Date

11-13-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Treg Hopkins

Keywords

Resilience, law enforcement, ARS 30

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

This study examined the impact of education level on resilience among law enforcement recruits in a 28-week training program in Central Florida. Resilience is essential for recruits to manage the stresses of training, and understanding its relationship to education can improve recruitment and training practices. A total of 210 recruits participated, with data collected using the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS). Surveys were distributed through encrypted emails to ensure confidentiality and accuracy. Descriptive statistics summarized demographics and resilience scores, while the Shapiro-Wilk test and Levene’s test confirmed normality and homogeneity of variances. With assumptions met, a one-way ANOVA compared resilience scores across education groups (high school/GED, some college/associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and graduate degree). The ANOVA results showed no significant differences, F(3, 31) = 2.05, p = .13, indicating that education level did not predict resilience. The results carry implications for law enforcement agencies and academies. While education may influence other areas of preparation, this study suggests resilience training should be emphasized for all recruits equally. Embedding peer support, stress management, and coping strategies into academy programs may help strengthen recruits’ ability to succeed during and after training.

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