Identifying well-being profiles among university students: a person-oriented approach using Latent Profile Analysis at Sokoine University of Agriculture
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Date
2026-06
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Open Journal for Psychological Research
Abstract
University students face multiple academic, social, and psychological challenges that impact their
well-being. This study examined psychological well-being profiles among 322 undergraduate
students at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) using a person-oriented approach. Validated
instruments assessed resilience (CD-RISC-10), perceived stress (PSS-10), academic self-efficacy,
and social connectedness. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified three distinct profiles:
Flourishing (42%), Struggling but Resilient (36%), and Vulnerable (22%). Flourishing students
exhibited high resilience (M = 4.3), low stress (M = 2.1), high self-efficacy (M = 4.5), and high
connectedness (M = 4.2), whereas Vulnerable students showed low resilience (M = 2.8), high
stress (M = 4.1), low self-efficacy (M = 2.9), and low connectedness (M = 2.6). ANOVA confirmed
significant differences across profiles for all indicators (η² = 0.48–0.54, p < .001). College (χ² =
12.34, p = .015) and year of study (F = 6.45, p = .002) significantly predicted profile membership;
Veterinary Medicine students were overrepresented in the Struggling but Resilient profile, and
first-year students were disproportionately Vulnerable. Gender and age were not significant
predictors. Correlational analyses within profiles showed negative associations between stress
and resilience (r = -.57 to -.63, p < .001). Findings highlight the heterogeneity of student well-
being and the need for targeted, College-specific interventions, particularly for first-year and
high-stress disciplines. These results underscore the utility of LPA in identifying at-risk students
and informing evidence-based counseling, peer-support, and resilience-building programs.
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Journal Article
Keywords
person-oriented research, latent profile analysis, psychological well-being, resilience, perceived stress, academic self-efficacy, social connectedness