Mental Toughness and Moods as Predictors of Academic Success

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1 Mental Toughness and Moods as Predictors of Academic Success Rosey Stock, Siobhan Lynam & Moira Cachia Stock, R., Lynam, S., Cachia, M. Hunt, F., Usher, L. & Fern-Pollak, L. 1

2 Aims Existing research often shows focus on negatives risk factors for students joining university Current study focuses on factors that lead to success (not just absence of risk factors ) Identifying internal factors individual differences that might affect student success 2

3 Rationale Mental toughness can be a positive predictor of success (Crust et al 2014), and previous research within HE suggests that Mental Toughness improves students ability to deal with negative feedback, and to progress and succeed academically Males show higher levels of MT than females or they may be expressing mental toughness in different ways (Nicholls et al 2008) However, the bulk of such research has been conducted with students in courses such as Sports Science (e.g. Clough et al. 2002) 3

4 Rationale A review (Valiente et al., 2012) found that negative emotions are negatively associated with academic achievements Very few studies look at positive emotions Studies predominantly look at school children (e.g. Gumora & Arsenio, 2002) 4

5 Method - participants 120 females (18-48) 41 males (18-28) Participants were all psychology students, given Research Participation Scheme points for participation Consent to access their grades was requested, as well as contact details so they could be contacted for future (qualitative) data collection. Demographic information: Age, gender 5

6 Method - materials Mental toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48; Clough et al. 2002) 48 items, subscales: 1. Commitment (the level of engagement with a task) 2. Control of Emotion 3. Control of Life 4. Challenge (sees adversity as opportunity for selfdevelopment) 5. Confidence in Abilities 6. Interpersonal confidence) This has a 5 point Likert scale where participants rate a number of statements on a scale of 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). 6

7 Disagree Agree 35) I usually find it difficult to make a mental effort when I am tired ) When I make mistakes I usually let it worry me for days after ) When I am feeling tired I find it difficult to get going ) I am comfortable telling people what to do ) I can normally sustain high levels of mental effort for long periods ) I usually look forward to changes in my routine ) I feel that what I do tends to make no difference ) I usually find it hard to summon enthusiasm for the tasks I 36 = have confidence to do in abilities 43) If I feel somebody is wrong, I am not afraid to argue with 37 = control of emotions them 38 = confidence in interpersonal relationships 39 = commitment 46) In discussions, I tend to back-down even when I feel strongly 40 = about challenge something 47) When I face setbacks I am often unable to persist with my 41 = control of life ) I usually enjoy a challenge ) I can usually control my nervousness goal ) I can usually adapt myself to challenges that come my way

8 Method - materials Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS; Watson et al. 1988). 10 positive mood descriptors 10 negative mood descriptors how closely they reflect their mood state on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = slightly/not at all and 5 = extremely. NB the PANAS measures actual emotion, whereas the MTQ48 measures control of emotion 8

9 ... Indicate to what extent you generally feel this way, that is how you feel on average Very slightly or not at all A little Moderately Quite a bit Extremely Interested Distressed Excited Upset Strong Guilty Scared Hostile enthusiastic proud Irritable Alert Ashamed Inspired Nervous Determined Attentive Jittery Active afraid 9

10 Method - materials Academic Achievement defined by mean grade at the end of that academic year 10

11 Results all participants Pearson s correlations (with Bonferroni corrections) revealed that: All students showed a positive correlation between Academic Achievement and Control of Life Also: Positive correlation between Control of Life and Age Positive correlation between Age and Positive Affect t-tests (with Bonferroni corrections) also found no gender difference on any subscale of the MTQ48 or the PANAS 11

12 Results multiple regressions Predictors: MTQ48 subscales PANAS subscales Outcome: Academic Achievement Two were conducted, one for males and one for females. 12

13 Results Does Mental Toughness predict Academic Achievement? In Female students Control-of-Emotion negatively predicted Academic Achievement In Female students Confidence-in-Abilities negatively predicted Academic Achievement In Male students Commitment positively predicted Academic Achievement 13

14 Results Does Affect predict Academic Achievement? In Female students neither Positive nor Negative Affect predicted Academic Achievement In Male students Positive Affect positively predicted Academic Achievement 14

15 Results Summary and Implications/Discussion Points All students showed a positive correlation between Academic Achievement and Control of Life owhat it is that may lead to a feeling of lack of control for our students and what, if anything, can we as educators do about this? 15

16 Results Summary and Implications/Discussion Points In Female students Academic Achievement is negatively predicted by: Control-of-Emotion Confidence-in-Abilities. In Female students neither Positive nor Negative Affect predicted Academic Achievement o For females, it is not their emotions that predict their grades, but whether they are (over?) controlling them (see also Crust et al. 2009) oare female students overconfident? ohow could educators respond to this? 16

17 Results Summary and Implications/Discussion Points In Male students Academic Achievement is positively predicted by: Commitment Positive Affect owhen male students commit and engage, it is paying off and is shown in their grades ofor males, happy students are higher achieving students 17

18 Concurrent qualitative studies How do we define academic success? How do students define academic success? The role of assessments 18

19 Discussion points... owhat it is that may lead to a feeling of lack of control for our students and what, if anything, can educators do about this? Students do show high levels of taking responsibility, which is encouraging. But are they doing less than they think? oare female student overconfident? ofor males, happy students are higher achieving students. Are female students over controlling their emotions? owhen male students commit and engage, it is paying off and is shown in their grades this wasn t found for females. Are males working smarter? 19

20 References Clough, P., Earle, K., & Sewell, D. (2002). Mental toughness: the concept and its measurement. In I. Cockerill (ed.), Solutions in Sport Psychology (pp ). London: Thomson. Crust, L. (2009). The relationship between mental toughness and affect intensity. Personality and Individual Differences 47, Crust, L., Earle, K., Perry, J., Earle, F., Clough, A. & Clough, P.J. (2014). Mental toughness in higher education: Relationship with achievement and progression in first-year university sports students. Personality and Individual Difference, 69, Gumora, G., & Arsenio, W.F. (2002). Emotionality, emotion regulation, and school performance in middle school children. Journal of School Psychology, 40, Nicholls, A.R., Polman, R.C.J., Levy, A.J., & Backhouse, S.H. (2008). Mental toughness in sport: Achievement level, gender, age, experience, and sport type differences. Personality and Individual Differences, 47, Valiente, C., Swanson, J., & N. Eisenberg, N. (20012). Linking students' emotions and academic achievement: when and why emotions matter. Child Development Perspectives, 6, Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 54, Zhou, Q., Main, A., & Wang, Y. (2010). The relations of temperamental effortful control and anger/frustration to Chinese children s academic achievement and social adjustment: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102,

MENTAL TOUGHNESS: IS IT THE KEY TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS?

Teaching & Learning Frances Hunt, Lee Usher, Liory Fern Pollak, Rosemary Stock, Siobhan Lynam, Moira Cachia University of West London, UK MENTAL TOUGHNESS: IS IT THE KEY TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS? This paper