From academic potential to entrepreneurship success: Psychological resilience as mediator between entrepreneurial aptitudes and entrepreneurial intentions

The present study investigates the role of three entrepreneurial aptitudes — leadership, problem-solving, and self-capability— in influencing entrepreneurial intentions. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, entrepreneurial aptitudes are conceptualized as individual resources within the academic context. A sample of 362 Italian university students completed a questionnaire through an online survey. A multivariate hierarchical regression shows a positive effect of entrepreneurial aptitudes (i.e. namely, leadership and problem-solving) on entrepreneurial intentions. Additionally, leadership, problem-solving, and self-capability positively affect psychological resilience. Psychological resilience mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial aptitudes (i.e. namely, leadership and self-capability) and entrepreneurial intentions, specifically among third-year students. The originality of the present study lies in being one of the earliest to explore the dynamic relationship between individuals’ resources and entrepreneurial intentions. Interestingly, the third year of university is a crucial academic stage for strengthening both psychological resilience and entrepreneurial aptitudes.