Resilience and academic attribution in Mexican female university students: a structural equation model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v85.119726Keywords:
Structural equation modeling, attributional styles , psychometrics, resilience, female university studentsAbstract
Introduction: Resilience and attributional styles are two constructs of considerable importance for understanding the academic functioning of university students; however, the structural relationships between these constructs remain insufficiently documented in Latin American higher education populations.
Objective: This study had two objectives: to examine the psychometric properties of the instruments used to measure both constructs and to evaluate a structural equation model specifying the predictive relationships between resilience factors and attributional styles in the domain of academic achievement.
Methodology: The sample consisted of 505 female undergraduate students (M = 20.3 years; SD = 1.7) enrolled in physical culture programs. Participants completed the abbreviated version of the Mexican Resilience Scale and the Attributional Styles Questionnaire in the Academic Achievement Domain. The psychometric properties of both instruments were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. The theoretical model was tested through path analysis.
Results: The refined measurement models demonstrated satisfactory fit indices. The final structural model showed excellent fit indices (CFI=.97; RMSEA=.04; χ²/df =1.98), explaining 65% of the variance in ability attribution. Strength and self-confidence emerged as the strongest predictor (β = .77), surpassing social competence in predictive power.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the value of resilience as a psychological foundation for internal attributional patterns in Latin American university contexts and provide evidence to support the design of interventions aimed at promoting adaptive attributions among higher education students.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Michelle Anahí Canales-Acosta, Edgar Borunda-Zueck, José René Blanco Ornelas, Susana Ivonne Aguirre Vásquez, Perla Jannet Jurado-García
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