Resilience in Post-Secondary Students: The Role of Academic Advisor

Support
Andrea R. Gray, Missouri State University
Samantha Bumgardaner, Missouri State University
Ashley Hall, Missouri State University
Adena D. Young-Jones, Missouri State University
Carly A. Yadon, Missouri State University

Resilience serves as a powerful protective factor Resilience

against a range of negative physical and psycho- The American Psychological Association
logical health outcomes and has much value for (2018) describes resilience as “the process and
college students who are vulnerable to an outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or
increased number of stressors. Thus, universities challenging life experiences, especially through
should explore ways to aid students in building mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and
resilience, particularly through academic advis- adjustment to external and internal demands.”
ing. In this study, we hypothesized that increased An increasing emphasis has been placed on the
levels of perceived advisor support would pre- role of resilience in mediating the relationship
dict increased levels of resilience. Regression between stress and mental health (Herrman et al.,
analyses demonstrated that perceived advisor 2011); in particular, resilience has been nega-
support significantly predicted resilience, sur- tively correlated with, and may serve as a protec-
passing the influence of psychological distress. tive factor against, psychological distress and its
Additionally, a bivariate correlation analysis ensuing detrimental consequences (Harker et al.,
identified vital aspects of the advisor-advisee 2016; Southwick et al., 2014).
relationship that may encourage resiliency. We McGillivray and Pidgeon (2015) explored this
discuss implications and strategies academic relationship further by administering the Resil-
advisors may implement to facilitate a positive ience Scale (RS-14), the Depression, Anxiety,
advisor-advisee relationship and build resiliency
Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Freiburg Mind-
in their students.
fulness Inventory (FMI) to a sample of Austra-
[doi:10.12930/NACADA-23-05] lian university students. The results demonstrated
that higher levels of resilience significantly corre-
KEY WORDS: academic advising, faculty advis- lated with lower levels of psychological distress,
ing, student success, resilience, psychological dis- and vice versa. In addition, resiliency led to
tress, support greater levels of mindfulness, another factor
Academic advising is a fundamental compo- which aids in managing levels of psychological
nent of student success (Curtin et al., 2013; Fer- distress (Harker et al., 2016). This exemplifies
ris et al., 2012; Nutt, 2003; Tippetts et al., 2022; the multidimensional way in which resilience
helps lower levels of psychological distress, spe-
Young-Jones et al., 2013). Various student qual-
cifically in the student population.
ities impact academic performance and reten-
Developing resiliency throughout student pop-
tion; resilience is one protective factor against a ulations can protect against psychological dis-
range of negative physical and psychological tress and improve academic performance. For
health outcomes (Harker et al., 2016). Resil- example, Dwiastuti et al. (2022) examined aca-
ience is valuable for students in higher educa- demic resilience and academic performance in
tion who are vulnerable to an increased number university students during the COVID-19 pan-
of stressors including finances, social integra- demic. Results indicated that students with high
tion, and academic achievement (Stallman, academic resilience had 1.73 times higher odds
2010). These benefits demonstrate the need for of improving academic performance compared to
universities to explore ways to aid the student those with lower resilience. This finding suggests
population in building resilience, particularly that students with increased levels of resilience
through academic advising. are more equipped to persevere and overcome

NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024 55

Gray et al.

academic obstacles. Subsequently, resilience When meeting with an advisor, advisor account-
may act as a mediator between psychological dis- ability (i.e., professionalism and availability
tress and academic performance (Hart, 2019). expected from advisees) and advisor empower-
Given these results, universities should further ment (i.e., facilitation and guidance expected
examine ways to aid students in developing resil- from advisees) contributed to improved student
ience. While some factors involved in individual responsibility, self-efficacy, study skills, and per-
resilience levels are biological or developmental, ceived support (Young-Jones et al., 2013). Thus,
other aspects can be strengthened with social sup- the significance of the advisor-student relation-
port, accessibility to mental health resources, educa- ship cannot be overstated, especially when con-
tional courses and seminars, and high-quality sidering the implications for student retention
academic advising (Eisenberg et al., 2016; Herrman and academic success.
et al., 2011). For instance, Ramos (2019) high-
lighted the importance of mentorship in building Student Departure
resilience in first-generation students of color. Not While retention rates increased over the last
only do mentors act as caring individuals on cam- two decades, only 46.6% of four-year institution
pus, they also serve as a “safety net” for students students will graduate within a four-year time
while encouraging autonomy and personal growth. span and only 63.4% will graduate within six
Universities could implement mentorships in a vari- years (U.S. Department of Education, 2022).
ety of ways, such as through academic advising. Given the benefits that attaining a college degree
presents both to the individual and to society
The Advisor-Student Relationship (Chan, 2016; Long, 2018; U.S. Bureau of Labor
Traditionally, academic advisors assist stu- Statistics, 2023), it is imperative for academic
dents with exploring life and vocational goals, advisors to know why students leave and the
program choice(s), course options, and classes ensuing ways they can positively impact student
schedules (O’Banion, 1994). However, the role retention and success.
of academic advisors is expanding to include To help explain why students leave before
other aspects of student growth. Ferris et al. graduating, Tinto (1993) constructed a Model of
(2012) identified four key roles present in suc- Student Departure which outlined three primary
cessful advisor-student relationships: Advisors causes: (1) academic difficulties; (2) the inability
(1) mentor their students and provide guidance of students to resolve their educational and occu-
while also encouraging independent learning; (2) pational goals; and (3) their failure to remain
are teachers and provide knowledge and expertise incorporated in the institution’s intellectual and
on important topics; (3) motivate their students social life (Shaw, 2018; Tinto, 1993). Overall,
and encourage them to take on new and difficult Tinto theorized that students who successfully
challenges and; (4) are well versed in university integrate into the social and academic life of their
policy and procedures and have expertise in how educational institutions were more likely to
to navigate these university procedures. remain at that institution than peers who were
Numerous studies demonstrated the benefits unable to integrate (Tinto, 1993).
of successful advisor-student relationships (Cur- Since Tinto’s development of the Student
tin et al., 2013; Ferris et al., 2012; Nutt, 2003; Tip- Departure Model, subsequent studies focused on
petts et al., 2022; Young-Jones et al., 2013). identifying the primary causes for low college
Pargett (2011) found that academic advising signif- retention rates and methods universities can
icantly correlated to students’ university satisfac- implement to raise these rates. Bernardo et al.
tion and development. Mu and Fosnacht (2019) (2016) surveyed 1,311 college freshmen regard-
reported similar results, revealing that positive aca- ing demographic, educational, social, and institu-
demic advising experiences lead to greater self-per- tional information and compared responses from
ceived gains, as well as better grades. students who were dropping out to those who
Students who meet with their academic advi- were staying. These results echoed Tinto’s The-
sor at least once per semester are more likely to ory of Student Departure: students who were
reenroll and show significantly higher levels of well-adapted to their educational institution were
perceived support compared with students who more likely to continue with their studies. Other
do not meet with their academic advisor at all variables linked to student attrition include poor
(Tippetts et al., 2022; Young-Jones et al., 2013). class attendance, less time spent studying, and

56 NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024

 Resilience in Post-Secondary Students

poor use of study techniques. Additional factors functioning and productivity while increasing the
that contribute to higher rates of student depar- drop-out risks.
ture include financial constraints, demands from Several factors have been shown to lower psy-
employment, lack of instructor bonding and men- chological distress levels in both the general and
toring, a sense of not belonging, falling behind aca- student populations. For instance, higher levels of
demically, and family demands (Clifton, 2021). mindfulness and social support predict lower lev-
Psychological distress has become increasingly els of psychological distress (Bore et al., 2016;
important to study, as it negatively impacts student Harker et al., 2016). However, resilience is one of
retention and academic performance (Stallman, the most commonly reported protective factors of
2010). The influence of psychological distress on psychological distress (Bacchi & Licinio, 2017;
college students is even more prescient in the wake Harker et al., 2016; McGillivray & Pidgeon,
of COVID-19 (Schmits et al., 2021). 2015). Universities that identify methods to assist
students in increasing resilience may lower psy-
Psychological Distress chological distress and mitigate the numerous neg-
Psychological distress can be defined as “the ative implications associated with it.
unique discomforting, emotional state experienced
by an individual in response to a specific stressor Present Research
or demand that results in harm, either temporary Given the research on the impact of resilience
or permanent, to the person” (Ridner, 2004, p. on mediating psychological distress and aiding in
539). Walker and Avant (1995) described five academic performance and retention, academic
defining attributes of psychological distress to dif- advisors who work closely with students should
ferentiate it from similar constructs: (1) perceived implement techniques to help students build
inability to cope effectively, (2) change in emo- resilience. Overall, this study aimed to examine
tional status, (3) discomfort, (4) communication of the relationship between perceived advisor sup-
discomfort, and (5) harm. These features parallel port, resilience, and psychological distress. We
the three primary sources of student departure in hypothesized that resilience will be negatively
Tinto’s Model, demonstrating the overlap between correlated with psychological distress, with
psychological distress and student departure. higher levels of resilience leading to lower levels
College students are particularly susceptible of psychological distress. We also predicted that
to psychological distress due to elevated finan- higher levels of perceived advisor support will
cial, social, and academic stress. Research sug- predict increased levels of resilience.
gests that over 80% of college students report
increased psychological distress levels, compared Methods
to 29% in the general population (Stallman,
2010). Such self-reported distress levels have Participants
been on the rise over the last decade and continue A total of 136 participants from an Introduc-
to be affected by factors such as the COVID-19 tory Psychology course met the inclusion require-
pandemic (Burke et al., 2020; Daly & Robinson, ments for this study. Participants were excluded if
2021; Knapstad et al., 2021). For example, the they did not complete the entire survey (n ¼ 38),
increase in online learning, along with the fear of provided identical or nearly identical responses to
losing an academic year due to the pandemic, has every survey question (n ¼ 2), were under 18
significantly increased students’ psychological years of age (n ¼ 2), or did not provide an age
distress levels (Hasan & Bao, 2020). These (n ¼ 2). Out of the 136 eligible participants, all
trends are concerning given the negative physi- were 18 years and older (M ¼ 19.58, SD ¼ 3.91);
cal, mental, and academic effects increased levels 34 were male (25%), 101 were female (74.3%),
of psychological distress can have on students. and one self-described as non-binary (0.7%). Par-
Stallman (2010) identified a similar trend with ticipants were primarily classified as undergradu-
students reporting higher levels of psychological ate first year students (60.3%), with 27.9% being
distress linked with a reduced capacity for study- sophomores, and the remaining participants identi-
ing and academic related tasks, as well as lower fying as juniors or seniors. Approximately 83.1%
GPAs. These results are supported by Viveka- (n ¼ 113) of the sample were White and Non-His-
nanda et al. (2011), who found that psychological panic in ethnicity, with 79.3% (n ¼ 107) of the
distress negatively impacts student academic sample identifying as straight/heterosexual. The

NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024 57

Gray et al.

average self-reported GPA was 3.53 (SD ¼ 0.47). items are added together, with higher scores indi-
The sample was taken from a Midwestern univer- cating higher levels of resilience. The 10-item
sity with an enrollment of approximately 15,000 scale has been tested in a variety of populations
students. including samples who reported history of child-
While the majority of the Fall 2020 semester hood trauma and psychiatric symptoms. Individ-
sample was in their first year, all participants uals who scored higher on the CD-RISC-10
should have met with their academic advisor at displayed lower overall psychiatric symptoms
least once before taking the survey. Incoming stu- regardless of a significant trauma history. This
dents were required to meet with a professional finding indicates that the CD-RISC-10 has high
academic advisor prior to attending the university. construct validity as resilience is known for pro-
They were also required to meet with a profes- tecting against the effects of stress and trauma; it
sional or faculty advisor (depending on the stu- also has consistently high reliability (Cronbach’s
dent’s major) at least once during their first a ¼ .85; Campbell-Sills & Stein, 2007).
semester. The university utilizes a shared advising The Perceived Advisor Support Scale (PASS;
structure. While all advisors receive the same Burt et al., 2013) measured students’ perceived
training, each advisor and advisement center uses support from their academic advisors. The PASS
different models (i.e., supplementary or split mod- is a 27-item survey that measures factors related
els; Pardee, 2004). Since participants were in a to autonomy, relatedness, and engagement. Items
general education course, they represent a variety are set up as statements such as, “My advisor
of academic departments which utilize various answers my questions fully and carefully,” “My
advising methods. Depending on the area of study,
advisor provides me with choices and options,”
students are immediately matched with a faculty
and “My advisor encourages me to get involved.”
advisor, assigned to an advisement center, or
Responses are rated on a 7-point Likert scale
begin with an advisement center and switch to a
ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly
faculty advisor. For the purposes of this study, stu-
dents were asked general questions about experi- agree), with again higher scores indicating
ences with their advisor (see Perceived Advisor higher levels of perceived advisor support. This
Support Scale [PASS] description below). scale has been utilized for both traditional and
non-traditional students, and its factors show
strong reliabilities (Cronbach’s a ¼ .95, .93, and
Measures
.89, respectively; Burt et al., 2013).
The survey included the Connor-Davidson
The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21
Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Perceived
Item (DASS-21; Antony et al., 1998; Lovibond
Advisor Support Scale (PASS), Depression, Anxi-
& Lovibond, 1995) is a shortened version of a
ety, Stress Scale-21 Item (DASS-21), and a demo-
graphic questionnaire. Scales were counterbalanced 42-item scale used to measure the negative emo-
to avoid order effects, with the demographic ques- tional states of depression, anxiety, and stress.
tionnaire administered last. This research was part Responses are given on a 4-point Likert-scale
of a larger study which included questionnaires not ranging from 0 (did not apply to me at all) to 3
listed. (applied to me very much or most of the time).
The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD- The 21-item scale consists of 7 items devoted to
RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) is a commonly each factor (Anxiety ¼ 2, 4, 7, 9, 15, 19, 20;
used instrument for measuring levels of resil- Depression ¼ 3, 5, 10, 13, 16, 17, 21; Stress ¼ 1,
ience. In its full structure, the CD-RISC is com- 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 18). Adding the designated items
posed of 25 items utilizing a 5-point Likert-type together creates a quantifiable score for each fac-
scale format. For the purposes of this study, the tor. The DASS-21 demonstrated exceptional reli-
abbreviated version of the CD-RISC, known as ability scores across studies with a wide range of
the CD-RISC-10, was administered. This abbre- populations (Cronbach’s a ¼ .94, .87, and .91
viated scale retains the original Likert structure, respectively for the anxiety, depression, and
with answers ranging from 0 (not true at all) to 4 stress factors). Concurrent validity between the
(true nearly all the time). Items include topics on DASS-21 and scales measuring similar con-
hardiness and persistence, for example, “Can structs have moderately high correlations, indi-
deal with whatever comes” and “Able to adapt to cating adequate validity (Antony et al., 1998;
change.” Following completion of the survey, Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995).

58 NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024

 Resilience in Post-Secondary Students

Figure 1. Correlations Between Resilience and Perceived Advisor Support

Note. This figure depicts the positive correlation between PASS scores of perceived advisor support and
RISC scores of resilience.

Procedure correlation between resilience and perceived advi-

To obtain the sample for this IRB-approved sor support, r(134) ¼ .21, p < .05 (See Figure 1).
study, instructors for a variety of Introductory In addition, a simple linear regression was con-
Psychology courses notified their students of this ducted using the PASS scores as the predictor var-
research opportunity and gave them the option to iable and CD-RISC-10 scores as the outcome
receive research credit for their participation. variable. Results indicated that perceived advisor
Students signed up to participate via SONA-Sys- support was statistically significant in predicting
tems (linked to Qualtrics), a secure online study levels of resilience (b ¼ 0.21, 95% CI [0.02,
management system. After accessing the survey 0.21], p < .05). Overall, perceived advisor support
link, participants provided informed consent predicted approximately 4% of the variability in
prior to completing the study. resilience (R2 ¼ 0.04, F(1, 134) ¼ 5.93, p < .05).
The relationship between resilience, psycho-
Results logical distress, and perceived advisor support
To examine the relationship between perceived was also examined. As expected, a significant
advisor support and resilience, a Pearson-product negative correlation appeared between resil-
moment correlation revealed a significant positive ience and perceived psychological distress,

NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024 59

Gray et al.

Figure 2. Correlations Between Psychological Distress and Resilience

Note. This figure depicts the negative correlation between DASS-21 scores of psychological distress
and RISC scores of resilience.

r(134) ¼ .48, p < .001 (See Figure 2), indicat- To investigate the impact of perceived advisor
ing that as resilience increased, psychological dis- support, along with levels of depression, anxiety,
tress decreased. However, the correlation between and stress on resiliency, a hierarchal multiple
perceived psychological distress and perceived regression was conducted using RISC scores as the
advisor support was not significant, r(134) ¼ .07, dependent variable and DASS-21 and PASS scores
p ¼ .40. A simple linear regression revealed that as the independent variables (See Table 1). DASS-
resilience significantly predicted psychological dis- 21 scores were entered in step one, and PASS
tress (b ¼ 0.48, 95% CI [.58, .31], p < .001), scores were entered in step two. Similar to the
with resilience accounting for approximately 23% impacts of perceived advisor support, the DASS-21
of the variability in psychological distress levels was also a significant predictor of resilience, R2¼
(R2 ¼ .23, F(1, 134) ¼ 40.99, p < .001). At the .23, F(1, 134) ¼ 40.99, p < .001. Adding PASS
individual level, resilience was significantly nega- scores in step two strengthened the model, surpass-
tively correlated with all three factors in the DASS- ing the effects of psychological distress on resil-
21, depression, r(134) ¼ .47, p < .001, anxiety, ience. Overall, the model with both predictors
r(134) ¼ .40, p < .001, and stress, r(134) ¼ was statistically significant and accounted for
.42, p < .001. approximately 26% of the variability in resilience,

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Table 1. Psychological Distress and Perceived Advisor Support on Resilience

Variable B SEB t p R2 Change
Step 1
Psychological Distress (DASS-21) 0.527 0.082 6.402 <.001 0.234
Step 2
Psychological Distress (DASS-21) 0.514 0.081 6.318 <.001
Perceived Advisor Support (PASS) 0.098 0.043 2.297 .023 0.029
Note. A hierarchal regression was utilized to examine the effects of psychological distress and perceived
advisor support on resilience. Psychological distress was entered in step one, with perceived
advisor support being added in step two.

R2 ¼ .26, F(2, 133) ¼ 23.79, p < .001. This find- advisees. Overall, study results support the initial
ing indicates that perceived advisor support—com- hypotheses. Resilience was significantly, nega-
bined with depression, anxiety, and stress levels— tively correlated with psychological distress,
has a significant effect on resilience, and that the which indicates that greater levels of resilience
two predictors combined predict resilience above are associated with lower levels of psychological
and beyond that of psychological distress alone. distress. Further analysis revealed that higher
Finally, in order to understand how advisors levels of resilience were predictive of lower lev-
can most effectively help build resilience in their els of psychological distress, and that resilience
advisees, a bivariate correlation was run between was also negatively correlated with all three fac-
the individual items on the PASS and average tors on the DASS-21: depression, anxiety, and
resiliency scores. Of the 27 items on the scale, 17 stress. These results are consistent with Bacchi
were significantly positively correlated with and Licinio’s (2017) past research which found
resilience. Some of the most highly correlated that higher levels of resilience linked to lower
items included, “My advisor notifies me of cam- levels of reduced psychological distress in the
pus and community activities that support my student population.
goals,” r(134) ¼ .23, p < .01, “I feel like I have a The study confirmed the second hypothesis as
choice about interacting with my advisor,” well: increased levels of perceived advisor support
r(134) ¼ .24, p < .01, “My advisor encourages were statistically significant in predicting higher
me to get involved,” r(134) ¼ .26, p < .01, and levels of resilience. In addition, a hierarchal
“My advisor tries to understand how I see things regression revealed that while psychological dis-
before suggesting a new way to do things,” tress predicted levels of resilience, the model was
r(134) ¼ .19, p < .05. strengthened when adding perceived advisor sup-
port to the analysis. This finding demonstrates that
Discussion perceived advisor support and psychological dis-
Despite slight improvements in post-secondary tress levels combine to influence levels of resil-
retention over the last decade, high rates of stu- ience; it also suggests that academic advisors have
dent-departure continue to be a paramount issue the potential to play a key role in building resil-
facing higher education nationwide (Chan, 2016; ience in the student population. Consequently,
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Students advisors can aid students in academic achieve-
who are unable to integrate into the social and aca- ment, well-being, and, ultimately, increase student
demic life of their university are more likely to retention (Eisenberg et al., 2016).
drop out than those who integrate successfully Although this study offers a meaningful
(Tinto, 1993). Resilience aides this integration by glance into the importance of the advisor-student
potentially preventing psychological distress and relationship, some limitations exist. For instance,
the negative consequences associated with it over 80% of the sample was White/Non-Hispanic
(Harker et al., 2016; Stallman, 2010). in ethnicity, and three-fourths of the sample iden-
The current study examined how perceived tified as female, thus, reducing generalizability.
academic advisor support influences resilience in Additionally, many participants were first-year
the student population and establishes ways advi- undergraduate students who should have met
sors can assist in building resilience in their with an advisor at least once; notably, they all

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Gray et al.

may not have formed meaningful advisor-student resources can better pursue outside support and
relationships. build resiliency.
Application Tip #2: Academic advisors should
Application Tips for Academic Advisors offer student support by familiarizing themselves
Academic advising has been described as the with campus resources and having the insight to
“hub of the wheel” in terms of student services understand when a student requires resources
on campus (Nutt, 2003) and is associated with outside their expertise.
positive student outcomes, better grades, greater Over the past several years, psychological dis-
tress levels have been on the rise (Burke et al.,
student responsibility, and greater self-efficacy
2020; Daly & Robinson, 2021; Harker et al.,
(Mu & Fosnacht, 2019; Pargett, 2011; Young-
2016; Hasan & Bao, 2020; Knapstad et al., 2021;
Jones et al., 2013). This study provides additional
Schmits et al., 2021; Southwick et al., 2014;
evidence for the supportive role of advisors. Spe-
Stallman, 2010; Vivekananda et al., 2011), and
cifically, it indicates advisors may be able to college enrollment has been declining (U. S.
encourage resiliency in their student advisees. To Department of Education, 2022). This trend is
determine the best way for advisors to offer sup- concerning considering the negative conse-
port to their students, the PASS items were fur- quences associated with each, such as decreased
ther analyzed. Items such as “My advisor notifies life satisfaction and negative physical health out-
me of campus and community activities that sup- comes (Ross & Wu, 1995; Tessler & Mechanic,
port my goals,” “I can make choices among 1978). However, resilience coincides with
activities in order to complete degree require- decreased psychological distress and greater uni-
ments,” and “I feel like I have a choice about versity satisfaction and student success (Harker
interacting with this person,” all highly corre- et al., 2016; Mu & Fosnacht, 2019). The results
lated to resilience (Burt et al., 2013). The current of this study indicate that not only is increased
finding provides insight into what qualities are resilience significantly related to a decrease in
most beneficial to students in terms of building levels of psychological distress, but also that aca-
resilience. Results are consistent with previous demic advisors may play a crucial role in encour-
studies such as Ferris et al. (2012), which suggests aging student resilience. Perceived advisor
that a successful advisor-student relationship is support offers one mechanism to help build stu-
based on mentoring students by encouraging auton- dent resiliency, provide a more satisfying college
omy and independence. career, and enable future tools for success.
Application Tip #1: Encouraging autonomy Application Tip #3: Serving as a supportive
and fostering a supportive environment that individual on campus may mitigate challenging
enhances the relationship between student and circumstances by increasing resilience and pro-
advisor is vital in building student resilience. moting student retention and well-being.
Advisors can support students by providing a
comfortable and accepting environment in which Future Directions and Conclusion
the student feels safe to discuss their thoughts, The present study demonstrated the impact of
opinions, and concerns. This may be coupled with perceived academic advisor support on the resil-
motivating students and encouraging them to take ience of student advisees. Subsequent studies
on new and difficult challenges, while guiding should examine a more diverse demographic,
them through university policies and structures including a broader range of ethnicities, gender
(Ferris et al., 2012). While academic advisors are identities, and academic levels. Given the valu-
not trained mental health professionals, they can able implications of the relationship between per-
recognize warning signs of psychological distress ceived advisor support, psychological distress, and
symptoms in students (i.e., excessive procrastina- resilience, continued research in this area is neces-
tion, decrease in quality of work, marked changes sary to maximize the benefits of academic advising
in behavior, absence from class) and refer them to for the student population. Future research could
campus resources (Harper & Peterson, 2005). The investigate specific interventions that advisors
results further support the importance of having might implement to build resiliency in students, as
mentors on campus who can provide support and well as practices to avoid. Finally, longitudinal
comfort, as well knowledge of campus resources research investigating how perceived advisor sup-
(Ramos, 2019). Students informed about campus port and psychological distress impacts student

62 NACADA Journal Volume 44(1) 2024

 Resilience in Post-Secondary Students

retention over time may also provide deeper insight measure of resilience. Journal of Traumatic Stress,
into how advising methods relate to Tinto’s Theory 20(6), 1019–1028. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20271
of Student Departure (1993). Chan, R. Y. (2016) Understanding the purpose of
These results highlight the important role of higher education: An analysis of the economic and
advisors in enhancing protective factors against psy- social benefits for completing a college degree.
chological distress and fostering student well-being. Journal of Education Policy, Planning, and Admin-
Results informed the development of the application istration, 6(5), 1–41. https://scholar.harvard.edu/
tips recommended for academic advisors who wish files/roychan/files/chan_r._y._2016._understanding_
to help their students build resiliency. We recom- the_purpose_aim_function_of_higher_education._
mend that academic advisors utilize these tips to jeppa_65_1-40.pdf
encourage both resilience and academic/personal Clifton, W. (2021). Where have all the students gone?
success in their student advisees. Why college students drop out. The Journal of Inno-
vation, Teaching, & Digital Learning Excellence, 1,
2–6. https://www.dccc.edu/sites/default/files/about/
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Practice, 24(2), 526–547. https://doi.org/10.1177/ University in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated

1521025120924804 with a B.S. in Psychology from Missouri State
U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6).; University. Her research interests include evaluat-
Education pays. https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unem ing processes that contribute to the maintenance of
ployment-earnings-education.htm discrimination, microaggressions, academic advis-
U. S. Department of Education. (2022). Undergraduate ing, and student success. Samantha may be reached
retention and graduation rates. https://nces.ed.gov/ at Samantha34@live.missouristate.edu.
programs/coe/pdf/2022/ctr_508.pdf
Vivekananda, K., Telley, A., & Trethowan, S. (2011). Ashley Hall is a graduate student in the Psychology
A five-year study on psychological distress within a Department at Missouri State University in
university counseling population. Journal of the Springfield, Missouri. She graduated with a B.S. in
Australian & New Zealand Student Services Associ- Psychology from University of Central Arkansas.
ation, 37, 39–57. Her research interests include health behaviors, posi-
Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (1995). Strategies for theory tive traits, peer relations, and student success. Ashley
construction in nursing (3rd ed.). Appleton & Lange. may be reached at anh59s@missouristate.edu.
Young-Jones, A. D., Burt, T. D., Dixon, S., &
Hawthorne, M. J. (2013). Academic advising: Does Adena Young-Jones is a Full Professor in the
it really impact student success? Quality Assurance Psychology Department at Missouri State University
in Education, 21(1), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1108/ in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated with a Ph.D.
09684881311293034 in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M
University-Commerce. Her research includes aca-
Authors’ Notes demic advising, motivation and achievement, stu-
Andrea Gray recently graduated from Drury dent retention and success, and diversity issues.
University with a B.A. in Clinical and Behavioral Dr. Young-Jones may be reached at ayoung@
Neuroscience, and minors in Biology and Advanced missouristate.edu.
Scientific Analysis. She has been working in the
Educational Psychology Laboratory at Missouri Carly Yadon is an Associate Professor in the
State University in Springfield, Missouri since Fall Psychology Department at Missouri State University
2022. Her research interests include trauma, PTSD, in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated with a Ph.D.
and the mind-body connection. Andrea may be in Cognitive Neuroscience from Colorado State
reached at Andrea100@live.missouristate.edu. University. Her research includes psychophysiology
as well as a line of research that explores best prac-
Samantha Bumgardaner is a graduate student in tices in teaching and advising. Dr. Yadon may be
the Psychology Department at Missouri State reached at carlyyadon@missouristate.edu.

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