Mental toughness of first-year students: interrelations with university admission strategies and educational outcomes

<p><strong>Context and Relevance</strong>. The concept of mental toughness, characterized by an individual’s ability to efficiently handle stress and consistently strive towards predefined goals amidst adversity, becomes particularly salient at critical life stages such as completion of secondary school, entry into higher education, and adaptation to the demanding rigors of early undergraduate study. <strong>Objective.</strong> The study seeks to investigate the prevalence and distribution patterns of mental toughness among a large sample of Russian undergraduates. Specifically, it examines gender differences using validated measurement tools, contrasts variability linked to distinct pathways of university admission, and explores associations between mental fortitude and academic outcomes during the foundational period of higher education. <strong>Methods and Materials</strong>. A comprehensive cross-sectional survey encompassing 6,950 first-year students from 26 universities across Russia was conducted (M = 18,8 years, SD = 2,1; female participants = 64,7%). Data were collected utilizing the abbreviated form of the Mental Toughness Questionnaire devised by Dagnall et al. (2019). <strong>Results</strong>. Aggregate analyses revealed marked heterogeneity in mental toughness profiles, with about one fifth (21,8%) classified as having low or very low levels. Males demonstrated marginally stronger mental resilience than females, resulting in overrepresentation of women in lower-resilience categories. Significant statistical differences emerged exclusively when comparing students admitted based on secondary-school Olympiads against those entering through national standardized exams supplemented by institutional evaluations. Notably, robust empirical evidence supports a strong positive correlation between personal mental toughness and academic achievement. <strong>Conclusions.</strong> Establishing empirically-derived benchmarks for mental toughness norms through expansive multigroup analyses covering diverse segments of the Russian student population offers invaluable insights for designing tailored psychosocial interventions aimed at supporting both academically challenged and socially vulnerable new entrants to higher education institutions.</p>