Academic buoyancy protects achievement against minor academic adversities

Abstract

Academic buoyancy, the ability to respond adaptively to minor academic adversities, is positively related to achievement-related beliefs, emotions, and behaviours. No studies, however, have examined whether academic buoyancy moderates the relations between minor academic adversities and subsequent achievement. The objective of present study was to examine whether academic buoyancy protected achievement (end-of-year examination grades) against two types of minor adversities (non-attendance and behavioural misconduct) in a sample of 539 upper secondary (6th form) students. Having controlled for prior achievement, gender and age, Academic Buoyancy Scale scores moderated relations from non-attendance and behavioural misconduct to subsequent achievement. In the presence of adversity (non-attendance and behavioural misconduct) the achievement of high academically buoyant students was protected. The protective role of academic buoyancy diminished as adversity lessened. Since minor adversities will be experienced by many students, efforts to foster academic buoyancy would likely be beneficial for achievement outcomes.