The Hidden Burden of Existential Anxiety among Generation Z in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Prevalence and Clinical Implications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62843/jssr.v6i4.783Keywords:
Existential Anxiety, Existential Distress, Generation Z, Prevalence, University StudentsAbstract
Generation Z is a cohort navigating the world amid unprecedented social, economic, technological, political, and global uncertainty, raising questions about the meaning of life, purpose, identity, freedom, and the future. Existential anxiety remains underrecognized as a distinct and clinically relevant component of psychological distress. The current study explored the prevalence of existential anxiety among Generation Z students at a public university in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A quantitative survey was conducted using a questionnaire comprising demographic variables, including age, gender, educational level, and family structure, along with the Existential Anxiety Questionnaire (EAQ). The sample comprised 373 undergraduate and graduate students aged 18–30 years, recruited through simple random sampling. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-26. The results showed that 55.0% of participants were female and 45.0% were male. Regarding family structure, 53.4% belonged to nuclear families, while 46.6% belonged to joint families. The prevalence of existential anxiety was reported as 83.4%. Among the participants, 81.4% experienced high levels of existential anxiety, while 18.6% experienced moderate levels. Overall, the findings indicated that existential anxiety was highly prevalent among Generation Z students in the study sample. The participants' ages were divided into three categories: 18–21 years, 22–25 years, and 26–30 years. The rising prevalence of existential anxiety among undergraduate and graduate students is a point of concern. The university does not provide counseling services tailored by experienced mental health professionals to help students identify existential concerns and manage psychological distress. Therefore, the study underscores the need for early and effective interventions to mitigate the risk factors associated with existential anxiety among Generation Z university students.
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