Examining the Relationships Between Resilience, Mental Health, and Academic Persistence in Undergraduate College Students

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the relationships between measures of interpersonal resilience, intrapersonal resilience, and mental health were examined with respect to academic and social integration, key determinants of academic persistence. PARTICIPANTS: A sample (n = 605) of undergraduate students was recruited from 2 midwestern universities during the 2007-2008 academic year. METHODS: Hierarchal (or sequential) regression analysis examined whether the inter- and intrapersonal resilience and mental health measures contributed to explaining variance in the response variables of university cumulative grade point average (GPA) and university sense of belonging. RESULTS: The intrapersonal resilience factors contributed to explaining variance in cumulative GPA in addition to aptitude and achievement. Furthermore, there was a strong statistical correlation between the inter- and intrapersonal resilience factors and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The demands in college are significant and there is a need for more research on the concept of resilience as it relates to college health and academic persistence.