Happiness and Academic Achievement among University Students in Pakistan: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis

Abstract

Happiness is a central component of subjective well-being and an important construct within positive psychology. Although student well-being has increasingly been linked with educational functioning, evidence from Pakistani higher education remains limited. This study examined the relationship between happiness and academic achievement among university students and determined whether happiness accounted for additional variance in academic performance beyond demographic and academic characteristics. A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 320 undergraduate students (144 males and 176 females) selected through stratified random sampling from five academic disciplines at Health Services Academy Islamabad, Pakistan. Happiness was assessed using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, while academic achievement was measured through cumulative grade point average (CGPA) obtained from university records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t tests, Pearson correlations, one-way ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression. Happiness was moderately and positively associated with academic achievement, r (318) = .42, p < .001, 95% CI [.32, .51]. After controlling for age, gender, and academic discipline, happiness remained significantly associated with CGPA (β = .37, p < .001) and accounted for an additional 13% of variance (ΔR² = .13, p < .001). Female students reported higher happiness and CGPA than males, while discipline-related differences in happiness were small. Happiness showed a meaningful association with academic achievement beyond selected demographic and academic factors. The findings highlight the relevance of student well-being within positive psychology and higher-education support initiatives, while the cross-sectional design does not permit causal conclusions.