Mediation of study approaches and skills in university students during covide-19: the effect on the relationship between family influence and self-efficacy

Abstract

Objective: Self-efficacy is a characteristic that helps university students to fulfill pedagogical and academic tasks and goals. The support of the family or the skills of students are important to their university career, which may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to analyze whether family influence and study approaches and skills can predict self-efficacy and whether the relationship between family influence and self-efficacy can be mediated by students’ study approaches and skills. Methods: Participated in the study 174 Portuguese university students of both genders, with an average age of 23.70 years (±8.47). The instruments applied were the Family Influence Scale, Higher Education Self-Efficacy Scale, Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (short version) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: The study approaches and skills predicts of self-efficacy and mediates the relationship between family influence and self-efficacy.Conclusion: Knowing the important impact of study approaches and skills on students’ self-efficacy will contribute to the definition of support strategies that universities should promote, in a pandemic and post-pandemic phase, for the mental health and academic success of their community.