ACADEMIC RESILIENCE, COGNITIVE ABILITY AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

The academic journey of students is shaped not only by intellectual abilities but also by emotional and adaptive resources that enable them to thrive in challenging contexts. The present study examines academic resilience, cognitive ability and emotional competence among secondary school students across gender and residential background. With growing academic pressures and psychological challenges, understanding how these three factors contribute to students' development which is crucial for effective teaching and learning. Stratified random sampling was used for selecting the sample. The sample for the present study consists of 1600 secondary school students 800 rural secondary school students (400 male, 400 female) and 800 urban secondary school students (400 male and 400 female). Employing a descriptive comparative research design, data were collected from representative sample students using standardized psychological scales. The study focuses on comparing groups based on selected demographic variables such as gender and residence. The findings indicated no significant differences in academic resilience with respect to gender and rural and urban background, whereas cognitive ability and emotional competence exhibited significant differences across both gender and rural and urban groups among secondary school students.