Effects of Resilience and Wellness Behaviors on Burnout and Academic Performance Among First-Year Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective. To determine if students’ levels of resilience and self-reported wellness behaviors predict burnout and grade point average (GPA) at the end of the first fall semester of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods. We measured first-year students’ resilience, burnout (exhaustion and disengagement), and self-reported wellness behaviors (sleep, nutrition, social time, and self-care activities) at the beginning and end of the fall 2020 semester of pharmacy school. We also collected students’ demographic information and obtained end-of-semester GPA from their academic records. Using multivariable regression, we assessed whether students’ resilience and wellness behaviors predicted burnout and GPA at the end of the semester. We also assessed for changes in burnout and wellness behaviors over time.

Results. Resilience was positively associated with older age and was lower among students of color. Exhaustion and disengagement were high at baseline and continued to worsen over time. Students’ self-reported wellness behaviors also decreased over time, except for ratings of sleep adequacy. Resilience predicted lower levels of disengagement at the end of the semester, but its relationship with exhaustion was inconsistent. The only wellness behaviors associated with lower burnout were nutrition and sleep adequacy. Students’ end-of-semester GPA was also related to nutrition and sleep adequacy but not resilience or burnout.

Conclusion. Resilience offered some protection from burnout, but its relationship to immutable factors suggests that individual-focused interventions to improve student well-being (eg, wellness behaviors such as mindfulness meditation) should be complemented by organizational support, especially for younger students and students of color.