A Review of Literature on At-Risk Adolescent Students in Malaysia: Needing an Academic Resilience Model

School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

Email: Shah@usm.my

Abstract

This review article synthesises evidence for a growing concern over delinquency and crimes, such as alcohol, drug, and sexual abuse, among adolescent students in Malaysia. Some of the students can be academically successful despite risk factors that prevent the majority of others with the same background from succeeding. This exceptional academic achievement raises the question of what and how resilience assets enable some students to perform the same task better than others who have the same background. How Malaysian adolescent students develop academic resilience against risk factors is unclear. The review argues that this issue should be brought to light, so that an academic resilience model is developed for non-resilient students. Such a model would allow teachers to establish a caregiving relationship with their non-resilient students, help them counteract risk factors, and, thus, make a positive difference in their lives.