Enhancing Youth Psychological Well-Being through Eudaimonic Education-Entertainment: Insights from an Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study in Pakistan

Background Youth in Pakistan face escalating psychological well-being challenges due to stigma, socioeconomic instability, and limited mental health services. This study explored whether short eudaimonic education-entertainment (EE) videos, grounded in Ryff’s six-dimensional model of psychological well-being and Bandura’s social learning theory, could improve well-being among university students. Methods An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. The qualitative phase involved five focus group discussions (FGDs) with 32 students to identify psychosocial stressors, social media impacts, and EE preferences, informing the development of four short EE videos. The quantitative phase used a pretest-posttest design with 90 students, assessing changes in well-being via Ryff’s 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scale. Additional measures evaluated video engagement and perceived learning. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests for pre-post comparisons, Pearson correlations, multiple regression, and ANOVA, with thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results Qualitative themes revealed academic and familial pressures as key stressors, social media’s dual role (stressor and support), and preferences for short, visually engaging videos with relatable influencers. Quantitative findings showed significant overall pre-post improvements in psychological well-being (p < 0.01 across dimensions), with influencer-led and animated videos yielding the strongest effects on purpose in life, personal growth, and positive relations. Regression confirmed these videos as significant predictors of post-test well-being (β = 0.318–0.459, p < 0.01). Engagement was high, with no significant differences by education level. Conclusion Eudaimonic EE offers an effective, scalable strategy for promoting youth psychological well-being in Pakistan, suitable for integration into public health campaigns to foster resilience and flourishing.