Psychological well-being and rumination in virtual engineering students (#1900)

Authors

Cuarez Cordero, Renzo

Abstract

Psychological well-being enables individuals to cope with difficult, complex, and stressful situations, making it particularly important for university students, especially those in demanding and rigorous fields. Without these psychological support mechanisms, students may become trapped in negative thought patterns, obsessing over unresolved negative experiences. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and rumination among university students. This quantitative, correlational, and non-experimental study included a total of 131 university students from engineering programs enrolled in virtual learning. The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between psychological well-being and rumination, a pattern observed across all dimensions of well-being except for personal growth and purpose in life. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, it was found that individuals aged 31 to 40 and female students scored higher in rumination; however, they also stood out with higher psychological well-being scores compared to younger students and male students, respectively. Additionally, university students who only dedicate themselves to studying have a higher score in psychological well-being as opposed to those who work and study, as the latter group exhibited higher levels of rumination. Finally, industrial engineering students demonstrated the highest levels of psychological well-being. These findings provide valuable insights into the current landscape of online education for future engineers.