Self-efficacy and future career expectations of at-risk adolescents: The contribution of a tutoring program.

Abstract

Tutoring and mentoring programs may be a promisingintervention to help at-risk children who may be in need of a positive influence in their lives. The purpose of the current study was to examine the contribution of tutoring to at-risk adolescents' self-efficacy and future career expectations. Ninety-eight tutees and 147 college student tutors completed the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, the Work and Education subscale of the Future Expectations Scale for Adolescents, and a background questionnaire twice: first at the beginning and then toward the end of 8 months of tutoring. Both tutees and tutors reported higher levels of tutees' social and emotional self-efficacy as well as future expectations toward the end of the year. Tutors also reported higher levels of tutee academic self-efficacy. Increased self-efficacy was associated with increased levels of future expectations. Changes in academic and social self-efficacy predicted changes in tutees' future career expectations. Implications for theory and research are discussed.