Date Presented

Spring 5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Alisha Marciano

Second Advisor

Mr. Dylan Elliott

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul McClure

Abstract

This study examined the effects of grit and depressive symptoms on academic engagement and self-esteem among undergraduate students. Participants consisted of undergraduate psychology students and were categorized into high and low levels of grit and depression groups based on scores from self-report measures of these variables. Academic motivation, academic satisfaction, and self-esteem were the dependent variables. A two (grit: high vs. low) by two (depression: high vs. low) factorial ANOVA was conducted to examine the significant main effect for depression and grit on self-esteem. Participants with more depressive symptoms reported lower self-esteem, as did participants with higher levels of grit. No significant main effects or interactions were found for academic motivation or academic satisfaction. These findings suggest that while grit and depression are related to self-esteem in college students, the influence on academic motivation and academic satisfaction is more limited than previous research. Overall, the results highlight the importance of addressing mental health and resilience factors when developing interventions to support self-esteem and psychological well-being among college students.

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