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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 11, No. 9.2
Publication Date: September 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/assrj.119.2.17406.
Yusoff, Y., Tahar, E., Aziz, I. A., Jusoh, R., & Nasir, N. E. M. (2024). A Bibliometric Analysis of Mental Exhaustion Research among
University Students: Mapping the Landscape. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(9.2). 135-151.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
A Bibliometric Analysis of Mental Exhaustion Research among
University Students: Mapping the Landscape
Yusliena Yusoff
Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Emiza Tahar
Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Inayah Abdul Aziz
Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Rohayati Jusoh
Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Noor Emilina Mohd Nasir
Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi MARA,
Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
The prevalence of mental exhaustion among university students is an escalating
problem that severely affects their academic performance and overall well-being.
This study uses bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape on mental
exhaustion among university students. Using the Scopus database for the period
2004-2023, this study examined publication trends, identified prominent authors
and research clusters, assessed citation patterns and analysed co-occurring
keywords. The Scopus database was selected due to its comprehensive coverage of
scientific texts from different fields. The results show that the number of
publications on mental exhaustion among university students has increased
significantly over the past two decades. This increase reflects the growing
recognition of the impact of this issue on students' well-being and academic success.
In addition, the analysis has identified prominent clusters of research focusing on
specific areas such as contributing factors, coping mechanisms and the
effectiveness of interventions to reduce psychological exhaustion. This bibliometric
analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape on mental
exhaustion in university students. The findings provide valuable perspectives for
researchers, educators and policy makers seeking to understand and address this
important issue. The study highlights the growing interest that will enable future
research to develop effective techniques to promote mental wellbeing.
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 11, Issue 9.2, September-2024
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Keywords: Mental Exhaustion, University Students, Bibliometric analysis, Scopus,
VOSviewer
INTRODUCTION
Mental exhaustion among students is a prevalent and concerning issue that has gained
increasing attention in recent years. It refers to a state of emotional and mental depletion
resulting from chronic and prolonged exposure to various stressors, such as academic
pressures, personal challenges, and the demands of student life. This state of mental exhaustion
can manifest in a range of burnout, physical, mental, and behavioural symptoms, affecting a
student's overall well-being and academic performance. The term “burnout” was originally
introduced by [1], [2], and [3] to describe the severe exhaustion and frustration experienced by
healthcare workers, which sometimes resulted in them leaving their professions. Feelings of
bustle, fatigue, exhaustion, and overload were identified as the components of the mental
exhaustion dimension. According to [4], [1], and [5], the depersonalization dimension describes
the unpleasant, rigid, and/or emotionless attitudes and behaviours of a person towards others
in the encounter.
Students that regularly study have a tonne of work to accomplish, strict deadlines, and
challenging technical ideas to learn. Meeting academic and professional obligations may lead to
increased stress levels and mental weariness. The consequences of mental exhaustion among
university students are far from clear. Students may experience decreased motivation, reduced
concentration, and difficulties retaining information. Mental exhaustion can impair cognitive
functioning, making it more difficult for students to think critically and solve complex problems.
This, in turn, can have a negative impact on academic performance, leading to lower grades and
a decline in overall academic achievement.
According to [6] and [7], as cited in [8], student burnout can result in absences from class, a lack
of enthusiasm to complete assignments, and even dropping out of school. Consequently,
student exhaustion and reluctance to finish their homework may have a negative impact on
their achievement and performance in school. According to studies on the connection between
students' levels of burnout and their academic performance [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]
their levels of burnout have a detrimental impact on academic achievement. According to [16],
academic failure, grade anxiety, ineffective study methods, and burnout are associated. Thus,
the main objective of this study is to map the research landscape on mental exhaustion among
university students by analysing publication trends, identify prominent authors, evaluate
citation patterns and analyse networks for the co-occurrence of keywords on mental
exhaustion, based on the Scopus database. This analysis will facilitate the identification of areas
that require improvement, allowing potential researchers to develop effective techniques to
promote mental wellbeing.
The paper is structured as follows: The initial section outlines the study’s objectives. Section
two delves into further details regarding the purpose of bibliometric analysis and its underlying
concept. Following that, section three describes the methodology employed in the study.
Section four presents the findings in detail, and finally, section five engages in a discussion of
the results and concludes the study.
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Yusoff, Y., Tahar, E., Aziz, I. A., Jusoh, R., & Nasir, N. E. M. (2024). A Bibliometric Analysis of Mental Exhaustion Research among University Students:
Mapping the Landscape. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(9.2). 135-151.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.119.2.17406
LITERATURE REVIEW
Bibliometric Analysis
The term “bibliometrics” was introduced in the 1930s by the Belgian documentalist Otlet and
popularised by [17]. Bibliometric analysis involves quantitative techniques applied to scholarly
literature, with a specific focus on publications such as journal articles, conference papers,
books, and patents. This method allows researchers to evaluate different dimensions of
academic productivity and influence within a specific field or across multiple disciplines.
According to [18], bibliometric analysis is the process of obtaining various scientific outputs
resulting from examining publications in a certain field or academic journal. It involves using
numerical analyses and statistics to explore bibliometric indicators such as the number of
articles per year, most studied topics, universities with the most publications, top journals in
the field, prolific authors, citation counts, and keywords.
Furthermore, bibliometric analysis serves multiple purposes, including assessing the quality
and quantity of published information and identifying patterns and trends within a research
domain [19]. Notably, various indicators are employed in bibliometric analysis, such as
publication types, outlets, authors’ affiliations, the originating country of documents, and the h- index [20]. [21] contribute by describing bibliometric analysis as a logical approach for
uncovering additional details about published documents, including keyword frequencies,
author information, and citation analyses. Meanwhile [22] characterises bibliometric analysis
as a quantitative tool that provides descriptive insights into published documents within
specific fields, domains, time periods, countries, or their combinations.
Moreover, it is notable that bibliometric analysis related to mental exhaustion among
university students has received limited attention. However, the existing studies in this area
are reviewed in our study. For instance, [23] conducted a bibliometric analysis focusing on the
mental health and well-being of graduate students. Their study utilised the Scopus database
and covered the period from 2012 to 2021. They found that there has been a noticeable increase
in awareness and urgency among researchers regarding mental health and well-being. This is
evident from the growing annual publication trends in this research area. Similarly, [24]
employed bibliometric techniques to describe and visually represent the available literature on
mental health and well-being in university students. Their analysis considered growth
trajectories, productivity, social structures, intellectual networks, and conceptual frameworks
within the field over a span of 45 years. The findings highlight intriguing trends in the field’s
evolution over the past four decades and promising scientific patterns that contribute to a
deeper understanding of the mental health and well-being of university students worldwide.
Additionally, [25] aimed to track the evolution and trajectory of academic burnout research
using bibliometric approaches. Their investigation focused on Scopus-indexed papers within
the Academic Burnout database, spanning the years from 1984 to 2023. The result from this
research indicates an annual growth rate of 11.86%, with the highest number of publications
on academics and burnout occurring in 2022. The United States leads in the number of
publications, with significant contributions from Helsingin Yliopisto. Lee, S.M., emerged as the
most prolific author on the topics of academics and burnout.
Furthermore, [26] sought to gain insight into research conducted in this field over the past two
decades (1993 to 2023). They utilised the Scopus database to identify key research articles
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through an extensive keyword string search. The study’s results and analysis were based on
citation and co-citation analyses. The study findings show that there has been a growing
number of documents, particularly seeing a significant rise since 2020, which suggests that the
social and economic impacts of COVID-19 have heightened mental health issues. Despite the
current availability and accessibility of data for educational publications, several analytical
tools have emerged for bibliometric data analysis. Notably, the focus of bibliometric analysis
has shifted toward visualising bibliometric networks using VOSviewer software. In the
upcoming section, we will delve into other analytical tools employed for analysing current
research data.
Mental Exhaustion Among University Students
The demanding nature of academic programs often entails a heavy workload, with numerous
assignments, projects, and exams. Extensive coursework, coupled with time pressures, can lead
to chronic stress and mental exhaustion. [27], as cited by [28] stated that mental exhaustion is
the result of continuous overwork and over-extension. Mental exhaustion occurs when a
student is overworked due to the mental and mental demands of learning. [29] stated that the
phrase "academic stress" is used to express the tension that people may feel as a result of their
academic obligations. Because it frequently affects people’s mental equilibrium and has a
negative impact on both their mental health and academic performance, it is currently regarded
as one of the major mental health issues owing to its high prevalence among university
students. The frequency of academic stress among university students is influenced by a
number of stressors, such as academic overload, exams, exhibitions, research projects, the
number of hours per day devoted to academic activities, the demands imposed by the tasks,
and the limited time allotted for their completion.
The pressure to excel academically, maintain high grades, and meet standards set by the
profession also can contribute to mental exhaustion. When students face high academic
expectations and experience pressure, they can experience mental exhaustion due to the stress
and demands placed from both them and faculty members. Some individuals may thrive under
pressure, while others may struggle to cope. Additionally, students' mental responses can be
influenced by various factors such as coping mechanisms, resilience, and overall well-being.
[15] discovered that the overall pattern of the results is consistent with earlier published
burnout studies. It is crucial that the course design and instructional content structure fit the
intrinsic and extrinsic features of the students to reduce student burnout and the waste of
educational resources. [5], as cited by [15] found that students who experience severe mental
exhaustion will be mentally fatigued, irritable, frustrated, or even worn out. They will also do
worse academically.
In a comprehensive examination of university students’ mental health, [30] discovered that
anxiety and stress symptoms were more prevalent than depression among students in Sialkot,
Pakistan. These findings underscore the urgent need for preventive measures and targeted
interventions to enhance students’ overall well-being. Similarly, [31] explored the intricate web
of factors impacting the mental health of university students. Their study revealed that
depression and anxiety remain significant mental health challenges within this population.
Many students reported substantial psychological pressure arising from various stressors.
Notably, perceived stress exhibited a strong correlation with mental well-being. Factors such