Silent Burnout of Tomorrow’s Elites: A Scientific Exploration of Intertwined Psycho-Social and Educational Challenges During the University Entrance Exam Period and the Provision of an Operational Solution

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of identifying the psychological and educational challenges experienced by students retaking the university entrance exam and designing and validating a multidimensional intervention package. In the qualitative phase, using an interpretive phenomenological approach, the lived experiences of this group were explored. Purposeful sampling continued with the participation of 21 male and female exam retakers until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were recorded with the participants’ consent, transcribed, reviewed, and revised. Data were analyzed using the specialized software ATLAS.ti through open, axial, and selective coding, which led to the extraction of main themes in two distinct domains. Psychological challenges were organized into the following key themes: stress and anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and symptoms of depression, psychological fatigue and physical exhaustion, experiences of loneliness and social isolation, family pressures and social expectations, fear of an uncertain future, feelings of worthlessness and diminished self-confidence, and the desire to escape environmental pressures (the dream of freedom). Educational challenges were categorized into 11 main themes: students’ personal characteristics and limitations, lack of awareness and mastery of effective study methods, dysfunctional and pressurizing family interactions, weakness in study planning skills, lack of interest in high school academic fields, insufficient familiarity with university majors and professions, economic inequalities, educational inequalities, unfair distribution of university entrance exam quotas, the negative impact of the format and pressure of final exams and academic records, and peer and classmate pressures. Based on the findings from the qualitative phase, a comprehensive educational-coping package was developed. The validation of this package was carried out with the participation of 15 distinguished experts in psychology, counseling, and education at two levels: qualitative assessment of content validity (CVI), in which the content of the package was evaluated by experts based on criteria such as comprehensiveness, applicability, scientific and theoretical basis, alignment with the needs and characteristics of the target population, and accessibility of resources. Quantitative data analysis showed that the mean scores assigned to all evaluation criteria were above 4 (within the “good” to “very good” range). This study demonstrates that psychological and educational challenges are deeply intertwined.