Exploring Noncognitive Factors in Nursing Education: Grit and Resilience as Predictors of Academic Achievement and Intention to Withdraw

Abstract

The need for more nurses is increasing globally due to the ongoing shortage of the current nursing workforce and the growing demand for healthcare services, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where the healthcare system has historically relied on expatriate nurses. Nursing programs face persistent challenges with high attrition rates, and in Saudi Arabia, estimates suggest that between one third and one half of nursing students do not complete their programs. Recent research has highlighted the potential role of noncognitive traits such as grit and resilience in shaping students’ academic success and persistence. The purposes of this study were to assess the levels of grit and resilience among Saudi nursing students and to examine the extent to which these traits predict academic achievement and intention to withdraw. In addition, the study included an exploration of students’ reasons for their intention to withdraw. A descriptive correlational design was used with convenience sampling from three public nursing schools in the middle region of Saudi Arabia. Students completed an online survey that included the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), a self-report of the latest cumulative GPA, and a single-item measure of intention to withdraw. Tinto’s (1975) model of student departure served as the theoretical framework. A total of 151 Saudi nursing students reported moderate levels of grit and resilience. Neither grit nor resilience significantly predicted academic achievement, while grit emerged as a significant inverse predictor of intention to withdraw. Resilience was not a significant predictor of either outcome. In adjusted models, high school GPA and gender were significantly associated with academic achievement, whereas grit continued to predict lower intention to withdraw. Only one student confirmed an actual plan to withdraw, citing stress as the reason. These findings suggest that grit may contribute more to persistence than to academic performance among Saudi nursing students. Considering noncognitive factors alongside academic indicators may support more holistic approaches to student admissions, advising, curriculum design, and student support. Future research should employ longitudinal and mixed-method approaches, use institutionally verified GPA, and develop validated multi-item tools for withdrawal intention. The results have important implications for nursing education, research, and practice. In education, screening for noncognitive traits and embedding skill-building activities into curricula may help strengthen students’ perseverance during high-risk transitions. In research, the findings support integrating noncognitive traits into Tinto’s individual attributes component and support the cross-cultural use of grit and resilience measures. In practice, fostering these traits during pre-licensure education and reinforcing them through structured transition to practice programs may promote retention and contribute to a more resilient nursing workforce.