Body Image Concerns, Religious Coping and Academic Achievement in College Students

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between body image concerns, religious coping, and self-reported academic performance among college students, and further investigated the mediating role of religious coping in the association between body image concerns and academic performance. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed. The sample consisted of 300 college students (150 males and 150 females) aged 14 to 21 years, selected through convenience sampling from public and private colleges in Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were collected using the Body Self-Image Questionnaire–Short Form (BSIQ-SF), the Ways of Religious Coping Scale (WORCS), and the Academic Performance Scale (APS). Data was analyzed using SPSS-23. Reliability analysis indicated acceptable to excellent internal consistency for all measures. Pearson correlation analysis showed a non-significant relationship between body image concerns and self-reported academic performance.