Meg Kapil

Topic

Doing well and Feeling Well: Investigating the Contributions of Stress Appraisals and Regulatory Practices on Student Success Outcomes

Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies

Date & location

• Friday, April 5, 2024

• 9:30 A.M.

• Clearihue Building, Room B007

• And Virtual

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Allyson Hadwin, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

• Dr. Gina Harrison, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, UVic (Member)

• Dr. Catherine Costigan, Department of Psychology, UVic (Outside Member) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Virginia Tze, Department of Educational Administration, University of Manitoba 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Magdalena Bazalova, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UVic

   

Abstract

Student success is facilitated by effectively navigating academic demands and the inevitable stress that is experienced in the academic context. Appraisals about stress impact coping, however they have been underexamined in academic settings. Stress Optimization and Self Regulated Learning (SRL) theory inform the understanding of stress responses and learning processes respectively. Despite the importance for student success of managing both stress and academic demands, there is a paucity of research examining their combined contributions. This two study dissertation examined: (a) the predictive capacity of two stress appraisals, coping self efficacy (CSE) and stress mindset (SM), on student success outcomes which were comprised of student academic experiences (e.g., academic wellbeing, motivation challenges, social emotional challenges) and performance (GPA) and (b) the mediating role of regulatory practices (e.g., metacognitive monitoring and adapting, academic social engagement) on the relationship between stress appraisals and student success. First, a case is made for an integrated theoretical framework that incorporates stress optimization and SRL. Second, a literature review delineates research expectations. Third, paper one utilizes regression to examine CSE and SM as predictors of student success outcomes. Fourth, paper two utilizes structural equation modeling to examine associations between stress appraisals, regulatory practices, and student success outcomes. Findings show: (a) CSE and SM predicted student success outcomes directly, (b) CSE was a stronger predictor of student success than stress mindset, and (c) regulatory practices can promote student success beyond what is provided by stress appraisals alone. This research is important for understanding adaptive responses to stress in academic contexts.

Keywords: academic wellbeing, academic challenges, coping self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, stress appraisal, stress optimization, stress mindset, student success.