This study investigated the role of self-evaluation in mediating the relationship between workload perceptions and help-seeking behavior, with a specific focus on gender differences. Participants were recruited from higher education institutions across Israel and responded to an online questionnaire in March 2024. Data collection followed the postponement of the academic year due to the outbreak of war in Israel. Consequently, the academic year began later than usual, and many institutions adopted distance or hybrid learning models to adapt to ongoing challenges.

The sample included 169 male and 218 female students, and analyses were conducted separately for each gender using PROCESS Model 4. The results revealed distinct pathways by which perceptions of workload influenced help-seeking behaviors for male and female participants. Among males, a significant direct effect was found, indicating that as perceptions of workload increased, the likelihood of help-seeking also increased. This direct relationship suggested that workload perception itself drove help-seeking behavior for male participants, with self-evaluation playing a negligible mediating role.

For female participants, however, a different pattern emerged. Perceptions of workload did not show a significant direct effect on help-seeking behavior. Instead, self-evaluation significantly mediated the relationship between workload perception and help-seeking, suggesting that females with higher perceptions of workload reported higher self-evaluation, which, in turn, increased their likelihood of seeking help. This indirect pathway underscores self-evaluation as an essential mechanism linking workload perception to help-seeking behavior in females.

These findings highlight gender-specific differences in the dynamics between workload perception and help-seeking behavior. For males, help-seeking appears directly influenced by workload perceptions, while for females, self-evaluation serves as a critical mediator. These insights suggest that tailored interventions focused on enhancing self-evaluation may be particularly effective in promoting help-seeking among female students, while addressing workload perceptions may be more impactful for male students. This gender-sensitive approach provides valuable implications for supporting student well-being and responsiveness to workload pressures in higher education, particularly in times of crisis and academic disruption.

Keywords: Gender differences, workload perception, help-seeking behavior, self-evaluation, higher education students, distance learning, hybrid learning.