Evers, Trish (2010) The relationship between attachment style, learning style and resilience. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Student retention has become a focus of Australian universities as a result of the Bradley Review, which identified student withdrawal as a growing problem (Review of Australian Higher Education, 2008). Some factors contributing to student withdrawal are program or institution related, such as dissatisfaction with chosen course (Yorke, 2000). However, poor academic performance is a strong contributing factor to student withdrawal from university (Ashby, 2004; Krause, Hartley, James, & Mclnnis, 2005). Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate theoretical constructs related to academic performance that contribute to student withdrawal, including attachment, learning styles and resilience. It was hypothesised that there would be a relationship between attachment styles and learning styles, and that resilience would mediate that relationship.
Attachment styles were measured using the Experiences in Close RelationshipsRevised questionnaire (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998), which measures attachment on the dimensions of avoidance and anxiety. Learning styles were measured using the GrashaReichman Student Learning Style Scale (Grasha, 1996), which measures learning styles on the basis of social interaction between students and their peers and instructors. Resilience was measured using the Resilience Scale (Wagnild & Collins, 2009), which measures adult resilience on the basis of personal competence and acceptance of self and life (Wagnild, 2009). These measures were administered electronically by means of an online survey which was made available by email to a convenience sample of students.
Three hundred eighty nine students from the Business and Economics faculty and Health Sciences faculty at Monash University participated in this study, consisting of 111 males and 279 females, with ages ranging from 18 to 52 years. Post hoc analysis indicated that a sample size of 389 provided a large overall effect size, f 2 = .55 (Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, & Buchner, 2009).
Correlational analysis found a significant relationship at p < .001 between avoidant attachment and avoidant learning style, and between anxious attachment and both dependent and competitive learning styles. Mediational analysis was undertaken to determine the effect of resilience on the relationship between attachment style and learning style, with no mediating effect being found.
Correlational analysis between learning styles and resilience showed a significant relationship between resilience and learning styles identified as adaptive (independent, collaborative and participant) (Grasha, 1996). This finding highlights the role of resilience in the development of adaptive behaviours, and has an important implication for universities to develop resilience education programs as part of their strategy to increase retention.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Littler, Sue |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Psychology) |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Jan 2026 07:04 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Jan 2026 07:04 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52309 |
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