Exploring the relationship between span of attention and mental well-being among adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage characterized by rapid emotional and cognitive changes. Mental Well-being is a critical determinant of cognitive functions including concentration, attention and learning potential. As defined by the World Health Organization (2018), Well-being represents a dynamic state in which individuals cultivate their skills, fostering productivity and meaningful community engagement by using their potential. Consequently, the enhancement of mental well-being serves as a basic prerequisite for long-term functional success. Attention is a vital cognitive mechanism facilitates the focus on specific stimuli while filtering the irrelevant information. The present study examines the correlation between span of attention and mental wellbeing within an adolescent. For this purpose, a survey method was employed on a sample of 120 adolescents (67 boys and 53 girls) enrolled in various middle stage schools within the Varanasi district were selected purposely. Data collection was executed by administering self-developed attention span test along with standardized scale of mental wellbeing developed by Singh. S.,(2025). Coefficient of Correlation “r” was used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed a significant correlation between span of attention and mental wellbeing among adolescents for the total sample and a significant relationship between span of attention and mental wellbeing for sex and levels of mental wellbeing subsamples indicated higher and constructive mental well-being is associated with a longer and more stable span of attention showed better mental health and psychological well-being tends to exhibit greater concentration and attention level among adolescents.