Predicting Undergraduate Student Outcomes - Competing or Complementary Roles of Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, Self-Efficacy, and Mindsets

Oct 15, 2026

The study examines how self-esteem, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and mindsets uniquely contribute to university students’ academic and psychological outcomes despite substantial overlap among these constructs. A sample of 214 undergraduate students completed an online survey measuring the predictors and outcomes including self-control, mental health, and course and term grades. Correlations confirmed predictor overlap. Multiple regression results showed self-esteem and self-compassion uniquely predicted depression and anxiety beyond self-efficacy and growth mindsets; self-efficacy and growth mindsets predicted self-control, and only self-efficacy predicted course grades.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Résumé

Introduction

Predictors

Predicting undergraduate student outcomes: Competing or complementary roles of self-esteem, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and mindsets? Louise Wasylkiw Mount Allison University Sophie Hanson Mount Allison University Laurence MacRae Lynch Mount Allison University Elise Vaillancourt Mount Allison University Chelsea Wilson Mount Allison University Abstract Several individual differences have been shown to predict academic and psychological outcomes among university students, however, it is not always clear which are most impactful, in part because many of the constructs overlap. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the unique contributions of self-esteem, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and mindsets when predicting outcomes among university students. Undergraduate students (N = 214) completed an online survey including measures of the predictors as well as the outcomes of self-control, mental health, and both course and term grades. Correlations confirmed the overlap among the predictors highlighting the importance of examining the unique contributions of each. Results of multiple regression analyses showed that self-esteem and self-compassion explained unique variance in depression and anxiety over and above self-efficacy and growth mindsets. In contrast, self-efficacy and growth mindsets each significantly predicted self-control when controlling for self-esteem and self-compassion. Only self-efficacy predicted course grades. Given our results, we suggest that self-compassion and one’s beliefs about their abilities are complementary strengths for students attending university and should be considered when designing interventions to improve outcomes. Keywords: self-esteem, self-compassion, self-efficacy, mindsets, self-control, mental health, grades Résumé Il a été démontré que plusieurs différences individuelles prédisaient les résultats académiques et psychologiques des étudiants universitaires. Cependant, il n’est pas toujours facile de savoir quelles sont les différences qui ont le plus d’impact, en partie parce que de nombreux construits psychologiques se chevauchent. Ainsi, le but de cette étude était d’examiner les contributions uniques de l’estime de soi, de l’autocompassion, de l’auto-efficacité et de l’état d’esprit lors de la prédiction des résultats chez les étudiants universitaires. Des étudiants de premier cycle (N = 214) ont rempli un sondage en ligne comprenant des mesures des prédicteurs ainsi que des résultats concernant le contrôle de soi, la santé mentale et les notes obtenues aux cours et pour le trimestre. Des corrélations ont confirmé le chevauchement entre les prédicteurs, soulignant ainsi l’importance d’examiner les contributions uniques de chaque prédicteur. Les résultats des analyses de régression multiple ont indiqué que l’estime de soi et l’autocompassion expliquaient la variance unique de la dépression et de l’anxiété au-delà de l’état d’esprit quant à l’auto-efficacité et au développement. En revanche, les variables de l’état d’esprit quant à l’auto-efficacité et au développement ont chacune prédit significativement le contrôle de soi en contrôlant pour l’estime de soiet l’autocompassion. Il n’y a que l’auto-efficacité qui a prédit les notes aux cours. Étant donné nos résultats, nous suggérons que, pour les étudiants universitaires, l’autocompassion et les croyances de l’individu quant à ses habiletés sont des forces complémentaires qui doivent être considérées dans la conception d’interventions bénéfiques. Mots-clés : estime de soi, autocompassion, auto-efficacité, états d’esprit, contrôle de soi, santé mentale, notes Canadian Journal of Higher Education | Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur 50:2 (2020) Introduction Researchers and clinicians alike increasingly focus on individual strengths that may help people face the challenges they experience in everyday life. For young adults attending university, this is an important direction because of the

FAQs

What was the purpose of this study?

To examine the unique contributions of self-esteem, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and mindsets in predicting outcomes among university students.

Which predictors were uniquely linked to depression and anxiety?

Self-esteem and self-compassion explained unique variance in depression and anxiety beyond self-efficacy and growth mindsets.

Which predictor related to course grades?

Only self-efficacy predicted course grades.

Oct 15, 2026

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