Undergraduate student temperament and academic achievement: Cross-sectional evidence of stability and change pre- to post-COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The normative development of temperament may be modified by stressful life events. However, researchers have not yet examined variability in undergraduate student temperament in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic or in association with aspects of individual functioning, such as academic success. The present online questionnaire study was conducted with 964 undergraduate students to (1) cross-sectionally examine stability and change in undergraduate student temperament and academic achievement pre- (n = 207), mid- (n = 308), and post-COVID-19 pandemic (n = 449), and (2) examine associations among temperament and academic achievement over the same time periods. The results revealed evidence of stability and change in temperament factor scores pre- to mid- to post-pandemic, with cross-sectional changes by sample documented for extraversion and negative affect but not for effortful control or orienting sensitivity. Findings also indicated that undergraduate student grade point average (GPA) remained elevated after the COVID-19 pandemic relative to pre- and mid-pandemic values. In addition, distinct yet overlapping combinations of temperament factor scores predicted academic achievement pre-, mid-, and post-pandemic. These findings, along with results indicating that undergraduate student GPAs have yet to return to their pre-pandemic baseline, highlight the importance of accounting for contextual factors surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic when considering variability among time, temperament, and undergraduate student academic achievement.