Self-Compassion as a Main Predictor of Academic Buoyancy: A Multi-Method, Cross-Sectional Study of College Undergraduates

Academic buoyancy refers to a student’s ability to successfully cope with academic stress and challenges. The present study examined relationships between academic buoyancy and several proposed factors among undergraduate students at a competitive, selective university. Participants (N=196) completed online survey measures assessing self-compassion, fear of self-compassion, impostor phenomenon, upward academic social comparison, institutional belonging, and academic buoyancy. They also responded to three open-ended questions regarding their subjective experiences of failure, belonging, and social comparison. Linear regression results indicated that self-compassion was the strongest predictor of academic buoyancy when controlling for other variables. Impostor phenomenon did not individually predict academic buoyancy, and self-compassion and institutional belonging did not moderate this relationship. Six qualitative themes were generated regarding facilitators of school belonging, perceived performance compared to peers, and responses to academic setbacks were developed using reflexive thematic analysis, exploring important factors that influence student’s academic experience. Findings suggest that self-compassion may be an important psychological resource in recovering from academic failure in a rigorous university.   Key words: academic buoyancy, undergraduates, self-compassion, impostor phenomenon, institutional belongingness