The Interplay of Academic Resilience and Birth Order in Predicting Academic Success in Pre-Service Teachers

Academic resilience is a significant predictor of student performance, yet conditions under which its effects vary remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study examined academic resilience and tested birth order as a moderator of the resilience–achievement relationship among 140 pre-service teachers in Manipur, India. Using the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30; Cassidy, 2016), three dimensions were assessed: Perseverance, Reflective and Adaptive Help-Seeking, and Negative Affect and Emotional Regulation. Results indicated predominantly moderate resilience levels (67.9%). Welch’s one-way ANOVA revealed significant between-group differences by birth order, F(2, 90.9) = 3.23, p = .044, with middle-born teachers showing comparatively lower resilience. Moderation analysis confirmed academic resilience as a significant positive predictor of achievement (B = 0.209, p = .004); however, the birth order × resilience interaction was non-significant (p = .838), indicating universally distributed resilience benefits. Findings affirm resilience’s universal predictive value and suggest targeted support for middle-born pre-service teachers.