Effect of Peer Mentoring on Students’ Confidence, Social Adjustment, and Academic Growth in Higher Education

Abstract

Peer mentoring positively influences students’ confidence by providing academic and emotional support, helping them believe in their abilities and manage learning challenges. It also enhances social adjustment and academic growth by fostering a sense of belonging, encouraging engagement, and supporting the development of effective study skills in higher education. The objectives of the study were a) to find out the level of peer mentoring, students’ confidence, social adjustment, and academic growth, b) to examine the effect of peer mentoring on students’ confidence, social adjustment, and academic growth in higher education, c) to analyze the correlation among peer mentoring, students’ confidence, social adjustment, and academic growth in higher education. The population was comprised off all universities in the district of Lahore. Multistage sampling techniques were used. The sample consists of 600 students. The instrument of the study was a questionnaire. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The findings of the study reveal that peer mentoring has a statistically significant and meaningful effect on students’ confidence, social adjustment, and academic growth in higher education, with the strongest impact observed on students’ confidence, indicating the important role of peer mentoring in supporting students’ psychosocial and academic development. The results further indicate strong, positive, and significant relationships among peer mentoring, students’ confidence, social adjustment, and academic growth, suggesting that increased peer mentoring is associated with higher confidence, better social integration, and enhanced academic growth among university students. It is recommended that Higher education institutions should formalize peer mentoring initiatives by integrating them into orientation programs, academic advising systems, and co-curricular activities, ensuring consistent access for all students.