Abstract
This study determined the levels of adversity quotient®, grit, self-efficacy, and mathematics performance among pre-service teachers and examined the relationships among these variables. Employing a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, the study involved 317 first- and second-year pre-service teachers selected through stratified random sampling from the four campuses of a state university in Laguna during the second semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were gathered using the Adversity Quotient Profile (AQP®), the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), the Self-Efficacy Formative Questionnaire, and official institutional grades in Mathematics in the Modern World (MMW), and were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Spearman rank-order correlation.
Results revealed that the respondents demonstrated a Very Satisfactory level of mathematics performance (M = 90.86, SD = 3.76) and Very High levels of both grit (M = 4.09) and self-efficacy (M = 4.22). In contrast, their overall adversity Quotient® was Below Average (M = 119.77), with Ownership and Reach emerging as the weakest CORE dimensions. Correlational analysis showed significant positive relationships among adversity Quotient®, grit, self-efficacy, and mathematics performance (p < .001), with the sole exception of Reach, which was not significantly related to performance. The findings affirm that non-cognitive psychological resources are meaningfully associated with mathematics achievement and highlight the need for teacher education institutions to integrate resilience-building interventions, particularly targeting Ownership and Reach, while sustaining students' high grit and self-efficacy through mastery-oriented and growth-mindset-anchored instruction.
Keywords: adversity quotient, grit, self-efficacy, mathematics performance, pre-service teachers, Mathematics in the Modern World
DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21274217
