Academic stress has become a pervasive concern among higher secondary students due to increasing academic demands, competitive
examination systems, and performance-oriented evaluation practices. Prolonged academic stress during late adolescence has been shown to adversely affect students’ emotional well-being, motivation, and psychological adjustment. However, individual differences in
psychological resilience may influence how students respond to academic pressure. The present study examines the moderating role of psychological hardiness in the relationship between academic stress and emotional well-being among higher secondary students. A
quantitative research approach employing a correlational survey design was adopted. Data were collected from 300 Class XI students
studying in U.P. Board schools in Prayagraj city. After screening the data for completeness and consistency, 291 valid responses were
retained for final analysis. Standardised psychological instruments were administered to measure academic stress, psychological
hardiness, and emotional well-being. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s productmoment correlation, and regression-based moderation analysis. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between academic stress and emotional well-being, indicating that higher levels of academic stress are associated with poorer emotional wellbeing
among students. Psychological hardiness was found to be positively related to emotional well-being and negatively related to
academic stress.