From burnout to balance: the role of peer-assisted learning in college life

TL;DR

This study explores how informal peer-assisted learning can help reduce academic burnout in undergraduate students, especially in premedical populations.

Contribution

The study validates the SBI-9 for use in undergraduates and finds a link between informal peer learning and reduced academic burnout.

Findings

The SBI-9 showed high internal consistency and a three-factor structure in undergraduate students.

Students who never engaged in IPAL had significantly higher academic burnout scores than those who did.

Female students and those who preferred studying alone reported higher academic burnout levels.

Abstract

Academic burnout (ABO) poses a significant threat to student well-being and performance, particularly among premedical undergraduates. While informal peer-assisted learning (IPAL) may mitigate this burden, limited research has explored this relationship in nonmedical student populations. The objectives of this study are to assess the psychometric validity of the SBI-9 in the undergraduate population and to investigate whether a relationship exists between ABO and IPAL in this population.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 245 undergraduate students at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. ABO was measured using the nine-item School Burnout Inventory (SBI-9). IPAL engagement was assessed through a single-item measure. Internal consistency, item correlations, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to validate the SBI-9. ABO levels were analyzed by age, gender, academic year, study preference, and IPAL engagement.

The SBI-9 demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.872) and a validated three-factor structure. Overall, ABO levels increased slightly across academic years, with the highest scores observed in fifth-year students. Female students reported significantly higher ABO than males, particularly in the first two years. Globally, students who never engaged in IPAL reported significantly higher ABO scores (mean = 48.41) compared to those with occasional or frequent IPAL engagement (mean = 42.48, p = 0.0384). A similar trend was observed in students who preferred studying alone.

Informal peer-assisted learning may serve as a protective factor against academic burnout among undergraduate students. Gender differences and study habits further influence ABO vulnerability. Early peer-based interventions may promote academic resilience and psychological well-being in premedical populations.

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