The paradox of university student well-being: the discrepancy between abstract definitions and the perceived experience of time pressure, isolation, and anxiety

Background: Student mental health is a significant public health concern, characterized by increased psychological distress and reduced well-being in university settings. However, a clear description and conceptualization of university students' well-being as a distinct construct are lacking and needed especially since the COVID-19 pandemic may have introduced contextual changes that altered the understanding and experience of well-being among these students.Objective: The primary contribution of this study is to provide a context-sensitive conceptualization of student well-being at the University of V. The existing gap in literature has been addressed by using a qualitative approach to uncover how temporal pressure and anxiety-often overlooked in abstract frameworks-shape the Italian university experience considering both abstract conceptualizations and stakeholder mediated perceptions of the student experience of well-being.Methods: From a constructivist perspective, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 privileged observers including faculty members, administrative staff, psychologists, and student representatives and tutors. The data were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis supplemented by a descriptive frequency analysis to clarify conceptual boundaries and explore the current state of well-being.Results: The findings showed that observers defined well-being in abstract terms through three core categories: satisfaction (hedonic), a full and complete educational experience (eudaimonic), and social relations and support. However, these definitions and students' lived experiences, as reported by respondents, differ. References to being in situation of discomfort accounted for 85% of the data, indicating distress characterized by contextual determinants including academic anxiety, loneliness, and peer competition. Perceptions of time also emerged as a central experiential factor, with students expressing significant uncertainty and negativity about their future careers. The findings also highlighted generational differences; student respondents emphasized the need for student-centered services and institutional support, while adults noted students' lack of satisfaction and social isolation.Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that students often perceive the university experience as a demanding challenge, marked by exhaustion rather than the joy of personal growth and impacting their general well-being. These findings underscore the need for a context-sensitive understanding of student well-being, grounded in the specific institutional and socio-historical conditions of contemporary university life, to inform the development of responsive support services and proactive interventions that effectively address the needs identified through these mediated stakeholder accounts.