The relationship between academic resilience and academic performance among pharmacy students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate academic resilience and investigate its relationship with academic performance among undergraduate pharmacy students. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students in a public university in Malaysia using an adapted and pretested 16-item academic pharmacy resilience scale (APRS-16). Demographic and academic performance data were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire from December 2019 and January 2020 and analysed using descriptive and inferential analyses. Results: A total of 247 students completed the survey (response rate was 55.6%). Overall, the students had moderate academic resilience score (median: 59; interquartile range [IQR]: 37 – 80). Female students had significantly higher academic resilience score than males (60 [41 – 80] versus 56 [37 – 69]). Academic resilience score was higher among year one students (62 [42 – 74]) compared to year two (57.5 [37 – 80]), year three (59 [37 – 78]) and year four (58 [44 – 77]) students. There was a positive relationship between academic resilience score and students’ cumulative grade point average (CGPA) (r = 0.250) and GPA (r = 0.154). Conclusion: Undergraduate pharmacy students have moderate academic resilience. Academic resilience varies based on gender and year of study, and it is significantly associated with academic performance.