1. Developing Academic GRIT in Students
Self-Discipline
Competence Motivation
Academic Engagement
Academic Coaching

2. Goals & Objectives Relate previous training to current training.
Identify concepts of GRIT, Conscientiousness, and Self-Regulation.
Explore proactive interventions for struggling students based on theoretical frameworks.
Examine academic coaching questions designed to motivate.
Discuss an evaluative procedure for advising
Identify specific advisor needs.
Identify methods for collaboration.

3. What is GRIT? Resilience + Focused Commitment
Perseverance and passion for long term goals
Resilience in the face of perceived failure
Deep commitment and focus
Optimism in the face of adversity
Positive adaptation

4. What Does GRIT Look Like?
Tenacity
Focused passion over long periods of time despite setbacks, failure, adversity, and plateau’s.
Tendency not to abandon tasks when they become difficult
Will-Fullness

5. Developing Academic GRIT
GRIT: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007)
What promotes GRIT? What can we influence?
Intellectual Capacity
Emotional Intelligence
Self-Confidence
Emotional Stability
Creativity
Vigor

6. GRIT and Talent/Ability
IQ as a predictor of academic success rises with the complexity of the task (Neisser, 1996).
IQ is the best documented predictor of academic success.
But, IQ does not ensure success. Why not?
Higher educated adults are higher in GRIT than their less educated peers.
Older adults tend to have more GRIT.
What is the best predictor of student success?

7. Perseverance & Follow-Through
Self-Confidence
Integration Towards Goals
Deliberate Practice
(Termann & Oden, 1947)
How can we best support/encourage these traits?
Can we encourage these traits? Can we teach them?

8. Perseverance malleable (Roberts & DelVecchio, 2000)
The way in which we think, act, and feel is
malleable (Roberts & DelVecchio, 2000)
The More often students are invited to seek
help and support, the more likely they are to
persevere.
The more connected students feel to their
institution the more likely they are to persevere.
Can we measure GRIT early in a students career?

9. GRIT Scale Consistency of Interests
I often set a goal but later choose to pursue a different one.
New ideas and new projects sometimes distract me.
I become interested in new pursuits every few months.
My interests change from year to year.
I have been obsessed with certain ideas or projects for a short time but later lose interest.
I have difficulty maintaining my focus on projects that take more than a few months to complete.

10. GRIT Scale
Perseverance of Effort
I have achieved a goal that took years of work
I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge.
I finish whatever I begin
Setbacks don’t discourage me.
I am a hard worker.
I am diligent.
Follow-through was found to be a better predictor of future academic accomplishment than board scores or grades

11. Conscientiousness Significant predictor of academic success
(Noftle & Robbins, 2007)
Self-Control & Perseverance (McCann,
Duckworth, & Roberts, 2009)
Preparation, self-control, industriousness,
responsibility, and persistence.

12. Differences in GRIT, Conscientiousness and Self-Regulation
GRIT is a personality trait (can be influenced)
Conscientiousness is a personality trait (that can be influenced)
Self-Regulation is an ability
Ability to evaluate emotion regulation strategies and to influence affective experience in order to promote goal attainment (Ivcevic & Bracket, 2014.

13. Emotion Regulation Ability
People’s capacity to reason about and identify effective strategies for influencing emotions
(Ivcevic & Bracket, 2014). ERA is emotional intelligence.
Distress (Test anxiety)
Higher stress tolerance (frustration w/ material)
Interpersonal challenges

14. ERA Strategies Deep breathing Exercise/Stretching
Cognitive Re-Framing (Growth Mindset)
Mindfulness
Meditation (Observer)
Visualization (Mastery experiences)
Nature/Spirituality
Sleep
Nutrition
Social Connection
Laughter/Taking ourselves less seriously
Therapy/Coaching/Counseling

15. ERA- Mental Contrasting
Mental contrasting of fantasies about a desired future with reflections about potential obstacles manifests goal commitment (Oettingen, 2000).
VS.
Indulging fantasies without considering obstacles (prohibitive).
Dwelling on negative aspects of present reality (prohibitive).

16. ERA- Mental Contrasting
Mental contrasting energizes action and strengthens goal commitment (Oettinger, et al., 2009)
Getting Started- Implementation Intentions
enable more reliable goal actions
Staying on Track- Implementation Intentions
protect goal striving from getting derailed.

17. Adaptive Self-Regulation Strategies
Combining both getting started and staying on track:
1. What do I want?
2. Why do I want it?
Identify three potential obstacles and devise a plan
to meet the challenge
3. What is the most critical obstacle?
4. What strategy will I implement to manage this?
(Stadler, 2010)

18. Motivation
Achievement Motivation Persistence & Competing Conscientiousness & Extraversion Mastery oriented goals lead to love of learning, difficulties perceived as challenges, and persistence. (Curry, Elliott & Moeller, 2006) Avoidance Motivation Anxiety, withdrawal, and school avoidance Performance goals lead to evaluation apprehension, seeing obstacles as threats, and to giving up. (Baron, Tauer, & Elliott, 2002)

19. Self-Theories Re-Visited
Fixed Mindset- Learned
I can or I cannot….I am smart or dumb…I am
talented or not talented….Success is best measured
in a straight line…I compare myself to others.
Growth Mindset- Learned
I love challenges…Obstacles are
opportunities to grow…I will get better
today…Success is certainly measured by a
crooked, winding line…Challenge/skill dynamic

20. Coaching Questions
What is it that would make you feel so good about your academics?
What is the most important obstacle that stands in your way?
What would happen if you made an “if-then” plan that links an obstacle to eliminating a bad habit to a response that that helps you overcome this obstacle?

21. Coaching Questions
In what ways have you implemented this strategy in other aspects of your life?
Athletics, exercise adherence, healthy eating, social
How can you apply these mastery experiences specifically to your academics?

22. Coaching Questions
What do you feel is your biggest incentive for acting?
What action steps are you now willing to take?
What feelings are you having right now about the decision to make changes?
How will you know that you have made progress?
What actions will you take before the next time we meet?
How can I best help you right now?

23. Strategies for Reducing Student Attrition
Systemic Issues
Remediation courses
Tutoring
Patience (most doctoral students not fully prepared)
Faculty/Advisors
Degree completion
To what degree is this intellectually/ethically responsible? (Early attrition is better than late attrition)

24. Impact for Student Advising
Student Embarrassment (Golde, 2005)
Decreased confidence
Few doctoral level students enter graduate school with requisite cognitive skills required for success (Baxter & Magdola, 1998)
Time commitment
Student motivation
Should departments help students remedy gaps in their knowledge to reduce attrition? If so, what are those strategies? What are the ethical considerations?

25. Advising Challenges Emotional Impact Ethical Considerations Time
Resources
Collaboration (AAESS, peer mentors, admissions, students)
Other?

26. Advisor Input System of Evaluation Delivery Reporting Strategy
Communication Improvements
Portal
AAESS
Advisee’s
Transition to Clinics
How are students best served?

27. Thank You!

28. Theoretical Categorization of Reasons for Doctoral Attrition
Mismatch with department (DCP)
Curricular challenges
Graduation requirements
Mismatch with discipline (Chiropractic)
Does not fit with scholarly practices
Isolation with department
Marginalized within the community
Isolation with discipline
Marginalized from the discipline