Intrapersonal Strengths and Interpersonal Support: Predicting Academic Buoyancy Through Psychological Capital and Growth Mindset

Gui Xiao^*Huifang Liu

• Hunan Polytechnic of Environment and Biology, Hengyang, China

This mixed-methods study, situated within the framework of personality and social psychology, examines the interplay of psychological capital, social support, and growth mindset in predicting academic buoyancy among 516 undergraduate English majors across three universities in mainland China. In the quantitative phase, established instruments were utilized to assess direct and mediated relationships, analyzed via structural equation modeling. The analysis revealed that psychological capital and social support significantly and directly predict academic buoyancy (β = .413 and β = .341, respectively, p < .001). Furthermore, growth mindset was identified as a significant mediating variable in these associations (indirect effects: β = .098 and β = .126, p < .001). The proposed model accounted for 51% of the variance in academic buoyancy, highlighting the crucial role of both individual psychological strengths and social resources in fostering academic buoyancy. The qualitative phase, involving semi-structured interviews with 18 students, offered richer insights into these dynamics. Thematic analysis identified four core themes: navigating academic challenges, leveraging a growth mindset, the protective influence of social support, and the development of psychological capital. Student narratives provided vivid accounts of overcoming academic obstacles, illustrating the mechanisms by which psychological capital and social support enhance adaptive beliefs and academic buoyancy. The findings underscore the importance of interventions designed to strengthen psychological capital, cultivate growth mindsets, and enhance social support networks within educational contexts.