The Academic Resilience of Mexican American High School Students

Abstract

This study sought to identify factors that contribute to the academic resilience and achievement among Mexican American high school students. High-and low-achieving students were selectedfrom a database that included 2,169 Mexican American students in three California high schools. Resilient students (N = 133) reported receiving mostly A grades in high school, whereas nonresilient students (N = 81) reported mostly grades of D or below. Variables were formedfrom items on a questionnaire that all students had previously completed. Items selectedfor analysis included role offamily, teachers, and peers toward school; the school environment and belonging; and the importance of culture andfamily. Regression analysis on student grade point average (GPA) revealed that a sense of belonging to school was the only significant predictor of academic resilience. An ANOVA revealed that teacherfeedback was greater among resilient males in comparison to nonresilient males.