Academic Resilience Research Articles

Mitigating Student Cynicism for Sustainable Academic Performance: University Identification and Academic Self-Efficacy

This study explores the complex relationships among student cynicism, student–university identification, academic self-efficacy, and academic performance within the context of Turkish higher education. Drawing on social identity and social cognitive theories, student cynicism is examined through four dimensions: academic, policy-related, institutional, and social. Survey data were collected from 630 university students in Ankara, Türkiye, using a cross-sectional design and self-reported measures. The results indicate that institutional cynicism is the strongest negative predictor of student–university identification, while academic cynicism shows a curvilinear (U-shaped) relationship with academic performance, suggesting that extreme cynicism may paradoxically be linked to modest performance rebounds. Contrary to expectations, student–university identification does not significantly predict academic performance, nor does it mediate the relationship between cynicism and performance. However, academic self-efficacy moderates the relationship between identification and performance, amplifying the benefits of identification for students with higher levels of self-efficacy. These findings offer culturally grounded insights into student disengagement and highlight the importance of fostering trust, transparency, and self-efficacy to support student well-being and academic resilience, key elements in advancing Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Implementation of open science practices to enhance academic resilience in students: Case of Ukraine

This paper explores how Open Science (OS) practices can help students build academic resilience, especially in light of the ongoing challenges in Ukraine due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war. By incorporating OS principles—like Open Educational Resources (OER), collaborative efforts, and transparent assessment—the study illustrates how students cultivate adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and a sense of community. The authors analyze the principles of Open Science and resilient pedagogy strategies using theoretical and empirical methods. The study presents the results from observing the training and interviews with 54 Ukrainian students. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research examines students’ involvement with OS practices in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course. The findings suggest that OS contributes to resilience by lowering knowledge barriers, fostering collaborative learning, and enhancing inclusivity. Nonetheless, the study also points out the importance of balancing openness with privacy considerations. The paper wraps up with practical suggestions for integrating OS into education to foster more equitable and resilient learning environments.

Retraction Note: Corona virus anxiety and Chinese students’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement, and academic resilience: correlations and perceptions

Retraction Note: Corona virus anxiety and Chinese students’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral engagement, and academic resilience: correlations and perceptions

The Effectiveness of Emotional Schema Therapy on Academic Self-efficacy, Test Anxiety, Distress Tolerance, and Academic Resilience in Students with Test Anxiety

Background: Test anxiety significantly impairs academic performance and well-being. Emotional schema therapy (EST), which targets maladaptive emotional beliefs, presents a potential intervention. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of EST on test anxiety and associated psychological factors — academic self-efficacy, distress tolerance, and academic resilience — in female high school students. Methods: This study employed an experimental, pre-test/post-test control group design over a 10-week period. The participants were female high school students in Ahvaz, Iran, during the 2023 academic year, with moderate test anxiety, selected via cluster random sampling. Forty eligible students were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 20), which received ten weekly 90-minute EST sessions, or the control group (n = 20), which received no intervention during the study period. Measures included the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaire (ASEQ), and Academic Resilience Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for data analysis. Results: Compared to the control group, the findings indicated that EST significantly increased distress tolerance, academic self-efficacy, and academic resilience, while significantly reducing test anxiety in the experimental group at post-test (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Emotional schema therapy effectively reduced test anxiety and improved related psychological factors — distress tolerance, self-efficacy, and resilience — in the participating female high school students. The EST shows promise as an intervention for test anxiety in this population, meriting further investigation into its long-term effects and applicability in diverse settings.

The Academic Threat Appraisal Ratio Scale (ATARS): Insights into attainment, academic progression, and retention in higher education.

Previous studies examining threat appraisal and the influence of stress on human performance conclude that a challenge state leads to better performance than a threat state. Despite its potential, threat appraisal, particularly using self-report measures, has been the subject of limited investigation in applied higher educational contexts. The study explored the potential of self-report academic threat appraisal to explain academic progression and drop out in first-year students and investigated associations between self-report academic threat appraisal and relevant non-cognitive factors. The sample comprised 186 first-year undergraduate university students. Students completed a newly adapted self-report threat appraisal measure, the Academic Threat Appraisal Ratio Scale (ATARS), at the beginning of their degree course. End-of-year grade point average and academic progression were also measured along with self-report measures of academic self-efficacy, academic resilience, grit, and mindset. Findings revealed that a significantly greater proportion of students eliciting a challenge state progressed at first attempt, and of those students failing to progress at first attempt, a significantly greater proportion had elicited a threat state (χ2 (1) = 4.445, p = .035). Furthermore, academic threat appraisal was identified as a significant predictor of academic progression, while academic self-efficacy was identified as a significant predictor of academic threat appraisal. Evidence supports self-report academic threat appraisal as a significant factor in student attainment and academic progression in higher education, suggesting that the ATARS offers a relatively simple, valid, and scalable tool for early screening of students, enabling targeted student support.

Non-cognitive predictors of self-regulated learning skills in university students with specific learning disorders

ABSTRACT Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) face ongoing academic challenges that persist into higher education. However, up to date, few studies have focused in assessing the non-cognitive predictors of self-regulated learning (SRL) skills, specifically considering university students with SLD. This cross-sectional correlational study examined how motivational factors (academic self-efficacy and learning goals), academic anxiety, and academic resilience contribute to SRL skills. The AMOS questionnaire was used to assess these variables in a sample of 88 university students with SLD in Italy. Participants were recruited during the renewal process of their diagnostic assessments. Hierarchical regression revealed that motivational factors were the strongest predictors of SRL skills. While academic anxiety did not show a significant main effect, its interaction with gender emerged, indicating that anxiety has a more pronounced negative relationship with SRL skills in female students. These findings underscore the importance of interventions that foster positive motivational factors and address academic anxiety, particularly for women, to support SRL skills in higher education students with SLD.

Exploring the interrelationships between peer support self-efficacy and academic resilience among young adults

The current study investigates the connections among young people' academic resilience, self-efficacy, and peer support. Understanding how these elements affect college students' academic performance and well-being is crucial since they are subjected to heavy academic and psychological demands. This study explores whether peer support influences students' capacity to handle academic problems by boosting academic resilience and self-efficacy. Standardized measures, including the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), were used in a correlational study design. 200 college students, ages 18 to 25, made up the sample. The associations between the variables were assessed using statistical techniques, such as regression and Spearman's rho correlation. Results revealed a moderate positive correlation between self-efficacy and perceived peer support, indicating that students with higher perceived social support tend to exhibit greater self-efficacy. However, an unexpected negative correlation emerged between academic resilience and both self-efficacy and perceived social support, suggesting that excessive reliance on external validation may reduce personal resilience. Further research should examine these dynamics longitudinally to better understand their long-term implications. The study adds to educational psychology by highlighting the complex interplay between social and cognitive factors in academic persistence. These findings highlight the need for balanced interventions that foster independent coping strategies for academic resilience while enhancing self-efficacy. Peer support is helpful, but an excessive reliance on outside sources may hinder students' ability to navigate challenges autonomously.

Academic resilience and academic performance of university students: the mediating role of teacher support

IntroductionStudent dropout and academic failure are serious problems faced by universities around the world. The academic development of university students is the joint result of external (teacher support) and internal factors (resilience). The goal of this study is an in-depth understanding of the association between university Students’ academic resilience and academic performance.MethodsAll respondents were from a local Chinese public university. Two self-report scales with adequate reliability and validity were completed by 440 undergraduate students: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Perceived Teacher Support Scale (PTSS).ResultsThe results of this study demonstrated that academic resilience and teacher support were positively and closely correlated with the academic performance of university students. Teacher support plays a mediating role in the nexus between academic resilience and academic performance.DiscussionThe findings of this study shed light on the improvement of university students’ academic performance and reducing the dropout rate from theoretically and practically. The study helps identify the key factors that contribute to students’ academic success and improve their well-being. The results also provide evidence for university directors to design effective programs and take initiatives to increase retention rates and improve university students’ success.

Investigating the learning value of early clinical exposure among undergraduate medical students in Dubai: a convergent mixed methods study

IntroductionThe benefits of Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) in medical education are often stated but there is limited evidence on how to effectively maximize its learning value. The challenge for medical educators lies in finding ways to enhance the quality of ECE in alignment with students’ feedback, while realizing the learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate undergraduate medical students’ perception of an innovative ECE intervention in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, developed using design-based research in alignment with adult, experiential learning theories.MethodsA convergent mixed methods study design was utilized. The data was collected using a tailormade survey to solicit both quantitative and qualitative feedback. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS. Qualitative data analysis was inductive based on constructivist epistemology. Following the conclusion of the independent data analyses of the quantitative and qualitative datasets, the primary inferences were integrated using the iterative joint display analysis process.ResultsOut of the 68 students who attended the ECE, 54 responded. The percentage of the total extent of agreement that the ECE: familiarized them with learning in the clinical environment and brought forth the institutional values were 79.60% and 86.43%, respectively. The extent of active engagement and self-directed learning, with a mean of 6.80(2.42), was significantly associated with how much the learners reaped from the learning experience (P < 0.05). A novel conceptual model, namely: ‘Early Clinical Exposure Added Value’, with five interconnected themes, was developed from the qualitative analysis. Integration of findings led to six meta-inferences: Embeddedness in context of learning, System perspective, Patient-centricity, Theory–practice link, Resilience, and Proactiveness.ConclusionThe more medical students engage in their learning, the more ECE contributes to building their academic resilience, and propels them in terms of clinical correlations, skills’ development, and values reinforcement. Securing engagement opportunities for the learners, when designing and planning for the ECE, is essential. Optimizing the ECE learning value can happen systematically through continuously developing the respective intervention in alignment with the principles of design-based research and anchoring it in constructivism experiential learning theories.

Navigating marriage and academic engagement: A phenomenological study of university students in Pakistan

This study explored the impact of marriage on academic engagement among Pakistani university students. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological research design, data were gathered through focus group discussions with 10 purposively selected married students from a university in Punjab. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. According to the findings, married students implement advanced time management methods that combine planning sessions alongside arrangement ranking to handle their academic and family duties. Academic success strongly depends on spousal support because spouses provide emotional motivation and practical help to their students. Students succeeded by using effective communication methods and compromised abilities to work out agreements with their spouses and instructors regarding simultaneous demands on their time. Marriage brought emotional stability, although extra responsibilities between students and their spouses created stress that resulted in sleep disturbances. The marriage experience brought significant commitments that students handled through independent study and careful selection of campus involvement. Research shows that marriage provides academic resilience benefits when students receive proper backing. The research results help develops insights into the interplay between marriage and academic challenges within the Pakistani cultural environment.

Family Structure and Academic Resiliency

This paper investigated the contributions of family structure on students’ academic resilience. Particularly, the study determined the family structure of the respondents and the academic resilience level of students. Also, it tried to determine whether there is a significant difference between family structure and academic resilience. The study utilized a quantitative-descriptive design. There were 198 Grade 11 Senior High School student-respondents from Talakag 1 and 2 Districts who were identified via stratified random sampling. The study used the Academic Resilience Scale-30 to collect the data, which were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistical tools such as Frequency and Percentage, Mean and Standard Deviation, and Analysis of Variance. Findings showed that most of the respondents have a nuclear family, and they are resilient in terms of perseverance. There is no significant difference between the respondent’s family structure and academic resilience. Thus, academic resilience is not influenced by family structure. It can be recommended that developing and implementing initiatives may be done to enhance parental engagement and create a supportive and inclusive school environment that fosters resilience-building skills among students.

Impact of Personality Traits, Social Media Addiction, and Academic Resilience in College Students

Academic resilience plays a crucial role in students’ ability to overcome challenges and succeed in higher education. This study explores the interplay between personality traits, social media addiction, and academic resilience among college students. Employing a cross-sectional correlational research design, a sample of 300 college students from Sialkot was selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data were gathered using the Big Five Personality Inventory (Goldberg, 1992), the Social Media Addiction Scale (Kuss &amp; Griffiths, 2017), and the Academic Resilience Scale (Martin &amp; Marsh, 2006). Statistical analyses, conducted using SPSS, revealed a significant positive correlation between personality traits and academic resilience, as well as between social media addiction and academic resilience. Furthermore, t-test analyses indicated that social media addiction had both positive and negative influences on academic resilience, highlighting the differential effects based on individual differences. These findings emphasize the need for educational institutions to implement tailored interventions addressing social media addiction while fostering resilience through personality-focused support mechanisms. The study contributes to the growing discourse on academic resilience in the digital age, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals seeking to enhance student well-being and academic success.

Testing the Associations Among University Students’ Autonomy, Academic Resilience, and Behavioural Engagement: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

This study investigated the interplay among learner autonomy (LA), academic resilience (AR), and behavioural engagement (BE) in tertiary students, focusing on how the components of LA (i.e., independence of learning (IL), study habits (SH)) and AR (i.e., self-determination (SD), adaptability (AD)) influenced BE. The findings revealed significant connections between IL, SD and BE. IL also had a reinforcing link to SD and AD. The association between IL and BE was partially mediated by AR.

Behavioral Analysis of Postgraduate Education Satisfaction: Unveiling Key Influencing Factors with Bayesian Networks and Feature Importance.

Accurately evaluating postgraduate education satisfaction is crucial for improving higher education quality and optimizing management practices. Traditional methods often fail to capture the complex behavioral interactions among influencing factors. In this study, an innovative satisfaction indicator system framework is proposed that integrates a two-stage feature optimization method and the Tree Augmented Naive Bayes (TAN) model. The framework is designed to assess key satisfaction drivers across seven dimensions: course quality, research projects, mentor guidance, mentor's role, faculty management, academic enhancement, and quality development. Using data from 8903 valid responses, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the framework's reliability. The two-stage feature optimization method, including statistical pre-screening and XGBoost-based recursive feature selection, refined 49 features to 29 core indicators. The TAN model was used to construct a causal network, revealing the dynamic relationships between factors shaping satisfaction. The model outperformed four common machine learning algorithms, achieving an AUC value of 91.01%. The Birnbaum importance metric was employed to quantify the contribution of each feature, revealing the critical roles of academic resilience, academic aspirations, dedication and service spirit, creative ability, academic standards, and independent academic research ability. This study offers management recommendations, including enhancing academic support, mentorship, and interdisciplinary learning. Its findings provide data-driven insights for optimizing key indicators and improving postgraduate education satisfaction, contributing to behavioral sciences by linking satisfaction to outcomes and practices.

Academic Resilience, COVID-19 Risk Perception, and Psychological Well-Being on the Career Intentions of Tourism and Hospitality Students

ABSTRACT Literature attests that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students’ psychological well-being and intentions to work in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry. This study, therefore, examines the relationship between academic resilience, COVID-19 risk perception, psychological well-being, and the career intentions of T&H students. The study adopted a survey method to collect data from 448 undergraduate T&H students in Ghana. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the findings indicate that academic resilience significantly affects students’ psychological well-being and career aspirations. Furthermore, the study finds a positive correlation between students’ psychological well-being and career intentions. Through the conservation of resources and the event systems theories, the study established the role of resilience and psychological well-being in shaping career intentions amid major events such as the pandemic.

The impact of adolescent innovation on academic resilience, distance learning self-efficacy, and academic performance

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced considerable challenges for adolescents as they adapted to the demands of remote learning, necessitating effective strategies to sustain their academic engagement and performance. This study investigates the relationship between adolescents’ self-perceived innovativeness and their academic resilience, confidence in managing distance learning, and overall academic performance. Using data from a sample of 906 Chinese middle and high school students, the study identifies three primary findings: adolescents with higher levels of self-perceived innovativeness tend to exhibit stronger academic resilience, greater confidence in handling distance learning, and better academic performance; distinct gender differences emerge, with male students reporting higher levels of self-perceived innovativeness than their female counterparts; and differences across educational stages are also evident, as high school students generally rate their innovativeness higher than middle school students. These findings point to the significance of fostering innovative thinking skills in adolescents to strengthen their capacity for adapting to dynamic educational environments and achieving improved academic outcomes. For educators and policymakers, the focus should be on encouraging creativity and adaptability among students while providing them with the necessary tools and support to develop personalized approaches for success in both blended and remote learning settings.

Fostering Reflective Educators: The Transformative Impact of TATAL Communities of Practice

Introduction: Talking About Teaching and Learning (TATAL) workshops serve as inclusive communities of practice (CoPs), offering educators a platform to explore their teaching philosophies and practices collaboratively. Despite anecdotal evidence of TATAL’s effectiveness, limited research explores its long-term impact on teaching practices and academic resilience. Research Aim: How do TATAL workshops influence educators' personal and professional growth, teaching philosophies, and resilience? Methodology: This study analyzes qualitative and quantitative data collected from 876 participants across 25 TATAL workshops between 2015 and 2021. Using thematic analysis and the interpretive lens of sense-making, the study identifies key themes and subthemes that characterize participants’ experiences. Results: Findings reveal three primary subthemes: (1) Partnered Learning Communities fostering collaboration and shared reflection, (2) Practical Tools and Techniques enhancing teaching practices, and (3) Transformational Learning experiences facilitating personal and professional growth. Participants reported increased clarity of teaching philosophies and increased resilience in educational contexts. Discussion: TATAL workshops disrupt traditional power dynamics in education, offering a space for equitable, reflective, and collaborative learning. This study emphasizes TATAL’s role in fostering reflective educators and building institutional capacity. Conclusion: TATAL represents a transformative professional development model. Its collaborative and reflective approach holds significant implications for higher education institutions seeking to enhance teaching quality and academic resilience.

An exploratory study on Vietnamese university students’ resilience in learning English as a foreign language

Learning a second language (L2) is believed to be a long process with various challenges. While many students tend to give up or fall behind when faced with difficulties, others can overcome them to learn even better. It has been acknowledged that this is associated with academic resilience, the ability to cope with and adapt to adversity in learning. Realizing the importance of this capability, the current study aimed to investigate the level of academic resilience among English majors at a university in the Mekong Delta region. In addition, the potential difference between male and female students was explored. The study attempted to identify frequent obstacles and coping strategies among the study’s participants. A total of 150 English majors were involved in the research survey, and five were chosen to participate in the interviews. The findings revealed that the participants have an average degree of resilience, and there is no difference in terms of gender in their levels of resilience. The students’ struggles mainly stemmed from linguistics-related challenges, high teacher and curriculum demands, individual shortcomings, and demotivation factors. However, the students suggested several helpful strategies to deal with the difficulties and move toward becoming more resilient learners.

Strengthening future educators: How school climate shapes academic resilience in Physical Education teacher education students

Educators today face relentless challenges, making academic resilience crucial for success. However, limited research has examined how school climate, a multidimensional construct shaping students’ experiences, influenced resilience among Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students. This gap was particularly evident across cultural and educational contexts, leaving institutions without clear strategies to nurture resilience in future educators. This study addressed this gap by investigating the influence of school climate on the academic resilience of 515 PETE students in selected higher education institutions across three countries. It also examined whether perceptions of school climate and academic resilience varied by sex/gender identity or country of origin. Multiple regression was employed to determine the predictive influence of school climate dimensions on academic resilience, while one-way ANOVA was used to assess differences in perceived school climate and academic resilience across sex/gender identity and country. Findings revealed no significant differences across these variables. However, overall, school climate positively influenced academic resilience. Interestingly, the physical safety dimension showed a negative association, suggesting complexities in how students perceived safety within their environments. Additionally, group cohesion and teacher motivation did not significantly influence resilience, challenging common assumptions about their universal importance. These results underscored the nuanced role of school climate in fostering resilience, prompting higher education institutions to reevaluate their policies and practices. By nurturing inclusive relationships, addressing overlooked dimensions, and creating supportive learning environments, schools can better prepare PETE students to navigate challenges. This study filled a critical research gap and provided actionable insights for building resilience among future physical educators.

Adaptation and validation of academic resilience scale in Bengali

The purpose of the current study was to adapt and validate the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) in the context of West Bengal and other Bengali-speaking regions. The research included a total of 628 participants. The data analysis occurred in three stages. Initially, confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess the factorial validity of the Bengali version of ARS-30 scale, revealing a poor fit for the original three-factor model. Subsequently, further exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested a more suitable two-factor structure. In the third stage, this newly derived two-factor structure was validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with an independent sample. The adapted scale, renamed ARS-19, measures two factors related to academic resilience: negative affect and emotional response (6 items) and positive adaptation (13 items). Results from validity and reliability analyses indicated that the ARS-19 is a valid and reliable tool for assessing academic resilience in the aforementioned context. This study contributes to the literature by proposing a valid and reliable academic resilience measurement for West Bengal as well as other Bengali-speaking regions, facilitating practitioners in assessing academic resilience among higher education students.