Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN BOARDING SCHOOL STUDENTS

Background: The Pakistani boarding school environment in general is such that students are placed under enormous psychological stress by strict discipline and long separation from family. And because mental health is considered negative in some cultures, these conditions can make for a wide variety of psychological challenges including anxiety, depression, and identity issues. Aim: The goal of this study is to estimate the prevalence and interrelations of psychological difficulties among students of Pakistan's cadet colleges, and to address areas commonly incapacitating students of Pakistan, particularly: Separation anxiety, social isolation, behavioral problems, imposter syndrome.

Method: To investigate the role of separation anxiety in causing BPD symptoms, a self-developed questionnaire was used to conduct a cross sectional survey incorporating items from the established separation anxiety scale, beck depression inventory-II and imposter syndrome questionnaire. Convenient sampling was used and data was collected from students of 37 cadet colleges across Pakistan. Relationships among psychological variables were examined with the use of descriptive statistics and correlation analyses.

Findings and results: The major problems identified in the study were separation anxiety, stress, and behavioral issues, while isolation was strongly connected to eating disorders and substance abuse, according to the study. Cadet colleges were also a cause for a lack of emotional support and analytical correlations between identity issues and the imposter syndrome were observed. The analysis brings to the forefront a pressing need for mental health interventions.

Conclusion: What the findings verify is that Pakistani cadet colleges need to take on psychological support systems for students’ mental health as practiced in West boarding schools. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 27 (1) January, 2026; 1-9.

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