Self-Efficacy Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The purpose of this study was to examine the Mediation effect of goal commitment on the relationship between self-efficacy and sales performance. The study adapted explanatory research design targeting 448 insurance Sales Agents in... more

The purpose of this study was to examine the Mediation effect of goal commitment on the relationship between self-efficacy and sales performance. The study adapted explanatory research design targeting 448 insurance Sales Agents in Mombasa County, Kenya. Using self-administered questionnaires, reliability test of the research instrument was done by the use of Cronbach. Pearson Correlation and conditional process analysis, model 4 was used to analyze the data and to test the hypotheses. The study found that self-efficacy and goal commitment had a positive and significant direct effect on sales performance. Further, the study confirmed a Mediating effect of goal commitment on the indirect relationship between self-efficacy and sales performance. The findings of the study confirm a positive effect of self-efficacy on sales performance and goal commitment. Goal commitment was also found to positively affect Sales Performance. Furthermore, the result confirms the Mediating effect of Goal commitment on the relationship between Self-Efficacy and Sales Performance. Managers and policy makers should therefore put strategies in place that help their sales persons to know the right thing to do in every selling situation. This can be done through indoor training programs as it helps them feel confident of their ability to perform their sales job well and effectively.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of self-efficacy in the context of online learning environments. Self-efficacy is defined as ‘‘beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to... more

The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of self-efficacy in the context of online learning environments. Self-efficacy is defined as ‘‘beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments’’ (Bandura, 1997, p. 3). Traditionally, the four main sources of self-efficacy development are enactive master experiences, vicarious experi- ences, verbal persuasion, and physio- logical and affective state (Bandura, 1997). In this paper, self-efficacy is introduced in general. Research re- lated to academic self-efficacy and self-efficacy in online learning envir- onments is reviewed. The study of self-efficacy in online learning envir- onments is new relative to the con- struct of self-efficacy. Research on self- efficacy and the use of computers in instructional situations has been included to broaden the literature base. The development of self-efficacy beliefs in online environments is high- lighted as well as self-efficacy assess- ment issues. Possible areas of self- efficacy research in online environ- ments are suggested, including ped- agogical agents, persuasive feedback, and self-efficacy assessment.

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of employees’ readiness to change on effective organizational change implementation. In this study the components of self-determination theory (SDT) and components of knowledge management... more

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of employees’ readiness to change on effective organizational change implementation. In this study the components of self-determination theory (SDT) and components of knowledge management (KM) are taken as independent variables with moderating effect of self-efficacy. The research model is developed in such a way that the three components of SDT Perceived competence, Perceived relatedness and Perceived autonomy have direct impact on Employees readiness to change. Similarly, two components of KM Codification strategy and Personalization strategy also have a direct impact on Employees readiness to change. The population of this study is public sector organizations based and data will be collected using survey questionnaire based on conveniences sampling approach. For inferential analysis the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach will be used. Several studies have been conducted on SDT but none has put emphasize on its impacts in organizational change implementation context. Therefore, the current study contributes to body of knowledge and examines the role of employee readiness to change on organizational change implementation.

The aim of the current study was to examine whether moral disengagement and defender self-efficacy at individual level and collective efficacy to stop peer aggression at classroom level were associated with defending and reinforcing in... more

The aim of the current study was to examine whether moral disengagement and defender self-efficacy at individual level and collective efficacy to stop peer aggression at classroom level were associated with defending and reinforcing in school bullying situations in late childhood. Self-reported survey data were collected from 1060 Swedish students from 70 classrooms in 29 schools. Multilevel analysis found that greater defender self-efficacy at individual level and collective efficacy to stop peer aggression at classroom level were associated with greater defending. We also found that greater moral disengagement and less (but very weakly) defender self-efficacy at individual level and less collective efficacy to stop peer aggression at classroom level were associated with greater reinforcing. The positive relationship between moral disengagement and reinforcing and the negative relationship between defender self-efficacy and reinforcing were less strong in classroom high in collecti...

Priority given to investigating the onset and maintenance of criminal behavior in the past is currently giving way to a new focus on the process of criminal desistance. Early narratives of future desistance are the first step in this... more

Priority given to investigating the onset and maintenance of criminal behavior in the past is currently giving way to a new focus on the process of criminal desistance. Early narratives of future desistance are the first step in this process and, although they do not assure withdrawal from crime, they are the beginning of the personal change that precedes a progressive desistance from criminal activity. This study analyzes early desistance narratives of offenders still in prison and whether these narratives differed depending on their personal, criminal, and social characteristics. Participants were 44 imprisoned male offenders, aged between 20 and 50 years old at different stages of their sentence and in three different prison regimes. They were interviewed using Cid and Martí’s protocol and their accounts were accordingly coded in three categories: early narratives towards a non-criminal identity, perceived self-efficacy to desist from crime, and will to desist. The results show that participants’ early desistance narratives vary depending on their personal, criminal, and social variables. Results on the periods of sentence completion and prison regimes are discussed in terms of how prisons could contribute to enhancing the narratives of desistance from crime.

Highlights •Scale to measure teachers' self-efficacy in literacy instruction developed. •Items align to key shifts in CCSS, which are internationally benchmarked. •EFA conducted with secondary teachers (6th-12th grade). •A 1-factor... more

Self-efficacy of teachers may influence how individuals will approach tasks, responsibilities and challenges in the workplace. Self-efficacy and emotional stability of teachers can be determining factors of selfsatisfaction in the... more

Self-efficacy of teachers may influence how individuals will approach tasks, responsibilities and challenges in the workplace. Self-efficacy and emotional stability of teachers can be determining factors of selfsatisfaction in the profession. The study dealt on the relationship of self-efficacy and emotional stability on self-satisfaction in terms of outcome expectations, career commitment, resiliency to adversity, selfawareness, self-professional development and teaching effectiveness. Moreover, self-efficacy and emotional stability were also investigated in terms of personal and professional satisfaction of public-school teachers in the workplace. Researcher-made questionnaire surveys were conducted among one hundred fifty-six (156) elementary school teachers for school year 2020-2021 who are employed in seven (7) schools at DepEd Candelaria East District, Division of Quezon. The researcher employed descriptive-correlational method. Teachers understand the possible effects of their actions and deals better to challenging tasks in this time of pandemic to attain better performances in their school duties. The study revealed that there are significant relationships of self-efficacy and emotional stability with that of teacher's self-satisfaction. Moreover, it indicates that self-efficacy indicated by their outcome, career, and resiliency are correlated with their selfsatisfaction. Teachers, as one of the sources of learning should not only focus on the subject matter but they may also focus on their career path progression to improve their self-professional development. Furthermore, teachers may engage in conducting action researches to strengthened their career productivity and opportunity. The school heads may provide self-professional development plan such as Faculty Development Session to provide support to teachers on improving their self-efficacy and emotional stability.

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has been verified as an effective pedagogical approach by a lot of research studies carried out in many European countries. However, modest attempts have been made to prove its efficacy in... more

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has been verified as an effective pedagogical approach by a lot of research studies carried out in many European countries. However, modest attempts have been made to prove its efficacy in Lebanon, where English Language is taught in many schools and universities as a first foreign language. The participants (n = 21) were first year university students enrolled in the Faculty of Pedagogy at the Lebanese University and majoring in teaching Math at elementary schools. Quantitative as well as qualitative data were collected by means of two questionnaires, pre-post tests and reflection logs. Descriptive statistics were calculated and a series of t-tests were conducted in order to address the questions raised in the study. The results of the study showed positive attitudes of students towards the implementation of CLIL and they revealed the efficacy of CLIL as a pedagogical approach in enhancing students' self-efficacy and academic performance.

Background: Sleep problems exist for up to 30% of young people, and increase in the case of those with chronic pain. Because exclusive pharmacological management of sleep problems for children with pain is contraindicated, the development... more

Background: Sleep problems exist for up to 30% of young people, and increase in the case of those with chronic pain. Because exclusive pharmacological management of sleep problems for children with pain is contraindicated, the development of appropriate non-pharmacological sleep interventions is a significant, largely unmet, need. Purpose: This study examined whether the application of a standardized hand self-shiatsu (HSS) intervention within a population of young people with chronic pain would be associated with improved objectively and subjectively measured sleep. Setting: The Pain Management Clinic of the Stollery Children's Hospital Hospital, a large tertiary care centre in Edmonton, Alberta and the University of Alberta. Research Design: Sixteen young adults, aged 17 to 27, were recruited for a case series study. The intervention involved participants self-applying a standardized hand shiatsu protocol. Participants wore an actigraph for one week at baseline before learning the HSS technique, and then at four-and eight-week follow-up. At the same measurement points they completed validated self-report measures of their sleep quality and daytime fatigue. Each participant also completed a sleep log to supplement the actigraphy data and to collect their general impressions of the HSS experience. Data were analyzed with SPSS 23 software, using Freidman's test for analysis of variance. Results: The objective data did not support the hypothesis that this standardized HSS protocol improves objectively measured sleep. However, standardized self-report measures demonstrated statistically significant improvement in perceived sleep disturbance (chi-squared test [χ 2 ] = 8.034, p = .02), sleep-related impairment (χ 2 = 7.614, p = .02), and daytime fatigue as measured by the PROMIS Fatigue SF 8-a (χ 2 = 12.035, p = .002), and the Flinder's Fatigue Scale (χ 2 = 11.93, p = .003). Qualitative sleep log information indicated widespread endorsement of HSS for the management of sleep difficulties. Conclusion: Contrary to objective f indings, self-report data support the technique of HSS to improve sleep. Partici-pants' comments reflected an overall high level of acceptance and appreciation for the HSS technique. Results highlight the importance of expanding the theory and practice related to sleep measurement to better integrate the qualitative domain.

Since the man uses skills and methods, he want to understand how can reach the maximum level of the efficacy. In the past 30 years, many resources tried to find the correlation between how motivated the person, how thinks about himself,... more

Since the man uses skills and methods, he want to understand how can reach the maximum level of the efficacy. In the past 30 years, many resources tried to find the correlation between how motivated the person, how thinks about himself, and how influence this thinking his performance and efficacy in the work, study or any field of his life. When people form self-efficacy beliefs, they use information from various sources. We may form perceptions about ourselves by comparing us with others.

Research confirms that when students disengage from learning, there is a greatly increased risk of them dropping out of school and not completing secondary education (Year 12). In an Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development... more

Research confirms that when students disengage from learning, there is a greatly increased risk of them dropping out of school and not completing secondary education (Year 12). In an Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) report on Equity in Education [OECD. 2012. “Investing in Equity in Education Pays off”, in Equity and Quality in Education: Supporting Disadvantaged Students and Schools. Paris, France: OECD. doi:10.1787/9789264130852-3-en], school dropout rates in developed countries averaged 20% and, in some countries, was as high as 25%. Lyche [2010. Taking on the Completion Challenge. A Literature Review on Policies to Prevent Dropout and Early School Leaving. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 53. OECD. doi:10.1787/5km4m2t59cmr-en] noted that school dropout does not ‘just happen’ but rather is a long process of disengagement from school. Students entering early adolescence are experiencing rapid and complex changes to their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development that can positively or negatively affect their experience in education environments. During this time, there is also an increased expectation, both at school and at home, that young adolescents should accept greater responsibility for themselves and their learning. However, when individual students fail to regulate their behaviour or manage the increasing difficulty of the academic work, they can begin to disengage from learning and become entrenched in a downward cycle of poor academic achievement and poor social competence. With an increasing trend in young adolescents to disengage from learning, identifying how to reengage students is critical to their social and academic success. This study reports on the key features of an early intervention programme that targets young adolescent students who are already showing early signs of disengaging from school. Data show that the programme aligns with evidence-based practice and has had a positive effect in promoting and building students’ social and emotional efficacy and re-engaging them in learning.

This study investigated personal and contextual influences to young children’s perceived self-efficacy (SE) in social and independent learning situations. The participants were children (n = 24) 6–8 years old from four Finnish elementary... more

This study investigated personal and contextual influences to young children’s perceived self-efficacy (SE) in social and independent learning situations. The participants were
children (n = 24) 6–8 years old from four Finnish elementary school classrooms. First, teachers from each classroom were asked to rate their students’ social competence
(SC). Second, the participants were videotaped in 45 social and 15 independent learning situations, and later interviewed about their SE perceptions using videostimulated
recall. Participants with higher SE demonstrated more stable perceptions and greater involvement in social learning situations. However, a statistically significant
relationship between perceived SE and SC was not found. Participants also identified 4 factors promoting perceived SE: positive emotional states, mastery experiences,
personal strategic behavior, and contextual support.

Objectives: Diabetic patients with higher health literacy (HL) may feel more confident in their ability to perform self-care behaviors and may have strong beliefs that diabetes related behaviors will lead to specific outcomes. Our study... more

Objectives: Diabetic patients with higher health literacy (HL) may feel more confident in their ability to perform self-care behaviors and may have strong beliefs that diabetes related behaviors will lead to specific outcomes. Our study aimed to document the relationships between HL, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and diabetes self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Iran.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 187 patients with T2DM. Participants completed the Functional Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale, the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities, the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale, Outcome Expectations Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire.
Results: Participants who received diabetes education (t = 5.79, p<0.001) and were married (F = 3.04, p<0.050) had better diabetes self-care behavior. There was a significant positive correlation between self-care behaviors and communicative HL (r = 0.455, p<0.010), critical HL (r = 0.297, p<0.010), self-efficacy (r = 0.512, p<0.010) and outcome expectations (r = 0.387, p<0.010). Diabetes education and marital status accounted for 16.9% of the variance in diabetes self-care. Self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL explained 28.0%,1.5%, 3.7%, and 1.4% of the variance, respectively.
Conclusions: This study revealed that the potential impact of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, communicative, and critical HL should be considered in the education program for patients with diabetes. We found self-efficacy to be the most important predictor of diabetes self-care. Therefore, the use of self-efficacy theory when designing patient education interventions could enhance diabetes self-care. It is essential that health care providers assess patient’s HL levels to tailor health-related information specific to a domain of HL. This would fully inform patients and promote empowerment rather than simple compliance.

As part of a coach's informal learning process, previous athletic experience is a foundational element of an athlete's future coaching career, determining the perspectives, beliefs, and behaviors the coach will use in their interactions... more

As part of a coach's informal learning process, previous athletic experience is a foundational element of an athlete's future coaching career, determining the perspectives, beliefs, and behaviors the coach will use in their interactions with athletes. Although it is investigated more generally, previous athletic experience is rarely considered in understanding specific coaching behaviors related to supporting athletes' needs and motivation. This study investigated 15 novice coaches' personal athletic and coaching experiences to determine how these experiences influenced their own coaching practice with regard to the engagement in autonomy-supportive and/or controlling behaviors. The interview data revealed that novice coaches used their past experiences to inform their practice in the following three ways: (a) experienced controlling behaviors as an athlete, which transferred to a desire to be more autonomy supportive in coaching; (b) experienced controlling behaviors as an athlete, which transferred to a desire to be more controlling in coaching; and (c) experienced autonomy-supportive behaviors as an athlete, which transferred to a desire to be more autonomy supportive in coaching. These results suggest the importance of considering previous athletic experience as an antecedent to coaches' engagement in autonomy-supportive behaviors.

Building a sustainable career in the creative industries is a challenging proposition. Creative workers face high levels of employment insecurity and limited career development opportunity. Those working in the sector must build... more

Building a sustainable career in the creative industries is a challenging proposition. Creative workers face high levels of employment insecurity and limited career development opportunity. Those working in the sector must build discipline-oriented career self-management skills, while also finding ways to cope with the psychologically demanding nature of precarious work. Two competencies that contribute to creative career success are self-efficacy and career optimism, both of which support resilience and persistence in the face of career obstacles. This study used narrative data from 28 interviews across six creative disciplines to examine how creative workers who work within communities of practice build self-efficacy and career optimism. The findings suggested that, by participating in communities of practice, creative practitioners not only build professional skills that align with their discipline but also gain psychosocial support that promotes resilience. There is an opportunity, therefore, to enhance understanding of communities of practice with creative career development offerings.

Numerous empirical findings relevant for self-regulation research can be related to functional self-regulation patterns (proactive and defensive) and a dysfunctional pattern (depressive absence of self-regulation efforts). The first two... more

Numerous empirical findings relevant for self-regulation research can be related to functional self-regulation patterns (proactive and defensive) and a dysfunctional pattern (depressive absence of self-regulation efforts). The first two patterns are in accordance with numerous empirical findings coming from the fields of cognitive, social and educational psychology, including concepts such as promotion vs. prevention focus and mastery or learning mode vs. coping or well-being mode. These patterns can be supplemented with a depressive pattern indicating self-defeating cognitions and strategies, absence of motivation and self-regulatory efforts. The empirical part of this study is focused on self-regulated learning and relationships between cognitive beliefs, motivational beliefs and self-regulation strategies. Croatian upper elementary students (N = 460; age 11–14 years) participated in this investigation. Self-reports were gathered by self-regulated learning components scale. The factor analysis of self-regulation components supported the theoretical distinction between the proactive and defensive self-regulation patterns. The results were interpreted in the context of previous research findings. Further research needs to address the question of specific self-regulation failures (the depressive pattern) in samples that include larger proportion of poorly adapted and under-achieving students.

Knowing a sexual assault victim and general self-efficacy (GSE) were examined as predictors of rape myth acceptance (RMA) among university students. Where knowing a sexual assault victim was associated with greater rejection of rape myths... more

Knowing a sexual assault victim and general self-efficacy (GSE) were examined as predictors of rape myth acceptance (RMA) among university students. Where knowing a sexual assault victim was associated with greater rejection of rape myths among female students, most notably White females, a null effect occurred on male students, except for Black males whose RMA increased. Higher self-efficacy predicted the overall rejection of rape myths differently among identity intersections, most prominently with victim blaming. Knowing a sexual assault victim moderated GSE and RMA for male students and Latinos. These findings offer practical and critical implications as universities grow in diversity.

Educational system of a country plays a key part in rearing a mentally and physically rich nation. The crucial role of teachers in the development of this system and training creative students is undeniable. Teacher creativity research... more

Educational system of a country plays a key part in rearing a mentally and physically rich nation. The crucial role of teachers in the development of this system and training creative students is undeniable. Teacher creativity research has espoused the role of different factors, including teacher motivation, self-efficacy and burnout in creating more teaching creativity and increased teaching success. However, the findings of research in this regard are still inconclusive. The researchers in the current study embarked on probing the relationship between Iranian high school teachers" creativity on the one hand, and their motivation, self-efficacy and burnout, on the other. In so doing, 100 teachers were recruited as the study participants. To conduct the study, a set of questionnaires-Torrance"s (2008) test of creativity, Hackman and Oldham"s (1980) teacher motivation scale, Bandura"s (1997) teacher Self-Efficacy questionnaire, and Maslach and Jackson"s (1981) Burnout Inventory-were utilized. The results of the study showed that there is a significant positive correlation between teachers" motivation and self-efficacy, on the one hand, and their creativity, on the other. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between teacher burnout and creativity. The implications of the findings are discussed throughout the paper.

Objective: Although perfectionism is a prominent personality disposition, only a few longitudinal studies have investigated how perfectionism develops. Theoretical models and qualitative studies have posited that academic success is a... more

Objective: Although perfectionism is a prominent personality disposition, only a few longitudinal studies have investigated how perfectionism develops. Theoretical models and qualitative studies have posited that academic success is a developmental antecedent of perfectionism. Yet, quantitative studies tend to interpret the cross-sectional relationships as academic success being an outcome of perfectionism. In light of these gaps in the literature, the present study was the first to investigate the longitudinal relationships between perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, academic achievement, and academic efficacy examining academic success as an antecedent of perfectionism. Method: The study examined 487 adolescents (aged 12-19 years, 54% female) using a crosslagged longitudinal design with three time points spaced 4-5 months apart. Results: Results showed that academic achievement predicted relative increases in both perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns, even when including academic efficacy. In addition, academic efficacy predicted relative increases in perfectionistic strivings. Discussion: This is the first study to show that academic achievement is a common factor in the development of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns, whereas academic efficacy plays a role only in the development of perfectionistic strivings. Conclusions: Implications of the findings for the development of perfectionism are discussed.

This study investigated predictive effect of middle school students’ perceptions of constructivist science learning environment on their self-efficacy towards learning science. 663 seventh grade students from 15 public schools in Erzurum... more

This study investigated predictive effect of middle school students’ perceptions of constructivist science learning environment on their self-efficacy towards learning science. 663 seventh grade students from 15 public schools in Erzurum participated in the study. Self-report questionnaires were used to collect data in spring semester of 2016-2017 academic year. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that all perceived constructivist science learning environment features (i.e., personal relevance, uncertainity, critical voice, shared control, and student negotiation) statistically significantly and positively predict students’ efficacy beliefs in science. Students’ constructivist learning environment perceptions accounted for 56.5% of the variance in their self-efficacy beliefs. These findings indicated that when students take active role in their learning, given opportunities for freely asking questions, participate in class discussions and share their knowledge with classmates, they are more likely to have higher confidence for learning science.

The aim of this study was threefold: first, it was to explore the profiles of student teachers' mental time travel ability; second, it was to examine the relationship between student teachers' mental time travel ability and self-efficacy... more

The aim of this study was threefold: first, it was to explore the profiles of student teachers' mental time travel ability; second, it was to examine the relationship between student teachers' mental time travel ability and self-efficacy beliefs; and third, it was to investigate the role of self-efficacy beliefs in relationship between the past and future dimensions of mental time travel ability. Based on the survey method, a total of 260 student teachers participated in the study. Results showed that student teachers' mental time travel ability can well be classified under the headings of high mental time travel ability, medium mental time travel ability, and low mental time travel ability. Results also revealed that student teachers' self-efficacy beliefs vary as a function of their mental time travel ability. More importantly, self-efficacy beliefs played a significant mediating role in relationship between teaching-related past events and teaching-related possible future events. Overall results of the present study suggest that the relationship between mental time travel ability and self-efficacy beliefs makes sense in educational settings.

Il contributo descrive l’utilizzo del focus group come strumento integrativo di raccolta di informazioni, nell’ambito di un progetto di ricerca che ha coinvolto i docenti della scuola secondaria di primo grado del Comune di Genova, e che... more

Il contributo descrive l’utilizzo del focus group come strumento integrativo di raccolta di informazioni, nell’ambito di un progetto di ricerca che ha coinvolto i docenti della scuola secondaria di primo grado del Comune di Genova, e che ha attivato iniziative di confronto e condivisione tra pari in un ambiente di apprendimento cloud-based. Tra i diversi dispositivi di raccolta dati predisposti nel corso del progetto, lo scopo dei focus group era quello di sondare in profondità il concetto di autoefficacia dei docenti e le rappresentazioni ad esso correlate. Dall’esperienza condotta sono emersi alcuni elementi che sembrano indicare la valenza del focus group non soltanto come dispositivo di ricerca, ma anche come dispositivo formativo all’interno di un percorso di apprendimento professionale. Sulla base dell’osservazione e dell’analisi effettuata, lo strumento si è rivelato determinante sia per la costruzione degli indicatori del dispositivo di indagine conclusivo, sia per generare occasioni di discussione e autoriflessione tra docenti, sostenendo la diffusione di nuclei di sviluppo formativo e di apprendimento tra pari all’interno della comunità professionale.
This paper describes the use of focus group discussion as a supplementary qualitative method for educational research. The study is part of a research project involving lower-secondary school teachers based in Genoa, who used a cloud-based training environment. Focus groups represented one of the various data collection tools adopted, for the purpose of in-depth qualitative analysis of teachers’ self-efficacy constructs and representations. Indications emerging from the study suggest that focus group discussion may serve not only as a research tool, but also as a means for professional development. According to observation and analysis, focus groups proved to be crucial in generating discussion and self-reflection among teachers, thus sustaining peer-learning and professional development within the professional community.

Language teacher's professional successes has become a very important topic in SLA specially after the introduction of post-method era. Furthermore, L2 teacher's professional successes can be influenced by some traits of the teachers... more

Language teacher's professional successes has become a very important topic in SLA specially after the introduction of post-method era. Furthermore, L2 teacher's professional successes can be influenced by some traits of the teachers including self-efficacy and way of teaching. The present study, therefore, was an attempt to investigate whether Iranian EFL teachers' reflective teaching and their self-efficacy can predict their professional success. Twenty-eight male and female EFL teachers were asked to fill out the questionnaires of Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale and Reflective Teaching Questionnaire. Then, 168 male and female EFL learners with the age range of 18-32 from three branches of Safir language institute in Tehran were randomly selected out of the teachers' students. This initial sample included more than 400 EFL students. In the next step, the selected learners were asked to fill out the Teachers' Professional Success Survey. The data analysis using multiple regression revealed that both self-efficacy and reflective teaching could relatively predict EFL teachers' professional success. Secondly, the results revealed that there was not any significant difference between the prediction ability of the two variables aforementioned in predicting teachers' success from the point of view of their students. The findings of the present suggest that EFL teachers should enhance their self-efficacy and reflective teaching to increase their professional success.

Objective: positive psychology is a scientific approach with a focus on strengths instead of weaknesses, building the good in life instead of repairing the bad. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of positive... more

Objective: positive psychology is a scientific approach with a focus on strengths instead of weaknesses, building the good in life instead of repairing the bad. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy. Orientation on sense of coherence, self-efficacy, psychological well-being and resilience was performed in nurses. Method: This study was an experimental study with pre-test-post-test design with control and follow-up group. 30 Nurses were selected through convenient sampling. Subsequently, the participants were randomly divided into two groups of 15 people. The experimental group received positive psychology training whereas the control group did not receive any treatment. Both groups were evaluated before and after the intervention and in the follow-up stage through Antonsky Coherence Questionnaire, Connor and Davidson Resilience Scale, Reef Psychological Welfare Questionnaire and General Self-Efficacy Scale.The Data were analyzed using repeated measure (ANOVA). Findings: The results of analysis showed that positive psychology training led to a significant increase in resilience, psychological well-being and sense of coherence in nurses. The results of follow-up test also showed that this method has enough stability and sustainability. However, no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups regarding self-efficacy. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, positive psychology interventions can be used to promote sense of coherence, psychological well-being and resilience in nurses.

OBJECTIVE. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Here's How I Write–Hebrew (HHIW–HE) and compared handwriting self-awareness between children with and without dysgraphia. METHOD. Fifty-eight children (29 with and 29... more

OBJECTIVE. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Here's How I Write–Hebrew (HHIW–HE) and compared handwriting self-awareness between children with and without dysgraphia. METHOD. Fifty-eight children (29 with and 29 without dysgraphia) completed the HHIW–HE. Occupational therapists provided corresponding ratings that were based on objective handwriting assessments. Self-awareness was measured through child–therapist consensus. RESULTS. The HHIW–HE has an internal consistency of a 5 .884. Children with dysgraphia rated themselves as significantly more impaired than controls on 6 of 24 HHIW–HE items and on the total score, with medium to large effect sizes (0.37–0.61). Mean child–therapist agreement was significantly higher for the controls than for the research group, t(56) 5 4.268, p 5 .000.

The broaden and build process: Positive affect, ratio of positive to negative affect and general self-efficacy, The Journal of Positive Psychology: Dedicated to furthering research and promoting good practice,

ABSTRACT. During the 1980's social cognitive theory has evolved as an explanation of human behavior. One of this theory's component constructs, self-efficacy, has received increasing attention as an antecedent to health related outcomes.... more

ABSTRACT. During the 1980's social cognitive theory has evolved
as an explanation of human behavior. One of this theory's component constructs, self-efficacy, has received increasing attention as an antecedent to health related outcomes. The results of a meta-analysis examining studies which employed the construct of self-efficacy as a predictor of health related outcomes is presented. In the literature examined, subject ratings of self-efficacy were found to consistently predict subsequent health related outcomes.

Students’ native language is a valuable resource in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. Use of native languages may increase a student’s sense of efficacy for learning English by: (a) facilitating vocabulary acquisition, (b)... more

Students’ native language is a valuable resource in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. Use of native languages may increase a student’s sense of efficacy for learning English by: (a) facilitating vocabulary acquisition, (b) aiding learners in comprehension, (c) encouraging self-regulation, (d) making routines and explanations clear so as to direct attention and free up working for tasks in English, (e) modeling communication in environments where students may be reluctant to initiate conversation, and (f) setting the tone in situations where students have come to view English as exceedingly difficult.

Objective: This study, investigated whether high self-efficacy and high self-esteem could predict Batswana males and females intention to practice safe sex. Safe sex behaviors investigated included, consistent use of condoms, abstinence... more

Objective: This study, investigated whether high self-efficacy and high self-esteem could predict Batswana males and females intention to practice safe sex. Safe sex behaviors investigated included, consistent use of condoms, abstinence from sex and sticking to one partner. Method: A self reported anonymous questionnaire was used to collect data from 286 young people aged between 13 and 19 (M = 15.02, SD = 1.02) of which 283 were native citizens of Botswana. Results: Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). Prior to using multiple regression analysis to predict safe sex practices, Pearson’s correlations were conducted on the two independent variables (self-efficacy, self-esteem) and the outcome variable (safe sex behaviors). The findings suggested that intention to limit partners, intention to abstain and intention to use condoms correlated positively with high self-efficacy. High self-esteem exhibited low correlations with the afore-mentioned sexual behaviors. Multiple regression analysis also showed that self-efficacy had a stronger predictive power on the safe sex behaviors under study in comparison to high self-esteem. Conclusion: There has been contradicting evidence on some of the literature on whether high self-esteem is better predictor of safe sex practices. In the current study there were no strong positive correlations exhibited on high self-esteem and safe sex behaviors, rather, high self-efficacy was a better predictor of safe sex practices. The country of Botswana has been battling the fight against HIV/Aids for decades and with the current focus being on behavior change, studies like the current will better inform intervention measures used in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS

Research on the importance of psychological variables in sustainable consumption decisions suggests that self-efficacy beliefs (i.e., the perceived ability to successfully bring about desired outcomes) play a role in purchases of... more

Research on the importance of psychological variables in sustainable consumption decisions suggests that self-efficacy beliefs (i.e., the perceived ability to successfully bring about desired outcomes) play a role in purchases of sustainable products. Most studies in this line of research measured self-efficacy with regard to environmental preservation and focused on pro-environmental consumer behavior as the outcome variable (e.g., Berger & Corbin, 1992; Straughan & Roberts 1999).
In the present study, we took a broader perspective: We addressed consumer behavior that contributes to a sustainable development (more specifically, intentions to purchase “sustainable” groceries, i.e., groceries that help to promote environmental preservation, a socially fair distribution of resources, and economic welfare) and measured self-efficacy with regard to sustainable development (SDSE, i.e., beliefs in one’s ability to contribute to a sustainable development).
In an online survey among students (N = 194) of different majors we explored the dimensionality of SDSE and investigated if SDSE predict intentions to purchase sustainable groceries (PI). SDSE was measured by means of 28 questionnaire items and PI was measured by means of 31 questionnaire items.
A factor analysis indicated that six facets of SDSE can be distinguished (67 % explained variance, cumulated): Four facets represent self-efficacy beliefs regarding one’s ability to directly contribute to different aspects of sustainable development (i.e., the perceived ability 1. to contribute to social fairness and economic welfare, 2. to contribute to environmental preservation and securing the needs of future generations, 3. to help improving social services and securing the basic needs of people in developing countries, 4. to reduce the ecological stress from agriculture); Two facets represent self-efficacy beliefs regarding one’s ability to indirectly contribute to sustainable development through motivating other consumers to promote sustainable development (i.e., the perceived ability 1. to encourage other consumers to purchase sustainable groceries and to think about environmental preservation, 2. to draw other consumers’ attention to a socially fair distribution of resources and economic welfare).
Multiple regression analyses revealed that the six SDSE facets differed with regard to their role in predicting PI. Two SDSE facets were particularly important in predicting PI: Consumers’ perceived ability to reduce the ecological stress from agriculture and consumers’ perceived ability to draw other consumers’ attention to a socially fair distribution of resources and economic welfare.
Our findings suggest that self-efficacy beliefs regarding one’s direct and indirect contribution to sustainable development play a role in decisions to purchase sustainable groceries. An interesting question for future research is if interventions to strengthen SDSE allow for promoting sustainable consumption.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of co-creating rubrics against just using rubrics. By co-creating rubrics, the students might have the opportunity to better internalize them and have a voice in the assessment criteria.... more

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of co-creating rubrics against just using rubrics. By co-creating rubrics, the students might have the opportunity to better internalize them and have a voice in the assessment criteria. Two groups undertaking a degree in Sport Sciences (N = 65) participated. Results showed that the students who co-created the rubrics had higher levels of learning selfregulation measured through thinking aloud protocols, whereas the results from the self-reported self-regulation and self-efficacy questionnaires did not show significant differences. The treatment group outperformed the control group in only one out of the three tasks assessed. Regarding the perceptions about rubrics use, there were no significant differences except for the process of co-creation, to which the co-created rubric group gave higher importance. Therefore, this study has opened an interesting venue on rubrics research: co-creating rubrics may influence students’ activation of learning strategies.

The increasing assessment of strengths in education and industry coincides with the recent growth in positive psychology. In this study, we examine the possible contributions of the StrengthsFinder1 (SF) along with other variables common... more

The increasing assessment of strengths in education and industry coincides with the recent growth in positive psychology. In this study, we examine the possible contributions of the StrengthsFinder1 (SF) along with other variables common to university populations. The stability of the strengths identified by SF for two samples, a year apart, supports previous findings that the SF is relatively stable in a campus population. We also investigated the validity of the four dimensions in the strengths model. We found that the Thinking dimension was positively correlated with American College Test (ACT) or converted Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores in both samples. We also found evidence that academic self-efficacy (ASE) provided significant additional information about GPA than did ACT scores alone. We conclude with a discussion about the contributions of strengths and recommendations for further research.
Key words: Positive psychology, personal strengths, Self-efficacy, College admissions, Academic counseling, career counseling,

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of self-efficacy on students’ achievement in science. The case of secondary school science students’ is examined to achieve this task. The study is based on Bandura's Theory of... more

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of self-efficacy on students’ achievement in science. The case of secondary school science students’ is examined to achieve this task. The study is based on Bandura's Theory of Self-Efficacy, which divides Academic, Social and Emotional self-efficacy in three categories. The Questionnaire ‘Self-efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C) developed by (Muris, 2001) was adapted in the present study to quantify secondary school students’ and was administered to 811 students. The achievements of students in science subjects governed by their academic, social and emotional self-efficacy were statistically examined to meet the research objectives. Findings revealed that secondary school students have a stronger academic and social self-efficacy. The need to assimilate content for developing emotional self-efficacy among students is highlighted. The study also discovered the significant impacts of parents’ job status and the qualifications on children’s self-efficacy.

Descriptive measurement reliability and validity data are reported on scores from the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) in two contexts—class and test—for a sample of 302 Australian high school students. Summated scores on the MSES... more

Descriptive measurement reliability and validity data are reported on scores from the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) in two contexts—class and test—for a sample of 302 Australian high school students. Summated scores on the MSES correlated r =.74, and together these items yielded one component that explained 49% of the variance. MSES scores demonstrated internal reliability for both class and test (Cronbach alphas =.86 and .90). Statistically significant correlations between MSES scores, past mathematics
grades, and Marsh’s Self-Description Questionnaire III (Math) were used to indicate
the convergent validity of scores for the MSES. Discriminant validity of the MSES scores was suggested by the lack of significant correlations between the MSES measures and students’ desired English grades. Statistically significant correlations between MSES scores and students’ desired mathematics grades indicated concurrent validity of the MSES measures. A statistically significant difference between class and test scores supported Bandura’s prescription for context specificity in efficacy research.

Abstract: This study investigated changes in the self-elficacy beliefs ofpreservice teachers. The sample consisted of preservice English language teachers from Croatia (n=36) u'ho were in their final year of study in the Teacher Education... more

Abstract: This study investigated changes in the self-elficacy beliefs ofpreservice teachers. The sample consisted of preservice English language teachers from Croatia (n=36) u'ho were in their final year of study in the Teacher Education program. Their self-elicacy beliefs were measured before and after taking their teacher training Practicum course. In order to measure their self-eficacy beliefs, the followrng instruments were used: Tschannen Moran and Woolfolk Hoy's (2001) shorter version of the Teacher Sense of Eficacy Scale and Swanson's (2010) Foreign Language Teacher Eficacy Scale. The results showed a statistically relevant increase in the respondents' self-eficacy beliefs regarding the use of instructional strategies, rvhile those pertaining to classroom management and student engagement showed a negligible increase. When it comes to language teaching, there rvas a significant growth in their self-eficacy beliefs regarding their knowledge of English (Content knowledge), whereas a somewhat lower rating was given with regard to their ability to facilitate Iearning and to motivate students in class (Teacher as facilitator).

Self-efficacy is one of the most important skills that an individual must possess in all aspects of his working life, including education. Self-efficacy of computer use as well as self-efficacy of Internet use emerged since web2.0... more

Self-efficacy is one of the most important skills that an individual must possess in all aspects of his working life, including education. Self-efficacy of computer use as well as self-efficacy of Internet use emerged since web2.0 applications are important to the individual's education process, there is an urgent need for self-efficacy to use web 2.0 applications.

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a two-part study. Study 1 was conducted to refine and validate a survey instrument, SELMA (Hodges, 2008), used to measure learners’ self-efficacy toward learning mathematics in online... more

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a two-part
study. Study 1 was conducted to refine and validate a survey
instrument, SELMA (Hodges, 2008), used to measure learners’
self-efficacy toward learning mathematics in online or
technology-intensive, asynchronous learning environments.
Study 2 was conducted to investigate the relationships between self-efficacy to learn mathematics asynchronously, using the revised instrument from Study 1, and achievement in College Algebra. A statistically significant relationship was
observed. The findings are discussed in the context of designing online mathematics courses similar to the one highlighted for these studies. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.