The Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship between Stress and Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students

Presentation Type

Poster

Keywords

self-compassion, stress, academic achievement

Department

Psychology

Major

Psychology

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between academic achievement and perceived levels of stress to self-compassion among undergraduate students at Pepperdine University. It was hypothesized that official GPA would be positively associated with levels of self-compassion and negatively associated with levels of perceived stress. There were a total of 58 participants, ranging from second-year to fifth-year class status. Participants were asked to complete a survey composed of the Self-Compassion Scale, State Self-Compassion Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and several demographic questions. Contrary to our hypotheses, a negative correlation was observed between GPA and self-compassion (r = -.37, p = .002), along with a positive correlation between GPA and perceived stress (r = .34, p= .004). It was hypothesized that self-compassion mediates the relationship between perceived stress and academic achievement, this hypothesis was not significantly supported through findings. Exploratory analyses suggested that high GPA is associated with being a woman. With gender and SCS as predictors of GPA, SCS was determined to be negatively associated with GPA. Results from this study contributed to the current literature researching the linkage between these examined variables. Considering the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this study provided valuable information concerning this relationship for undergraduate students.

Faculty Mentor

Steve Rouse, Janet Trammell

Location

Waves Cafeteria

Start Date

25-3-2022 2:00 PM

End Date

25-3-2022 3:00 PM

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Mar 25th, 2:00 PM Mar 25th, 3:00 PM

The Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship between Stress and Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students

Waves Cafeteria

This study examined the relationship between academic achievement and perceived levels of stress to self-compassion among undergraduate students at Pepperdine University. It was hypothesized that official GPA would be positively associated with levels of self-compassion and negatively associated with levels of perceived stress. There were a total of 58 participants, ranging from second-year to fifth-year class status. Participants were asked to complete a survey composed of the Self-Compassion Scale, State Self-Compassion Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and several demographic questions. Contrary to our hypotheses, a negative correlation was observed between GPA and self-compassion (r = -.37, p = .002), along with a positive correlation between GPA and perceived stress (r = .34, p= .004). It was hypothesized that self-compassion mediates the relationship between perceived stress and academic achievement, this hypothesis was not significantly supported through findings. Exploratory analyses suggested that high GPA is associated with being a woman. With gender and SCS as predictors of GPA, SCS was determined to be negatively associated with GPA. Results from this study contributed to the current literature researching the linkage between these examined variables. Considering the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this study provided valuable information concerning this relationship for undergraduate students.