Academic resilience and protective factors in university students: a systematic literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55892/jrg.v9i20.3064Keywords:
Resilience, Protective Factors, Positive Psychology, Literature reviewAbstract
Academic resilience is an increasingly studied variable in educational sciences due to its positive impact on the well-being and mental health of university students. This systematic review aimed to map the protective factors associated with academic resilience in higher education, based on national and international empirical evidence from the past five years. Searches were conducted in the CAPES journal portal and the PsycINFO and SciELO databases, using the descriptors “academic resilience,” “protective factors,” “university students,” and their English equivalents, with a publication range from 2019 to 2024. Article selection followed the PRISMA protocol, resulting in 17 studies—11 quantitative and 6 qualitative. The data analyzed indicate that academic resilience is a dynamic and multidimensional phenomenon, built through the interaction of individual factors (such as emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, emotional self-regulation, optimism, and coping strategies), relational factors (such as the quality of interactions with peers and faculty, sense of belonging, and support networks), and institutional/contextual factors (such as structured educational environments, inclusive policies, institutional recognition, and cultural appreciation). These interdependent elements directly influenced students’ engagement, academic performance, and well-being, and contributed to the prevention of psychological distress and reduced dropout rates. Despite recent advances, more diverse and integrated methodological approaches are still needed to capture the complexity of student experiences in different sociocultural contexts. Strengthening academic resilience, therefore, requires systemic interventions that integrate emotional support, healthy interpersonal relationships, and inclusive, welcoming institutional environments.
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