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Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0221-2528

Date Available

4-21-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Educational Leadership Studies

Faculty

Beth Rous

Faculty

John Nash

Abstract

This dissertation investigated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), psychological resilience, and academic resilience among graduate students. Grounded in resilience theory and interpreted through a trauma-informed, strengths-based lens, the study examined whether psychological resilience functions as a buffering moderator or as a direct protective factor among graduate students.

Using a quantitative design, data were collected via Qualtrics from graduate students (n = 391). This study used three previously validated instruments, including the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-10), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25), and the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-6), along with demographic measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test whether psychological resilience was significantly associated with academic resilience beyond ACE exposure and demographic variables, and to assess potential moderation.

Results from the hierarchical regression model revealed that psychological resilience was positively associated with academic resilience (β = .526, p < .001), explaining a substantial portion of variance in academic resilience scores (R² = .354). ACE exposure was not statistically significant (β = -.016, p = .732), and the interaction between ACE exposure and psychological resilience was not significant (β = .044, p = .321; R² = .355). The results indicated that psychological resilience operated as a direct, additive protective factor rather than as a buffering moderator.

Despite the well-documented risks associated with early adversity and robust literature indicating a trauma-to-deficit trajectory, the findings of this study suggest that persistence into graduate education may reflect the cumulative influence of adaptive

capacities that function independently of ACE exposure. The study supports the growing empirical literature on resilience in higher education and challenges historical deficit-based models. The paradigm shift associated with the findings offers practical implications for trauma-informed leadership and a universal strengths-based educational practice. By identifying psychological resilience as a predictor of academic resilience among graduate students, the research underscores

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.44

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