RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC RESILIENCE AND COLLEGE SUCCESS:
CROSS-NATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF LOW-INCOME/FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

Mbindyo, Margaret Ngina

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC RESILIENCE AND COLLEGE SUCCESS: CROSS-NATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF LOW-INCOME/FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

Open Access

Author:: Mbindyo, Margaret Ngina
Graduate Program:: Curriculum and Instruction
Degree:: Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:: Dissertation
Date of Defense:: April 05, 2011
Committee Members:: Ladislaus M Semali, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Ladislaus M Semali, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Jamie Myers, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
James F Nolan Jr., Committee Member
Susan Faircloth, Committee Member
Keywords:: Protective Factors
Upward Bound Program
TRIO programs
First Generation
Low income
Academic Resilience
Risk Factors
Academic Engagement
Social Engagement
Abstract:: The present study examines the relationship between academic resilience (defined as the ability to effectively deal with setbacks, stress, or pressure in an academic setting) and the experiences of US students served by TRIO intervention programs (federally funded programs) that serve low-income/first-generation students. Based on a sample of 106, a mixed methods approach was used to analyze responses from participants who responded to a 27 item Likert-type scale (1-5) College Resilience Questionnaire (CRQ) that had been posted online (Survey Monkey). The results of the CRQ instrument reveal that academic resilience and academic and social engagement scores for females are higher than for males. Results further support findings from t-test scores (t (106) = 2.21, p = .029), which also show differences in academic resilience between females and males enrolled in TRIO programs. Next, further analysis used in-depth interviews to expand the analysis of the lived experiences from six participants‘ interviews. Seven themes emerged from the data, which indicated that familial, institutional, individual, and socio-environmental protective factors play important roles for success in college of low-income/first-generation students. In general, the data seem to show that TRIO programs nurture students‘ academic resilience. Additional analysis compared these results with South African resilience studies. The comparison shows similarities in sources for the resilience nurturing. The dissertation appendices contain details of the quantitative CRQ Questionnaire and the qualitative interview questions.

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