The role of resilience, delayed gratification and stress in predicting academic performance

Transition to university is an important and potentially stressful life event for students. Previous studies have shown that resilience, delay of gratification and stress can affect the academic performance of students. However, none have shown the effect of these factors in predicting academic performance, hence the current study aimed to look at the predictive power of the combined effect of these factors on first–year undergraduate student’s academic performance. One–hundred–and–seventy–six first–year Psychology undergraduates from the University of Birmingham were recruited. All participants completed five scales (Demographic questionnaire, CD–RISC–25, Perceived Stress scale, College Students’ Stressful Event Checklist, and Academic Delay of Gratification scale). Linear Multiple Regression was conducted using the Stepwise method to assess for predictors of students’ academic performance. Results indicated that UCAS scores (previous academic performance) were the only significant predictor for first–years’ academic performance.