Academic resilience refers to a student’s ability to overcome challenges and persist in the face of academic adversity. It is closely linked to teacher support, as supportive teachers can foster resilience by providing encouragement, guidance, and a positive learning environment, helping students stay motivated and succeed despite difficulties.
Cai, Z., & Meng, Q. (2025). Academic resilience and academic performance of university students: The mediating role of teacher support. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1463643. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1463643
Key Points
- Focus: The study investigates how academic resilience influences academic performance in university students, and whether teacher support mediates this relationship.
- Aims: The research aims to examine (1) the direct relationship between academic resilience and academic performance, and (2) the mediating role of perceived teacher support in that relationship.
- Findings: Academic resilience positively predicted academic performance. Teacher support was both a significant predictor and a mediator between resilience and performance.
- Implications: Strengthening teacher-student relationships and fostering resilience could enhance academic success and reduce dropout rates in higher education settings.
Rationale
Although research shows that academic resilience and teacher support independently affect performance, few studies have explored the mediating role of teacher support.
This study addresses that gap in the context of Chinese higher education, where academic challenges are widespread and retention a growing concern.
Method
The researchers used a cross-sectional, correlational design. A total of 440 Chinese undergraduate students completed two validated self-report measures—one for academic resilience and one for perceived teacher support. Academic performance was assessed via self-reported GPA.
Procedure
- Study conducted between March and June 2023 at a Chinese public university.
- Participants were recruited through random sampling during class or seminars.
- Participation was voluntary, with informed consent obtained.
- Students completed:
- CD-RISC (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale)
- PTSS (Perceived Teacher Support Scale)
- Participants could withdraw or skip questions.
- Anonymity and confidentiality were ensured.
Steps:
- Explain study purpose and consent.
- Distribute CD-RISC and PTSS questionnaires.
- Collect GPA data.
- Analyze using regression and mediation models.
Sample
- Size: 440 undergraduates (from 500 invited; 88% response rate)
- Gender: 63% female, 37% male
- Fields: 40.7% social humanities, 26.6% natural science, 32.7% engineering
- Class standing: 15.2% freshmen, 23.9% sophomores, 32% juniors, 28.9% seniors
Measures
- Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC): Assesses tenacity, strength, and optimism across 25 items on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher resilience. Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90.
- Perceived Teacher Support Scale (PTSS): 19-item scale measuring learning, emotional, and capacity support. Higher scores reflect stronger teacher support. Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89 overall.
- GPA: Self-reported, on a 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) scale.
Statistical Measures
- Shapiro–Wilk test confirmed normality.
- Common method bias ruled out using Harman’s single factor test.
- Regression and mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2013) and SEM to verify mediating effects.
- Bootstrap resampling confirmed indirect effects.
- Variance explained (R²): 50.2% for full model.
Results
- Academic resilience significantly predicted academic performance (β = 0.49, p < 0.001).
- Teacher support significantly predicted academic performance (β = 0.35, p < 0.001).
- Teacher support mediated 46.01% of the total effect of academic resilience on academic performance.
- Gender differences were found in resilience (females scored higher); no gender differences in teacher support.
- Differences by class and major also emerged in both scales.
Insight
This study offers robust evidence that resilience not only supports academic achievement directly but also does so indirectly through teacher support.
It reveals how resilient students are more likely to perceive and engage with teacher support, thereby improving outcomes.
The findings expand earlier work by quantifying the mediating role of teacher support and emphasize the value of social relationships in academic persistence.
Future research could explore cultural variations or longitudinal effects to determine causality.
Clinical Implications
- For educators: Develop training that enhances supportive teacher-student interactions, particularly fostering emotional and capacity support.
- For policymakers: Invest in resilience-building programs and create supportive classroom climates.
- Challenges: Institutional resistance, time constraints for educators, and individual variability in resilience may limit implementation.
Strengths
This study had several methodological strengths, including:
- The study used validated scales with high reliability and structural validity.
- Random sampling enhances generalizability within the university context.
- Comprehensive analysis, including mediation modeling and bootstrap validation, adds robustness.
- Gender and class-level subgroup analysis enriched the understanding of demographic factors.
Limitations
This study also had several limitations, including:
- The cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
- Single university setting restricts generalizability to broader or international populations.
- Self-reported GPA may introduce bias or inaccuracies.
- Other variables influencing performance, such as anxiety or family support, were not examined.
Socratic Questions
- Why might teacher support act as a mediator rather than a moderator between resilience and academic performance?
- What are the limitations of using self-reported GPA in educational research?
- How could longitudinal research improve our understanding of the relationships observed in this study?
- Can the findings be generalized to Western contexts? Why or why not?
- How might interventions differ for students in natural sciences versus social humanities based on this study?
- Could cultural attitudes toward authority influence perceptions of teacher support?
- How does this research align or conflict with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
- What alternative explanations might account for the link between academic resilience and performance?
- In what ways might resilience training programs be integrated into university curricula?
- Could teacher support compensate for low resilience in some students?
