Investigating Factors Affecting International Students’ Academic Performance in Higher Education in the United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v15i4.5350Keywords:
academic performance, character strengths, international students, learning strategies, perseverance, positive psychology, self-regulationAbstract
Although international students represent around 5% of the higher education population in the United States, research on psychological factors that result in this segment’s academic success remains limited. This study sought to help fill this knowledge gap by exploring success factors that affect international students’ academic progress. Specifically, we examined psychological characteristics and learning strategies influencing these students’ achievement. Quantitative data were collected from 85 international students in the United States. Using a survey grounded in positive psychology and learning theories, we studied correlations between their character strengths, learning strategies, and academic performance. A linear regression model was used to determine the predictability of these students’ academic performance. Character strength variables correlated with academic performance and learning strategies. In addition, learning strategies correlated positively with academic performance. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both character strengths and learning strategies predicted academic performance whereas demographics did not.
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