Investigating the Relationship of Resilience to Academic Persistence in College Students With Mental Health Issues

Abstract

In this study, the relationships between measures of inter- and intrapersonal resilience and mental health were examined with respect to academic persistence in college students with mental health issues. A sample of 121 undergraduate students with mental health issues was recruited from campus mental health offices offering college counseling, psychiatric support, and disability support at two midwestern universities. Hierarchal (or sequential) regression analysis examined whether the resilience and mental health measures contributed to explaining variance in the response variables of university cumulative grade point average and time to credits completed. The results indicated that intrapersonal resilience was more important and operated differently for students with the most psychological distress. Furthermore, there was a strong statistical correlation between the resilience factors and mental health. The results indicate that a resilience framework may assist college students with mental health issues to cope more effectively with the complexities of college learning and improve college retention.