The role of resilience in the association between stressful life events and academic performance in university students

Although there is evidence of the relationship between stress and academic performance, the possible moderating role of resilience in this association has been investigated to a lesser extent. This study aimed to evaluate the role of resilience in the relationship between stressful life events and academic performance in undergraduate university students. The Life Events Questionnaire and the Adult Resilience Scale were administered to 389 undergraduates aged 18-29. Regressions were performed. Results showed that life event stress predicted low academic performance, while resilience predicted better academic performance and lower life event stress. Two resilience factors moderated the impact of stressful life events on academic performance: family cohesion and social support. Correlation and variance values were low but significant. The results suggest that university programs could improve academic performance by promoting greater student resilience and strengthening other significant factors.