Gender Differences in Predictors of Academic Success: Mental Toughness and Affect Rosey Stock and Amanda Hodder Stock, R., Hunt, F., Fern-Pollak, L., Lynam, S., Cachia, M. & Usher, L.

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.

Rationale Mental toughness can be a positive predictor of success (Crust et al 2014) Males show higher levels of MT than females – or they may be expressing mental toughness in different ways (Nicholls et al 2009) Studies primarily look at sports and sports psychology students

Rationale A review (Valiente et al., 2012) finds that negative emotions are negatively associated with academic achievements Very few studies look at positive emotions Studies primarily look at school children

Method - participants 120 females (18-48) 41 males (18-28) All psychology students, given points for participation. Were asked for permission to access their grades and for their s if they’d be happy to be contacted in future.

Method - materials Mental toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48) a 48 items 4 subscales: 1.Commitment (the level of engagement with a task) 2.Control (emotional and life) 3.Challenge (sees adversity as opportunity for self-development) 4.Confidence (in abilities and interpersonal) 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). (Clough et al., 2002)

36 = confidence (in abilities) 37 = control (of emotions) 38 = confidence (in interpersonal relationships) 39 = commitment 40 = challenge 41 = control (of life)

Method - materials Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) 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. (Watson et al. 1988).

Method - materials ‘success’ defined by mean grade at the end of that academic year Large range of demographics, e.g. Postcode Ethnicity, gender, age Caring/childcare Working hours Funding

Results T-tests showed no gender difference on any subscale of MT, or the PANAS Age showed significant positive correlations with all subscales of the MT except control of emotion. (see Nicholls et al.) Positive correlation between Age and positive affect

Results – mental toughness as a predictor of success Controlling for age: Female students showed a negative correlation between grades and the MTQ48 subscales Control-of-Emotion and Confidence-in-Abilities. The latter could suggest that over confidence may be having a negative effect on academic achievement. Within the male students a positive correlation was found between grades and Commitment.

Implications Commitment at early stage is best predictor of ‘success’ for males Over confidence in females?

Results – affect Female group showed no relationship between the PANAS and academic achievement. However, for the male participants there was a positive correlation between positive affect and grade.

Implications Lack of link between affect and grade for females in conjunction with the correlation with Control-of- Emotion for female students it is not the level of positive or negative emotion that can predict academic success, so much as their control of such emotions (See Crust, e.g. Crust et al. 2009) For males, positive effect and commitment are the predictors of ‘success’

On-going data collection/analysis Demographics, admissions data, longitudinal progression data Qualitative data – focus groups are complete and being transcribed for analysis

Attributes of a Successful Student What is success, how is it measured? Based on Grades achieved? Based on Skills gained? A combination of both?

Attributes of a successful student… Holds a Positive Attitude Is Self Motivated Shows Effective Engagement Has Resilience Is Industrious Shows Self-Belief Is Determined to Succeed Is creative

is … An effective communicator Ambitious Organised Analytical Self-Reliant Prepared to make sacrifices Tech Savvy Manages time well

also… Has realistic expectations Understands their own learning style Is receptive to encouragement Holds themselves accountable Identifies tasks as challenges, not problems Collaborates with others Learns from disappointments Applies what they learn

Supporting factors… Being Happy Feeling Inspired Having Friends Feeling Supported Feeling Connected Good Environment Feeling Secure Being Optimistic

Thank you! Any Questions?