Resilience and positive changes for undergraduate students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Little is known about positive changes resulting from COVID-19. To understand the pandemic's impact and how to support resilience during a global health crisis, this study examines resilience and perceptions of positive changes. In this preliminary exploratory study, a convenience sample of college students (N = 365, mean age = 19.5, 64.1% female) completed the Brief Resilience Scale and responded to questions about their experiences in the pandemic, including a free response prompt about positive changes (n = 143 responses) during spring 2021. An ordinal logistic regression examined if resilience scores predicted positive changes, and a qualitative analysis was conducted on the subsequent free responses. The regression, including control variables, revealed that for every one-point increase in resilience score, the odds of endorsing positive changes increased by .36 (p = .037). The qualitative analysis revealed themes of improved relationships/development of new relationships and improved quality of life. Interventions that strengthen resiliency may help translate these research findings into practice.