Predictors of Changes in the Socioeconomic Resilience of Ecuadorian University Students in a SARS-COV-2 Context

Research on the resilience of students makes it possible to evaluate inter- and intrapersonal protection mechanisms and determine their importance; however, these mechanisms depend on sociodemographic and experiential variables that affect the level of resilience. The investigation of the predictor variables of socioeconomic resilience is a very valuable contribution to the literature, allowing the targeting of strategies and public policies aimed at improving this capacity. The present research aims to determine the factors that explain a greater resilience capacity in university students in Ecuador who work and study, in the face of the adverse context generated by SARS-COV-2. To measure resilience, the modified Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) test was applied to students from four universities in Ecuador and two multiple linear regression models were developed, the first with sociodemographic variables and the second with experiential variables, for a sample of 2500 students during the pandemic in 2020. The results show that sociodemographic variables explain 11% of the variation in resilience, and experiential variables 10%. Living with family or friends, access to internet, studying in a quality university, having assets and being infected with SARS-COV-2, are factors that contribute to increase the resilience of students; on the contrary, variables such as dropping out of school or more years of study decrease resilience.