Exploring Academic Resilience Among Young Canadian Adults

This study examined the relationship between academic resilience and mental health, focusing on potential moderators in accordance with the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. It was hypothesized that academic resilience would be positively associated with mental health, while epistemic curiosity and increased healthy lifestyle behaviours would attenuate this relationship. Conversely, it was expected that financial strain and loneliness would weaken the relationship. A total of 214 undergraduate psychology students participated in the study by completing an online survey addressing the relevant variables. Moderation analysis revealed that epistemic curiosity, financial strain, and health behaviours did not significantly enhance or abate the relationship between academic resilience and mental health. The remaining moderator, loneliness, did weaken the relationship between academic resilience and students’ mental health. Open-text responses further complimented these results, with social support arising as a key theme. These findings highlight the importance of early intervention for lonely students and emphasize identifying shared attributes among students for more targeted support and better outcomes.