Resilience and grit predict fewer academic and career concerns among first-year undergraduate students during COVID-19

Abstract

Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted higher education in the United States (U.S.). During the first wave of infection and hospitalization, many universities and colleges transitioned classroom instruction to online or a hybrid format. In September 2021, classes largely returned to in-person after the COVID-19 vaccine was widely available and, in some cases, mandated on university and college campuses across the U.S. In the current research, first-year undergraduate students answered a series of questions about their resilience, grit, and perceived academic and career impacts from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Spring (February/March - May) 2021 and 2022. Findings from a series of regression analyses showed that grit and resilience seemed to protect students and help them stay on track, even in the face of the global pandemic. Undergraduate students who reported higher levels of grit and resilience were less likely to worry about job opportunities shrinking as well as less likely to report changing their academic goals, career goals, and proposed major. Future directions and implications are discussed.

The crisis is over, long live the crisis: mental health in emerging adulthood during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Financial worries and technical issues during remote learning played only a minor role, as did worries about delayed graduation between December 2020 and December 2021, suggesting sufficient adaptation by responsible authorities. However, successful adaptation is highly dependent on socioeconomic and psychosocial factors, as shown in US samples ( Aucejo et al, 2020 ; Lytle and Shin, 2023 ). For example, Lytle and Shin (2023) reported that grit and resilience predict fewer academic and career concerns among first-year undergraduate students during COVID-19.…”

“…However, successful adaptation is highly dependent on socioeconomic and psychosocial factors, as shown in US samples ( Aucejo et al, 2020 ; Lytle and Shin, 2023 ). For example, Lytle and Shin (2023) reported that grit and resilience predict fewer academic and career concerns among first-year undergraduate students during COVID-19. Thus, it is important to note that while loneliness, female sex and previous mental illness are risk factors for mental health conditions, existing protective factors might buffer the detrimental effects of (pandemic) distress on mental health.…”

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“…In addition, EFL learners initially expressed positive attitudes to online learning, but preferred face-to-face classrooms, and many lost interest and motivation, which was thought to be attributed to a lack of online classroom participation or engagement from peers (Sukman & Mhunkongdee, 2021. Grit and resilience were factors to help keep first-year university students focused on goals (Lytle & Shin, 2022).…”