Comparing College Students’ Capacities for Resiliency Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Using data from the 2018 (n = 54,601) and 2021 (n = 35,283) Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership survey, this study compared measures of college students' resilience before and one year into the COVID-19 pandemic among both the entire undergraduate student samples and among demographic groups (i.e., gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, and first-generation status). Findings revealed a statistically significant decrease in reported resilience from 2018 to 2021 and consistent significant decreases across nearly every demographic group. Results highlight the importance of individual and environmental factors when attending to influences on college students' resilience.