Keywords

Resilience; sense of community; mental health; academic performance; undergraduates

Abstract

Within the United States, a third of college-aged young adults are diagnosed with at least one psychological disorder. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, has been shown to help mitigate the adverse effects of burnout and stress, and support academic performance in some cases. Additionally, a sense of community has also been shown to be crucial in buffering the negative consequences of adversity. The following research questions guide this study: 1) How significant a role does the community play in resilience and mental health? 2) How does resiliency relate to the academic performance of students experiencing varying levels of psychological distress? To explore these relationships, this study utilized a correlational design to examine the relationships among the four variables. Participants were 171 college students who completed a Qualtrics survey containing measures of resilience, community support, psychological symptoms, and GPA. No statistically significant results were found. However, demographic data highlighted disparities among certain groups of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) students, and lower overall scores for sophomore students. The findings suggest the need for culturally responsive and tailored approaches to support mental health and inclusion for students, particularly beyond the first year of college.

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Fall

Thesis Chair

Whitten, Shannon

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Thesis Discipline

Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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Included in

Psychology Commons

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Rights Statement

In Copyright