Academic Optimism and Its Relationship to Psychological Well-Being among Faculty Members at Kuwait University

Faculty members in tertiary education institutions encounter extensive professional pressures that could potentially be detrimental to their mental health. This research investigates the role of academic optimism - a set of positive beliefs pertinent to their professional environment - as a strong predictor of psychological well-being among faculty members at Kuwait University. This research employed a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design to survey a sample of 50 faculty members employing two researcher-developed and validated instruments: the Academic Optimism Scale and the Psychological Well-being Scale. The findings indicated a robust, positive, and statistically significant correlation between academic optimism and psychological well-being. Additionally, simple linear regression analysis revealed that academic optimism has a considerable predictive power, explaining 83.3% of the variance in faculty members' psychological well-being. These results highlight the critical significance of improving academic optimism as a powerful asset for improving faculty well-being. University executives should make rules that support group effectiveness, build trust, and maintain a rigorous academic focus in order to make their institution a place where faculty can perform their duties better.