Academic Self-Efficacy, Coping, and Academic Performance in College

Abstract

This study serves as a pilot study for a possible future study including the same variables. The purpose of the pilot study was to find a relationship in the college academic setting between academic self-efficacy, stress coping skills, and academic performance. Sixty-six undergraduate students, 17 male and 49 female, from a university in northwestern United States participated in the study. Stress was measured using the COPE Inventory (Carver, Scheier, &amp; Weintraub, 1989). Self-efficacy was measured using the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (Chemers, Hu, &amp; Garcia, 2001). Academic performance was measured using the participants’ college GPA. Academic Self-Efficacy and the Planning subscale of the COPE Inventory were positively correlated with GPA (<em>r</em> = .49, <em>p</em> &lt; .01 and <em>r</em> = .32, <em>p</em> &lt; .05). Academic self-efficacy was positively correlated with the COPE Inventory subscales Positive Reinterpretation and Growth (<em>r</em> = .36, <em>p</em> r = .35, <em>p </em>&lt; .01), Acceptance (<em>r</em> = .46, <em>p </em>&lt; .01), and Planning (<em>r</em> = .25, <em>p</em> &lt; .05). Academic self-efficacy was negatively correlated with the COPE Inventory subscale Substance Use (<em>r</em> = -.32 at p &lt; 0.1). <strong>Faculty Sponsor</strong>: Heath Marrs, Ed.D