Mental health, resilience, and academic success among university students: a scoping review protocol

Mental health challenges among university students have reached alarming global levels, with prevalence rates of depression and anxiety between 30–50%. These conditions have a significant impact on academic performance, retention, and completion rates. While resilience acts as a protective factor, most research originates from high-income Western contexts, with limited evidence from African universities operating under distinct structural and cultural constraints. This scoping review aims to systematically map global literature on the relationships between mental health, resilience, and academic success among university students, with a specific focus on African and other Global South contexts. The review will identify theoretical frameworks, evaluate measurement instruments, synthesize empirical evidence, and highlight key research gaps.