Psychological Resilience Among Economically Disadvantaged Students: A Case Study of Recipients of the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) Scholarships

Psychological Resilience Among Economically Disadvantaged Students: A Case Study of Equitable Education Fund (EEF) Recipients Students from low-income families are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health problems. A key protective factor is psychological resilience. This qualitative case study aims to explore the life challenges and the characteristics of resilience among students receiving scholarships from Thailand’s Equitable Education Fund (EEF). The study was conducted at a secondary school in Pathum Thani province. Key informants included four lower-secondary students who were EEF scholarship recipients, as well as one parent and one teacher per student, totaling 12 participants. Purposeful sampling based on predefined criteria was used. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using semi-structured, open-ended questions. Content analysis and inductive reasoning were employed to analyze the data and address the research objectives. The findings are categorized into three main themes. The first theme—Life Hardships—comprises two sub-themes:
The first main theme, Life Hardships, consists of two sub-themes: First, Family-related difficulties and second, Challenges in the academic and personal contexts. The second main theme, Support and Resources, includes two sub-themes: External supports – subdivided into emotional support, approval/affirmation support, informational support, and material/financial support Internal supports – comprising personal traits and coping skills. The third main theme, Changes After Adversity, consists of three sub-themes: first, Cognitive changes, Emotional changes, Behavioral changes. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for designing resilience-building programs for students from low-income families. Such programs should engage both teachers and parents in the process.