Exploring Meta-Cognitive Resilience and Psycho-Social Well-Being Among Bangladeshi University Students During COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Primary Study of Adaptive Cognitive Strategies

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the academic and social lives of university students, leading to heightened stress, anxiety, and isolation. This study investigates the meta-cognitive resilience of Bangladeshi university students and its role in promoting psycho-social well-being during this crisis. Strategies such as reflective writing, adaptive thinking, and mindfulness were analyzed for their effectiveness in helping students cope. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating quantitative surveys (n=450) and qualitative in-depth interviews (n=50) with a stratified random sample to explore adaptive mechanisms and the influence of cultural and systemic factors. Methods A stratified random sampling strategy was used to ensure proportional representation across public and private universities, with a total sample size of 500 students. Quantitative data was collected via structured…