Gritty goal pursuit and perceived chronic stress: Exploring implications for academic problems

Abstract

College can be a stressful time for students as they transition to greater independence and increased responsibilities from before. Increased stress levels can have a debilitating effect on their ability to persist with their academic goals. In the psychological literature, researchers believe they have identified a motivation trait that may explain individual differences in persistence and perseverance toward goals. Grit is a motivation orientation characterized by passion and persistence in the pursuit of a long-term goal. Consisting of two facets, Grit-Perseverance and Grit-Consistency, grit has been shown to predict beneficial outcomes in a variety of domains, including academics. Yet, very little work has examined the psychological consequences of gritty goal pursuit. Considering that individuals high on facets of grit are presented as persistently pursuing their goals regardless of setbacks and obstacles it is plausible to speculate that gritty goal pursuit may be associated with increased stress levels. The purpose of this chapter is to present the results of two studies conducted to examine the relations between facets of grit and chronic stress with implications for academic problems in college students. In the first study, 101 participants (72 = Female; 18-24 years) completed the Grit-S Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Bivariate correlations revealed that Grit-Perseverance and Grit-Consistency were negatively correlated with perceived chronic stress. In the second study, 127 participants (88 = Female; 18-32 years) were administered the Academic Problems Subscale of the College Adjustment Scale along with the Grit-S Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Both facets of grit were negatively correlated with perceived chronic stress, thus replicating findings from Study 1. Additionally, regression analysis revealed that Grit-Perseverance and Grit-Consistency predicted fewer academic problems. Finally mediation regression analyses indicated that facets of grit reduced academic problems through decreased stress levels. Overall, these studies suggest that gritty goal pursuit is associated with reduced chronic stress and fewer academic problems in college students.