Gist Education and Learning Research Journal. ISSN 1692-5777.

No. 11, (July - December) 2015. pp. 63-78.

Factors Affecting Academic

Resilience in Middle School
Students: A Case Study1

Factores que Afectan la Resiliencia Académica en Estudiantes

de Bachillerato

Luisa Fernanda Rojas F.2*

Volunteers Colombia

Abstract

This research was carried out with the purpose of identifying how and which risk and
protective factors affect academic outcomes. The study explored how different family
and individual environmental factors foster academic resilience. The exploratory study
took place with a group of six students from a public school in Bogotá, Colombia.
The school is located in a low-income and marginalized area of the city, where social
problems such as poverty and violence are common. Data collection techniques
included document analysis, as well as interviews with teachers and parents. The
data collection was focused on identifying how academic resiliency skills can be
developed in vulnerable young people. It was found that it is possible to identify and
describe different protective factors from the family, such as family guidance, family
support, and opportunities for meaningful family involvement that explicitly foster
academic resilience in at risk-students. It was also possible to address how individual
characteristics also foster positive outcomes, including optimism, perseverance, or
motivation.

Keywords: academic resilience, risk factors, protective factors, low income,

family factors
63

1
Received: July 15, 2015 / Accepted: October 6, 2015
2
[email protected]

No. 11 (July - December 2015)

 Factors affecting academic resilience R

Resumen

Esta investigación se realizó con el propósito de identificar cómo y qué factores de

riesgo y de protección afectan los resultados académicos. El estudio exploró cómo los
diferentes factores como la familia, ambientales e individuales promueven la resiliencia
académica. El estudio exploratorio se llevó a cabo con un grupo de seis estudiantes de
un colegio público en Bogotá, Colombia. El colegio está situado en un sector de bajos
ingresos y en un área marginada de la ciudad, donde los problemas sociales como la
pobreza y la violencia son comunes. Las técnicas de recolección de datos incluyen
el análisis de documentos, así como entrevistas con los profesores y los padres. La
recolección de datos se centró en identificar cómo las habilidades de resiliencia
académica se pueden desarrollar en los jóvenes vulnerables. Se encontró que es posible
identificar y describir los diferentes factores de protección de la familia, como la
orientación familiar, el apoyo de la familia, y las oportunidades para la participación
familiar significativa que explícitamente fomentan la resiliencia académica en
estudiantes en riesgo. También fue posible abordar cómo las características individuales
también fomentan resultados positivos, entre ellos el optimismo, la perseverancia, o la
motivación.

Palabras claves: Resiliencia académica, factores de riesgo, factores de

protección, bajos ingresos, factores familiares

Resumo

Esta pesquisa se realizou com o propósito de identificar como e que fatores de risco e
de proteção afetam os resultados acadêmicos. O estudo explorou como os diferentes
fatores como a família, ambientais e individuais promovem a resiliência acadêmica.
O estudo exploratório foi realizado com um grupo de seis estudantes de um colégio
público em Bogotá, Colômbia. O colégio está situado em um setor de baixos ingressos
e em uma área marginada da cidade, onde os problemas sociais como a pobreza e a
violência são comuns. As técnicas de coleta de dados incluem a análise de documentos,
bem como entrevistas com os professores e os pais. A coleta de dados se centrou em
identificar como as habilidades de resiliência acadêmica se podem desenvolver nos
jovens vulneráveis. Encontrou-se que é possível identificar e descrever os diferentes
fatores de proteção da família, como a orientação familiar, o apoio da família, e as
oportunidades para a participação familiar significativa que explicitamente fomentam
a resiliência acadêmica em estudantes em risco. Também foi possível abordar como
64 as características individuais também fomentam resultados positivos, entre eles o
otimismo, a perseverança, ou a motivação.

Palavras chave: Resiliência acadêmica, fatores de risco, fatores de proteção,

baixos ingressos, fatores familiares

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Introduction

R
esilience is the process of adapting in the face of adversity. Research
has shown that this trait is usual, not unusual, as people commonly
demonstrate resilience through life experiences (Chung, 2008). This
is because resilience is not a characteristic that people either have or do not
have. For this reason, resilience involves behaviors and actions that can be
learned and developed in any person. A combination of protective factors and
risk factors affect resilience in individuals. Risk factors are those factors that
increase the likelihood of a future negative outcome. Protective factors refer to
those variables that buffer against the effects of risk factors (Wright & Masten,
2005).

Many studies show that the most important protective factor affecting
resilience is having supportive family relationships. On the other hand, different
risk factors from family also directly affect the development of resilience. Both
of these directly affect children’s academic performance as well. Academic
resilience is defined as the ability to deal with adversity, stress or pressure
in academic settings. Students who are affected academically by family risk
factors may be labeled as non-resilient students. The opposite can be described
as resilient students, students who succeed academically in school despite the
presence of adversity (Grotberg, 2001).

The purpose of this project was to identify academic resilience in a group

of eighth grade students from a school that for the purposes of this study will
be called El Triunfo. The study aimed to determine which risk factors affect
these skills to overcome adversity. The questions that guided this research
project were the following: How do family risk factors and protective factors
affect academic outcomes in three teenage students with academically diverse
performances? How can academic resiliency skills be developed in vulnerable
teenage students?, and How can positive academic outcomes be developed in
vulnerable teenage students?

It was possible to conclude that a powerful predictor of the academic

outcome for children is the quality of the immediate care-giving environment.
However, factors such as the characteristics of the individual and the
environment also contribute to academic performance. Finally, the project
proposed of value to establish whether, as research suggests, family support 65
and parenting skills are the result of specific protective factors affecting risk
factors that foster academic resilience despite adversity.

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 Factors affecting academic resilience R

Literature Review

Resilience is the ability to overcome challenges. In fact, resilience can be

seen when people face difficult experiences and know how to deal with or adapt
to them. According to Schoon (2006), resilience is a dynamic process in which
individuals show adaptive actions when experimenting significant adversity.
Adversity is defined as environmental conditions that interfere with or threaten
the accomplishment of age-appropriate developmental tasks (Schoon, 2006).

Resilience is a dynamic process whereby individuals show adaptive

actions when they experience adversity. Therefore, those fundamental
conclusions refer to the ability that allows an individual to overcome adverse
life events successfully and gain competence or skills from the process of
overcoming challenges and adversity (Chung, 2008).

Fostering adaptive development depends on the cultural context, as well

as academic, emotional, behavioral and physical adjustment. Understanding
these different areas is how individuals achieve optimal functioning. Through
the five key principles of the life-course approach, individuals might have
optimal functioning. The reason is that human development is a life-long
process in which individuals construct their own life. However, resilience
depends not only on an individual’s environment, but also on the individual
development. Consequently, this relation between the environment and
individual development produces an elevated probability of an undesirable
outcome, which is labeled as a risk. From a resilience view, there are risk
factors. Wright and Masten (2005) argue that risk factors are “measurable
characteristics in a group of individuals or their situations that predict negative
outcomes” (p. 18).

On the other hand, protective factors are concerned with the quality of a
person, context or their interaction that predicts better outcomes, specifically
in situations of risk. Protective factors also moderate the impact of adversity
on adaptation (Wright & Masten, 2005). According to Chung (2008), two
protective factors help individuals reintegrate the disruption with resiliency:
individual personal characteristics and environmental characteristics that the
individual experiences.

For these reason, fostering resilience is an important task because it

66 is how individuals overcome challenges and face difficult experiences. In
addition, by fostering resilience, people can develop lifelong skills such as
communication and problem-solving skills, and the ability to make realistic
plans and be capable of taking the steps necessary to follow through with them.

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Many studies have explored which elements increase resilience in

vulnerable children. By understanding resilience, it is possible to develop
preventative packages, support strategies for parents and schools, and plans to
foster resiliency. Nettles, Mucherach, and Jones (as cited in Waxman, Gray, &
Padron, 2003) found that family and community experiences create protective
factors through the access of social resources, including caring parents,
participation in extracurricular activities, and supportive teachers.

Many studies are focused on educational resilience and how to lead advances
in the education of students at risk of academic failure. Studies focus on defining
the differences between resilient students, students who succeed academically in
school despite the presence of adversity, and non-resilient students. Some of the
differences identified include family environment, perceptions of the classroom,
school environment and problems caused by poverty, health and explicit social
conditions. Johnson (1997) proposes that human relationships are the most
critical factor in student resiliency, followed by student characteristics, family
factors, community variables, and school programs.

Methodology

Research Design

The proposed methodology for this research was a case study. The
project sought to understand how risk factors affected academic resilience in
six middle school students, and how protective factors were developed in order
to build academic resilience. The exploratory methodology made it possible
to discover which risk factors were of particular importance in academic
performance or resilience, and how academic resilience, as a result, became a
protective factor that impacted learners’ lives.

In the case of risk factors, family and context, the literature points to
the importance of developing and fostering academic resilience in children.
The literature, however, did not describe which or how risk factors in contexts
similar to this could remove protective factors from families. For this reason,
the data collection proposed sought to identify which risk factors affected skills
to overcome adversity and also describe the role of the family as a potential 67
support strategy as a protective factor to foster academic resilience. Finally,
the data sought to establish which risk factors and protective factors existed in
participants’ contexts.

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 Factors affecting academic resilience R

Context and Participants

The context for this study was a public school located in a marginalized,
low-income area of Bogotá. For the purposes of the study, the school has been
given a pseudonym, El Triunfo. At the time of the study, the school was what
is known as a colegio de concesión.3 Colegios de concesión are public schools
that the local school authority temporarily contracts through public tender to
recognized educational institutions and non-profit organizations, which then
operate the schools for an agreed period, with the goal of raising standards of
quality.

El Triunfo school is located in an area of the city which, according to the

District Planning Office of Bogotá (Secretaria Distrital de Planeacion, 2009),
has had one of the most marked levels of basic needs in the city, characterized
by high economic dependence on families headed by single mothers, high rates
of school dropouts, overcrowding and poor housing conditions.

The participants were six students from El Triunfo school. The

participants were eighth grade students, between twelve and fifteen years old.
The six students were chosen based on their academic records in 2014: two
low achievers, two average students, and two high achieving students. Three
teachers were also chosen for the study, mathematics and music, as these were
the subjects that most students failed. The art teacher was also selected because
he was the homeroom teacher. The names of all the participants have been
changed for the purposes of this study.

Data Collection Instruments

In order to gather a wide range of data inputs for the case studies, three
different techniques were used and described: academic records, interviews,
and biographical research.

Academic records. Academic records were used to identify potential

participants in the case study. Three groups of students were chosen: above
average, average and below average. During the case study, teachers’ academic
assessments of students was also sought in order to establish students’ academic
68 performance and possible related resilient behaviors.     

Interviews. Interviews took place with three teachers, six students, and
parents of three of the students. It was intended that, by carefully choosing the

3
Colegios de concesión can be roughly translated as “outsourced schools.”

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participants to be interviewed, a wide range of responses could be obtained.

Open-ended and semi-structured questions were designed intending to gain
insight into the importance of academic resilience and protective factors.

The objective of the interview with the teachers was to know their
perceptions or insights about the students’ families in order to identify risk
factors and protective factors. The objective of interviewing parents was to
identify how and which practices promoted academic resilience in their
children, and to analyze how risk factors affected protective factors. 

Biographical research. The objective of this was to identify which

situations affect academic resilience and analyze which skills students use to
become resilient. The students were asked to keep a personal journal in which
they were to represent (write or draw) a difficult situation they experienced
each week. The objective of this was to recognize what experiences or events
affected or possibly promoted academic resilience in their daily life. The
students also had a space each Tuesday in which they shared personal ideas
they felt or perceived. Planned activities by the researcher were carried out in
each week’s session to attempt to address the research questions.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The following techniques were used to analyze the data: exploratory

data analysis for interviews, participant diaries and activity sessions, and a
reflective research diary after interviews and sessions. It is important to point
out that the case study eventually focused only on three students: Mateo, Pablo
and Miguel (high, average and low academic achievers). This is because not
all the information could be gathered from all participants. The majority of
information was collecterd from these participants.

Interviews-sessions-diaries analysis. Each interview, weekly sessions

with the students and the reflective diary were transcribed and analyzed for
recurring themes, such as risk factors and protective factors. These themes are
presented in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1 represents the environmental risk factors
and protective factors resulting from exploratory analysis of interviews,
sessions and diaries from the participants.
69

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Table 1. Environmental risk factors and protective factors

Academic Resilience
Environmental Environmental
Risk Factors protective factors
Poverty Low family stress

Family dysfunction Child relationship

Family conflict Parenting skills

Lower economic status Child attachment

Lack of social support Role models

Marital conflict and domestic violence High expectations

Harsh discipline Family support

Parent is less supportive, affectionate and
Family guidance
playful
Opportunities for meaningful family
Lack of positive parenting skills
involvement
Respectful communication

Table 2 illustrates individual factors fostering academic resilience

resulting from exploratory analysis of interviews, sessions and diaries from
the participants.

Table 2. Individual factors

Academic Resilience

Individual Factors
Optimism
Empathy
70 Self-steem
Direction or mission
Determination
Perseverance
Motivation
Problem Solving Skills

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Crtitical Thinking
Autonomy
Internal locus of control
Sense of purpose

In this case study, content analysis was undertaken after all interviews,
sessions and diaries were conducted and transcribed. First, risk factors and
protective factors were identified. Afterwards, a list of environmental risk and
protective factors that emerged from the data collection was created. Each of
them was interpreted. Finally, a summary of the main features was written
in three individual “stories” from the results of the instruments used in the
research, combining findings from all the data collected (interviews, sessions
and dairies). Significant concepts were identified and highlighted as well as
problems, and areas for additional research.

Results

The case study reveals how different risk factors related to the family
environment and the individual characteristics of three students from El
Triunfo school affect academic resilience in terms of students achieving high
educational outcomes despite adversity, and how specific protective factors as
family guidance, parenting skills and positive role models develop resilience
skills in vulnerable teenage students.

Case 1: Mateo

Mateo was born in 2001 as the first of three children to married parents.
Mateo’s parents both left school at the age of 11. Mateo’s parents work at a
mini-market close to their home. They live in one of the poorest, most violent,
and overcrowded neighborhoods in Bogota.

Mateo’s parents show keen interest in his education. Mateo has

performed well in all academic tests. He has shown no behavior problems. His
teachers rated his performance as either “average,” or “above” in all subjects.
Based on the results of the five sessions and the interviews with his mother
and his teachers, Mateo demonstrates in the characteristics of an individual
71
with academic resilience despite the experience of socio-economic adversity,
taking into account his academic average and his two consecutively grades of
Excelencia.

Mateo’s family environment appears to be stable and supportive, based

on the interview with Mateo’s mother. She described some activities they do on

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 Factors affecting academic resilience R

weekends and how they help their children complete homework. His mother
takes an active interest and involvement in Mateo’s education including career
planning. The mathematics teacher expressed that Mateo is an independent and
autonomous student and that his family has strong and clear agreements about
schoolwork. The teacher reported that she truly believes that Mateo shows
interest for learning.

As a result of the findings, we can describe this case as an academically

resilient student because it is possible to consistently find a larger network
of social support and higher satisfaction with that support. The student
demonstrates a more autonomy-oriented and open climate in his tasks. The
findings also illustrate the principle of resilience as a successful adaptation
despite risk and adversity, Mateo is in a high ability group, he enjoys school,
and is described by his teachers as a well-behaved boy. He shows a realistic
appreciation of his abilities and pReferences and he knows what he wants to
achieve in life.

Case 2: Pablo

Pablo is the youngest of five children was born in 2001. His parents both
have the same level of education, and both completed university studies. At
this moment, his mother is completing a specialist degree in psychology. His
father works as paralegal for the Mayor’s Office of Bogota, and his mother
works in a call center. At age two, Pablo’s family lived in rented, overcrowded
accommodation, but by age nine, they had moved into a new rented home.
They live in a house with a cousin, so there are eight people in the house, as
well as two pets.

His parents are interested in Pablo’s education. His mother reported, “If
he has to make a poster, or model, he calls me at the office, tells what is needed
to be done and I buy the materials if necessary, and I also ask him to make a
draft of the assignment and as soon as I get home. I help him with the project,
which is usually drawing the posters with markers, for him”4 Pablo has not
performed well in all academic tests, and he has shown some behavioral
problems. The high school coordinator has a system to follow up students that
arrive late to class, and Pablo has the worst attendance record of his grade. His
72 teachers rated his performance as “on the average” in all subjects.

4
Original Spanish: Si tiene que hacer una cartelera o una maqueta, me llama a la oficina me
cuenta que hay que hacer yo compro los materiales si es necesario y le pido que haga un
borrador de lo que necesita y cuando yo llegue a la casa le ayudo hacer lo que necesita,
usualmente es pasar a marcador las carteleras.

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Based on the results of the five sessions, the diary, and the interviews
with his mother and his teachers, Pablo demonstrates the characteristics of
an individual with factors that increase resilience, namely optimism and
empathy, but shows a lack of determination and perseverance. In terms of the
family environment, his family demonstrates a supportive family environment
evident in the activities they do on weekends. Depending on the situation, the
family organizes a plan to keep family bonds strong. For most of the teachers,
it is difficult to hold a meeting with his mother to talk about Pablo’s difficulties.
She cannot attend these meetings because of her job and studies.

As a result of the findings, we can categorize Pablo as a resilient student

who is not successful academically. His family shows some protective factors
that increase resilience, but academically Pablo does not show most of the
self factors. Pablo’s family does not evidence these environmental protective
factors, including parenting skills (supervision and discipline), low family
stress and family guidance. Pablo’s case illustrates the exent to which parenting
skills have a direct impact on academic resilience, but also how the individual
characteristics foster resilience as well.

Case 3: Miguel

Miguel was born in 2001 as the third of three children to married

parents. Miguel’s mother left school in ninth grade. Miguel’s father studied
a technological program at SENA, the national vocational training institute.
Miguel’s mother works as a secretary and his father is a car mechanic.

His parents in 2014 did not show a strong interest in Miguel’s education.
The mathematics teacher reported in the interview that Miguel’s parents were
just in the process of asking what is going on when there is nothing to do
because he has not learned what he needed to learn during the school year.
“This is the typical case in which the parents start showing interest about their
children’s performance around the months of October or November5 when
they are about to fail the school year, I ask myself, every time the parents come
worried running to my door, asking what are assignments they need to turn in
order to pass, where were those parents months ago to show their support their
child needed?”6
73

5
The regular school calendar in Colombia goes from February to November.
6
Este es el tipico caso en el que los papás se empiezan a interesar por sus hijos cuando ven que
ya en octubre o noviembre van a perder el año, yo me pregunto siempre que llegan angustiados
a mi puerta a saber que trabajos debe entregar donde estan sus papas hace meses para brindarle
el apoyo que necesitaba.

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 Factors affecting academic resilience R

Miguel has not performed well on any academic test, and he failed the
academic year. He showed some behavior problems, was absent to different
classes, and did not complete homework. His teachers rated his performance
as “below average” in all subjects.

Based on the results of the five sessions, the dairy and the interviews with
his father, his sister and his teachers, Miguel demonstrates the characteristics
of an individual with a lack of optimism, direction or mission, self-esteem,
determination or perseverance.

In terms of the family environment, his family demonstrated a lack of

a stable and supportive family environment. His family does not appear to
take an active interest and involvement in Miguel’s education including career
planning. His mathematics, arts and music teachers have the same point of
view about Miguel’s family.

As a result of the findings, this case demonstrates a non-academically

resilient student because of the lack of environmental protective factors such
as low family stress, child relationship, parenting skills, child attachment, high
expectations, family support, family guidance and opportunities for meaningful
family involvement.

Conclusions

This case study sought to understand how and which risk factors related
to the family environment affect the academic outcome of six students from
El Triunfo school, and also to explore how and which protective factors
compensate specific risk factors. The findings of this study in general support
the literature reviewed. From the data analyzed from this study, it was possible
to conclude that a powerful predictor of the academic outcome for children is
the quality of the immediate care-giving environment. According to Schoon
(2006), there are two broad sets of variables working as protective factors that
may impede adverse experiences. These factors include characteristics of the
individual and the family environment, also presented in the data analysis and
interpretation. For this reason, in this case study, risk and protective factors are
characteristics of the individual and characteristics of the environment. In the
analysis of information of the six participants, the study can conclude that there
74 are specific family and individual risk factors that affect academic outcomes,
and that protective factors from the family environment that minimize the
effect of different risk factors:
• Caring and support: According to Chung (2008),”Despite the burden of
parental, family discord, or chronic poverty, most children identified as
resilient have had the opportunity to establish a close bond with at least

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one person [not necessarily the mother or father] who provided them
with stable care” (p. 46).
• High expectations: Associated with high expectations are different
family characteristics such as structure, discipline, and clear rules and
regulations. Schoon (2006) argues that families that establish high
expectations for their children’s behavior from a nearly age play a role in
developing resiliency.
• Encouragement of children’s participation: Rutter (1993) argues that
families that create environments characterized by the qualities of caring,
high expectations, and opportunities for participation provide support
and opportunities for their children.
• Parenting strategies: One of the factors most consistently associated
with positive academic outcomes is responsive parenting. According to
Masten and Reed (2002), a wide variety of specific parenting practices
are associated with children’s positive adjustment, including consistent
discipline, responsiveness, structure, and monitoring.
• Parent–child relationship quality: The quality of the parent–child
relationship has been examined in relation to positive child academic
outcomes. Luthar (2003) argues that having a good relationship with a
parent prepares the child to engage in healthy productive relationships
with other people in the social environment.

Grouping the students based on their academic performance the study

determinate the following:

“Average and above” students. Gonzalez and Padilla (as cited in

Waxman, Gray, & Padron, 2003) found that students’ sense of belonging
to school was a predictor of academic resilience. High-achieving students
reported reading more pages per week, doing more homework, and having
higher grades than low-achieving students.

Based on the present study, Mateo is an academically resilient student.

He has similar protective factors including parenting skills (supervision and
discipline), child attachment, role models, high expectations, family support,
family guidance, opportunities for meaningful family involvement and
respectful communication. 75
“Average” students. According to Johnson (2008) local activities
and relationships are also important because potential and reinforce school
structures and processes in which transform resilient students relationships
into better support. Pablo showed some protective factors like family
support, opportunities for meaningful family involvement and respectful

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 Factors affecting academic resilience R

communication, but what made the difference between him and the “average
and above” students was the individual characteristics, Pablo presents a lack of
optimism, perseverance and determination.

“Below average” students. Johnson (1997) proposes that human

relationships are the most critical factor in student resiliency. Miguel is not
resilient a student because he does not succeed academically in school despite
the presence of adversity. In addition, with Miguel, it was difficult to collect all
the information, his parents did not attend the meeting, and he did not present
his diary or attend the weekly sessions. In this specific case, there are more
risk factors than protective factors that affect Miguel’s academic outcome.
Finally, resilience comes from supportive relationships with parents, peers
and others, as well as cultural beliefs and traditions that help people handle
with the inevitable problems in life. Wright and Masten (2005) argues that
“every child capable of developing a resilient “mind-set” will be able to deal
more effectively with stress and pressure, to deal with everyday challenges, to
develop clear and realistic goals to solve problems” (p. 4).

Limitations of the study included a lack of data sources and the limited
time available for in-depth interviews, sessions and dairy register. Further
research includes four next steps: 1) design a tool to collect information from
all families students; 2) define clear support strategies for families who do not
show protective factors; 3) create sessions for parents focused on how to foster
academic resilience; and 4) teacher coaching and training.

76

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(pp 17-25). New York: Springer.

No. 11 (July - December 2015)

 Factors affecting academic resilience

Author

* Luisa Fernanda Rojas Flórez is an industrial designer from Jorge

Tadeo Lozano University and Bilingual Education Specialist from
ÚNICA (Institución Universitaria Colombo Americana). She has
worked as a professor in industrial design program at the Jorge Tadeo
Lozano University. She was also part of the first cohort of Enseñar
por Colombia, teaching English in elementary and high school in a
disadvantaged neighborhood school in Bogotá. She currently work is
at a non-profit organization, Volunteers Colombia, where she is the
pedagogical coordinator.

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No. 11 (July - December 2015)