correlation between previous academic grades with the
personal well-being whereas there is a significant positive
correlation between expected grade point with the personal
well-being.
Table 1: Correlation between Grades and PWB
Previous Semester
Grades
Expected
Grades SWB
Previous Semester Grades
Expected Semester Grades
.913**
Personal Well-Being .007 .067
Table 2: Difference between Gender (Independent Sample
Test)
T df P
Previous Semester Grades -185 83 .854
Expected Semester Grades -305 83 .761
Personal Well-Being -.772 83 .442
Table 1and 2 showed there is no gender differences in
respect to academic grade (expected and current) with the
personal well-being.
Paper ID: SR201223220912
DOI: 10.21275/SR201223220912
1719
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Table 3: One Sample T-Test
T Df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference
PWB 46.493 84 .001 71.506
Table 3 showed p-value is less than 0.05 merely stating
results are statistically significant.
Table 4: One Way -Anova Table
Df F P
Age 32 .408 .666
Education 32 .175 .840
Table 4 showed that there was no significant difference
among age group for academic achievement and personal
well-being of Pakistani international students studying in
China. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare
age, and educational levels of students with the subjective
well-being and academic performance. Through the
surveying of the students contained in the sample size
participating in the study results revealed not any significant
differences.
4. Discussion
This study explored that male and female international
students have no differences as regard to the academic
grades and personal well-being. Because of the individual
differences and certain different academic understandings
and achievement goals individually. It is consistent with the
result and study by Malik et al. (2013) explaining an
explorative study with 137 students finding there is no
relationship between life subjective well-being and
academic performance. The results of this research are
consistent with existing research. Findings contribute to the
growing but limited literature on the relationship between
academic achievement and subjective well-being (Huebner
et al., 2014; Ng et al., 2015). Moreover, the research showed
significant differences of expected grades with the personal
well-being. Explaining the phenomena of Academic
achievement have a relationship with subjective well-being
with regard to the expected grades.Previous academic
achievement has been shown to predict current achievement
(McKenzie & Schweitzer, 2001) and, in a wide-ranging
analysis of factors influencing adjustment and performance,
Stoever (2001) found that academic rather than personal
adjustment was the strongest predictor of academic
performance. Additionally, previous literature and research
suggests that relationships between personal and academic
achievement may not be linear (Chen, Wang, & Hu, 2007;
Fenollar, Roma´n, & Cuestas, 2007).Interpretation of the
findings might also have benefited as highlighting the
importance of personal well-being and subjectivity of
individuals as related to their academic achievements and
expected results.Measures taken at midyear and pre-
assessment would have contributed more immediate
evidence of the relationship between well-being and
achievement. The study was a small scale survey and hence
the findings cannot be generalized to all international
students (Pakistani students) in China. As the population of
Pakistani international students is high in percentage so
similar study should be carried out in other universities
across China (which have Pakistani international students) to
establish whether international students hold the same
perceptions about the academic learning environment.
5. Conclusions
According to the findings and results of the study, the
students held positive perceptions about the learning
environment. The students’ subjective personal well-being
was high as linked to the expected grade point. First, that the
current situation of corona epidemic situation and within the
last couple of months their spirits were high and they were
expecting really good academic scores at the end of their
current ongoing semester. Secondly, they expressed their
low level of academic grade point of last semester grade
point as compared to the ongoing semester grade points.
Because of the uncertain situation relating to their academies.
Lastly, the group differences as educational level and gender
did not have any major differences.
References
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[2] Bücker, S., Nuraydin, S., Simonsmeier, B. A.,
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[3] Steinmayr, R., Heyder, A., Naumburg, C., Michels, J.,
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Paper ID: SR201223220912
DOI: 10.21275/SR201223220912
1720
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
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Author Profile
Amna Khalid Chaudhry received M.Sc. degree of
Applied Psychology from University of Management
and Technology (UMT)Lahore, Pakistan in 2017.
During the degree program worked as a Teacher
Assistant, worked as a clinician internee. After the completion of
degree worked as a Special ASD Teacher in an institute. Currently
enrolled as a Full bright scholarship student in the Master’s degree
program of Applied Psychology at School of Psychology,
Northeast Normal University (NENU) Changchun, Jilin, China.
Zainab Ikram completed her bachelors in Social
Sciences and Humanities from the University of
Management and Technology, Pakistan. Currently, she
is doing her Masters in Basic Psychology from
Shandong Normal University, Jinan, since 2018.
Amaryah Hannah Robinson is from Alaska state in
the US. She did a Bachelors in China, graduated in 3
years instead of 4. I continued onto study my Masters
in Psychology at School of Psychology, Northeast
Normal University. Had experiencing working as
teacher in both the US and China, as well as a variety of positions
aiding the university as a translator, Currently the Director of the
International Department for NISA, as well as aid fellow students
as a student representative.
Olorundare Anthony received Bachelor of Arts in
Economics, Sociology and Psychology an
interdisciplinary degree from Bangalore University,
India in 2016. In 2017, He served as a graduate
assistant at the Federal College of Education
(SPECIAL), Oyo, Nigeria. He is currently a Masters student in
Applied Psychology at School of Psychology, Northeast Normal
University, China.
Paper ID: SR201223220912
DOI: 10.21275/SR201223220912
1721