Abstract
BACKGROUND: Somatic symptoms are frequent yet understudied manifestations of psychological distress among university students. METHODS: This cross-sectional, observational study assessed 297 Paraguayan undergraduates using validated instruments to measure somatic symptoms, perceived stress, academic burnout, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. RESULTS: Significant correlations emerged between somatic symptoms and exhaustion, perceived stress, insomnia, and psychological distress. A multiple linear regression model identified disengagement, insomnia, anxiety, and depression (-0.29 ≤ all β ≤ 0.23) as significant predictors of somatic symptoms, accounting for nearly 40% of the variance. A parallel mediation analysis revealed that academic burnout mediated the relationship between stress and somatic symptoms, with exhaustion amplifying the effect (β = 0.09) and disengagement mitigating it (β = -0.07). CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the complex interaction between psychological and physical symptomatology among university students and highlight the dual mediating role of burnout. Targeted interventions aimed at mitigating academic stress, sleep disruption, and emotional dysregulation may be instrumental in preventing somatization and fostering student mental well-being.