The Academic Resilience of Mexican American High School Students

This study sought to identify factors that contribute to the academic resilience and achievement among Mexican American high school students. High-and low-achieving students were selectedfrom a database that included 2,169 Mexican American students in three California high schools. Resilient students (N = 133) reported receiving mostly A grades in high school, whereas nonresilient students (N = 81) reported mostly grades of D or below. Variables were formedfrom items on a questionnaire that all students had previously completed. Items selectedfor analysis included role offamily, teachers, and peers toward school; the school environment and belonging; and the importance of culture andfamily. Regression analysis on student grade point average (GPA) revealed that a sense of belonging to school was the only significant predictor of academic resilience. An ANOVA revealed that teacherfeedback was greater among resilient males in comparison to nonresilient males.