The role of resilience in higher education: A meta-ethnographic analysis of students' experiences.

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that being resilient negates the deleterious impacts of stress and promote academic success. To develop an insight into how important resilience is, it is vital to explore how higher education students perceive and develop resilience. The purpose of this review was to gather students' experiences of their resilience journey in an educational setting. Systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative evidence REVIEW METHODS: This review was reported in accordance with the eMERGe guidelines. The data were analysed with reference to the seven steps of meta-ethnography. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation's Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) was used to appraise the quality of the evidence. Three themes emerged: (1) resilience associates with internal resources, (2) resilience develops through meaningful relationships and (3) resilience can be instilled by educational institutions. An individual's trait, outlook and engagement within their social network can influence resilience. The presence and availability of institution-based support services can ease students transition into higher education. This review provides a basis for influencing further research and curriculum development in ensuring students' well-being and success in school.