Factors That Play a Role in the Academic Resilience of Academicians

Abstract

In academic life, it is possible for all students to experience different obstacles, hardships and setbacks. While some students fail to negotiate their way through these difficulties, many are successful. In this context, the purpose of this study is to reveal the factors that play a role in the academic resilience of academicians. In this context, a qualitative study was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 11 academicians from the Educational Sciences Faculty of Ankara University, Turkey. Eligibility criteria required academicians to have had a risk factor in their life. The academicians were also selected on the basis of their title and years of experience to sustain variety. In order to conduct interviews, an interview guide was prepared by the researchers. The questions in the interview guide for this study were linked to risk factors, and internal and external protective factors. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze collected data. According to the findings, mainly risk factors which academically resilient academicians had experienced were poverty, and negative environmental conditions. On the other hand, this study revealed that internal factors such as self-esteem, decisiveness, curiosity and external factors such as family support, qualified teachers, and peer relations helped them to overcome their risk factors.