The Moderating Role of Financial Problems in the Relationship Between Academic Performance and Perceived Stress among University Students

Abstract

This study examines whether financial problems moderate the relationship between perceived academic performance and perceived stress among undergraduate students in Malaysian public universities. Guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 677 undergraduate students enrolled in 20 Malaysian public universities using convenience sampling. Perceived stress, perceived academic performance, and financial problems were measured using five-item scales, while self-reported CGPA was included as a control variable. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 30.0 through descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression with an interaction term. In the initial regression model, financial problems were positively associated with perceived stress (B = 0.196, p < 0.001), whereas perceived academic performance was not significant (B = −0.049, p = 0.235). In the moderation model, financial problem and perceived academic performance scores were interpreted using mean-centered predictors. At the mean level of perceived academic performance, financial problems remained a significant positive predictor of perceived stress (B = 0.191, p < 0.001), whereas perceived academic performance was not significant at the mean level of financial problems (B = −0.049, p = 0.458). The interaction between financial problems and perceived academic performance remained positive but did not reach the conventional 0.05 significance level (B = 0.080, p = 0.051). Thus, the study does not provide sufficient statistical evidence to confirm a moderation effect.