The relationship between resilience, identity, and perceived stress among indigenous students at a large southwestern university

Background: Indigenous students face adverse conditions when attending college, such as elevated levels of stress and lower rates of retention when attending college. Methods: University students were recruited through community networks and in person communication. This survey included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Multiethnic Identity Measure, and the Conor-Davidson Resilience Scale. We conducted a general linear model analysis to examine the association between resilience (continuous) and perceived stress (categorical), and ethnic identity (continuous). Results: Among 153 Indigenous college students (118 female, 31 males, 4 other), the model significantly explained variance in resilience. Ethnic identity positively predicted resilience (F (1, 134) = 7.46, p = .007), while perceived stress was a negative predictor (F (2, 134) = 9.84, p < .001). Conclusion: This study found that Indigenous students’ reported level of resilience is linked to a stronger Indigenous identity and lower perceived stress. Institutions should support Indigenous students in ways that reinforce their identities.