Status of Life Satisfaction of Islamic University Students at Kushtia, Bangladesh

Abstract

Students' university life is considered a stressful period due to the different difficulties they encounter, such as academic pressure, parental pressure, career uncertainties, and adjusting to a new environment. Life satisfaction is considered one of the basic elements of a student’s mental well-being. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the status of Islamic University student’s life satisfaction along with its associated factors. This quantitative study surveyed 325 students at the Islamic University in Kushtia, Bangladesh during June and July 2023, using face-to-face surveys with a convenience sampling method. All data were collected using a questionnaire that included the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The sample included 202 males (62.2%) and 123 females (37.8%), with an average age of 23.26 years (SD = 1.97), mostly residing in university dormitories (60%). The data were examined using descriptive statistics, t-tests by SPSS version 26, and Microsoft Excel version 19. The present study inspected several factors affecting life satisfaction among 325 participants. Using descriptive and inferential statistics, found substantial relations between life satisfaction and factors such as current residence (t = -3.27, p = 0.001), educational level (t = -2.07, p = 0.040), faculty choice (t = 3.24, p = 0.001), pressure to study (t = -3.94, p < 0.001), guardians’ pressure (t = -3.92, p < 0.001), part-time jobs (t = -3.58, p < 0.001), stress (t = -2.44, p = 0.01), and mental health status (t = 4.68, p < 0.001). These results highlight the complex interplay of factors shaping students' life satisfaction. This study reveals that living arrangements, academic levels, external pressures, and mental health remarkably affect the life satisfaction of Islamic University students. It stresses the need for tailored interventions to enhance student life satisfaction in Bangladesh.