A mediation analysis of academic resilience amid COVID-19 pandemic worries

Abstract Objective This study examines the impact of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related worries on academic resilience among adolescents, with a focus on the mediating roles of depression, social protective factors, and adverse experiences. Additionally, the study explores how demographic factors, including age, gender, and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) status influenced these relationships. Method Data were collected from 2,584 adolescents who completed a survey assessing pandemic worries, academic resilience, depressive symptoms, social protective factors, and adverse experiences. Mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes' PROCESS Model 6, while path analysis was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in JASP with 5,000 bootstrap samples. Results Findings revealed a significant negative direct effect of pandemic worries on academic resilience (\(\:\beta\:\) = -0.0568, p \(\: