Self-efficacy Information Research Articles

Teaching to whom and with whom: the role of context in developing preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching engineering and coding via robotics

Abstract Due to mandates for the inclusion of engineering and computer science standards for K-6 schools nationwide, there is a need to understand how teacher educators can help develop preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) teaching self-efficacy in these areas. To provide experience teaching and learning engineering and coding, PSTs in an instructional technology course were partnered with undergraduate engineering students in an electromechanical systems course to teach robotics lessons to fifth graders (10–11 year olds) over Zoom. A multi-case study approach explored teaching self-efficacy development for three preservice teachers during their robotics project experiences using multiple data sources, including surveys, reflections, interviews, and Zoom recordings, which were examined to identify how the project's social and intrapersonal context influenced the development of each PST’s teaching self-efficacy for engineering and coding. The PSTs gained teaching self-efficacy through all four sources of teaching self-efficacy, although not all PSTs benefited from all four types, nor did they benefit equally. These sources also influenced the PSTs’ intention to integrate engineering and coding into their future classrooms. This study demonstrates the potential of providing PSTs with the opportunity to teach robotics to children during their teacher preparation programs to support the development of their teaching self-efficacy for engineering and coding. When conducted in the context of a college course, such opportunities can be thoughtfully structured to leverage positive interactions with peers and elementary students and to take advantage of low-stakes environments, like afterschool clubs, offering PSTs settings rich in sources of self-efficacy information.

A qualitative exploration of e-cigarette prevention advertisements' effectiveness among college students in China.

The rapid growth of e-cigarette usage among youth and young people has emerged as a significant public health concern. It is imperative to initiate effective vaping prevention campaigns and undertake relevant research to address this pressing issue. This research seeks to identify effective video advertisements to deter young people from starting to use e-cigarettes. It aims to offer evidence-based insights and recommendations for creating communication materials and designing messages for youth e-cigarette prevention efforts. College students aged 18-24 years (n=40) participated in focus groups within this qualitative study. After viewing four stimulus videos, participants discussed what they perceived as effective and ineffective video characteristics, as well as suggestions for future videos. Effective video characteristics included the use of real-life testimonials, displaying specific health hazards, revealing harmful chemical ingredients and the deceptive nature of flavors, and positively perceived effectiveness. Participants generally found that videos with strong visual impact and graphics were more engaging and that approaches using fear and emotion were more effective. Ineffective characteristics included complex and exaggerated information, lack of empathy and irrelevance, insufficiently specific information, extreme and death-themed content, industry messages, as well as preachy tones, animations, metaphors, dull formats, excessive length, and scenes of e-cigarette use. Developing anti-e-cigarette campaign materials for youth necessitates target audience-focused qualitative research. This helps in deeply exploring and identifying effective themes and messages, as well as video characteristics and details while avoiding ineffective or even misleading messages and themes from young people's perspectives outside the United States. Future development of e-cigarette prevention videos for Chinese college students may consider incorporating localized real-life testimonial cases to convey specific harms, including self-efficacy information, and utilizing fear and emotional appeals.

An Exploration of the Sources of Self-Efficacy Information in Athletic Injury Rehabilitation

Self-efficacy plays a vital role in an athlete’s injury and rehabilitation experience and is linked to successful rehabilitation outcomes. We sought to develop a deeper understanding of self-efficacy sources throughout injury rehabilitation using an interpretative phenomenological analysis design grounded in a pragmatist paradigm. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine male Division II collegiate athletes throughout injury rehabilitation. Seven themes were identified as sources of athletes’ self-efficacy during rehabilitation phases, and two themes were identified as influencing participants in their selection and weighing of the sources of self-efficacy. Athletes described several sources as negatively impacting their self-efficacy, and differences were observed in the sources reported across the phases of injury rehabilitation. Results suggest the influence of sources of efficacy information fluctuates over the course of injury rehabilitation. These findings can contribute to further research in the area, as well as strategies and interventions to better assist athletes through injury rehabilitation.

Factors influencing students’ academic performance in universities: Mediated by knowledge sharing behavior

Recently, using Social Network Sites has been rising noticeably, especially among young people (18 years-34 years) who compose more than 50% of Facebook users. Accordingly, university students may find Facebook familiar and easier to share knowledge. This study attempts to investigate the impact of knowledge sharing using Facebook on student performance. This study examines the effect of Technology Self-Efficacy (TS), Information Self-efficacy (IS), Social Expectations (SE), Enjoyment (EN), Size of Social Network (SN), Personal Trust (PT), and Reciprocity (REC) as main factors on students’ academic performance as mediated by knowledge sharing behavior on Facebook in Jordanian University. Accordingly, a Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) using AMOS 22 was applied to test the model and posited hypotheses. A questionnaire-based survey was designed to collect the data based on a dataset of 450 university students from various five Jordanian universities. The results indicated that TS, IS, SE, EN, SN, PT, and REC positively and significantly affect students’ academic performance. Additionally, knowledge sharing on Facebook significantly as well as positively mediated the relationship between the proposed factors and students’ academic performance. This is one of the few studies which investigate the interrelationships among the examined factors, and the first to test the model on university students in Jordan. Practically, policymakers can depend on the results to create or modify the current learning environment by introducing the usage of social networks to help in increasing academic performance. Lastly, future research could study some other social network platforms looking at gender, educational level, or region.

Producing confident learners using specific tasks, competent models, and credible messages

ABSTRACT Of his numerous contributions, Albert Bandura’s introduction of the self-efficacy construct is arguably the most notable one. The primary aim of this article is to illustrate why it is so critically important to arm students with strong self-efficacy beliefs and how parents and teachers can achieve that goal. We begin with a brief overview of the self-efficacy construct, describing the unique features that distinguish it from other self-beliefs such as self-concept. We highlight that self-efficacy is an inherently context-specific construct distinct from vague impressions and broad generalizations about one’s competencies, and it is this context-specificity that affords self-efficacy with the unparalleled predictive utility of subsequent achievements. Next, we introduce scientifically validated practices of producing confident learners such as guiding them to appraise their confidence toward specific tasks and goals, exposing them to competent models, and providing them with credible social messages, consistent with Bandura’s tenets on major sources of self-efficacy information.

Can Self-affirmation Encourage HIV-Prevention? Evidence from Female Sex Workers in Senegal

We test an intervention aiming to increase condom usage and HIV testing in a stigmatized population at high risk of contracting HIV: female sex workers (FSWs) in Senegal. Some sex work is legal in Senegal, and condoms and HIV tests are freely available to registered FSWs—but FSWs may be reluctant to get tested and use condoms, in part because doing so would entail acknowledging their risk of contracting HIV and potentially expose them to stigma. Drawing on self-affirmation theory, we hypothesized that reflecting on a source of personal pride would help participants acknowledge their risk of HIV, intend to use condoms more frequently, and take an HIV test. Prior research suggests that similar self-affirmation interventions can help people acknowledge their health risks and improve their health behavior, especially when paired with information about effectively managing their health (i.e., self-efficacy information). However, such interventions have primarily been tested in the United States and United Kingdom, and their generalizability outside of these contexts is unclear. Our high-powered experiment randomly assigned participants (N = 592 FSWs; N = 563 in the final analysis) to a self-affirmation condition or a control condition and measured their risk perceptions, whether they took condoms offered to them, and whether (after randomly receiving or not receiving self-efficacy information) they took an HIV test. We found no support for any of our hypotheses. We discuss several explanations for these null results based on the stigma attached to sex work and HIV, cross-cultural generalizability of self-affirmation interventions, and robustness of previous findings.

Correlates of Self-Efficacy Beliefs of College Freshmen

Self-efficacy beliefs are essential mediating constructs of achievement strivings. The study investigated the correlation between the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents and their sources of self-efficacy beliefs. Participants were 316 college freshmen of the Cagayan State University at Sanchez Mira in Cagayan Valley, Philippines, selected through stratified random sampling. Data sources were the Personal Data Form and Sources of Self-Efficacy Inventory (SOSI). The SOSI reflected four sources of self-efficacy information such as performance accomplishments, vicarious learnings,
 
 
 social persuasions, and physiological states. The researchers used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software in analyzing the data, with descriptive and correlational statistics as statistical tools in the treatment of data. Results showed that sex and College Freshmen Admission Test (CFAT) score affect the sources of self-efficacy beliefs of the respondents. Males rely on performance accomplishments, vicarious learnings, and physiological states, while females use more vicarious learnings and physiological states as bases of their self-efficacy beliefs. Those with high and average CFAT scores derive their self-efficacy beliefs dominantly from physiological states, while the low CFAT scorers from vicarious learnings. Self-efficacy influences the tasks students choose to learn and the goals they set for themselves.

Health Messaging During a Pandemic: How Information Type and Individual Factors Influence Responses to COVID-19 Messages

Traditional approaches to public health messaging suggest successful COVID-19 messages should communicate about the health threat and present effective protective behaviors. However, as the pandemic continues, how individual factors affect audience responses to such messages needs to be explored. We surveyed 224 U.S. residents (equal distribution among age group, education level, and gender) in a 2 (health threat information: high versus low) × 2 (self-efficacy information: present versus absent) × 2 (response efficacy information: present versus absent) experimental design. Variations in message information did not influence mask wearing and handwashing behavioral intentions. Instead, participant responses followed reactance theory predictions. Feelings of fear about COVID-19 and reactance proneness predicted a perceived freedom threat. Perceiving a freedom threat predicted reactance to the COVID-19 message, which was associated with decreased intentions to wear a mask and handwash. Political ideology was also associated with behavioral intentions. The more conservative a person identified, the less likely they were to intend to engage in COVID-19 protection behaviors. Our findings call into question the effectiveness of traditional health messaging during a pandemic and demonstrate the implications of politicizing health behaviors.

Self- and Response Efficacy Information in Fear Appeals: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract Fear appeals are designed to inspire intended and actual actions to avert a danger. Although prior meta-analyses report that the average effect of fear appeals is moderately positive, the role of efficacy information is not completely understood. Prior work and fear appeal theories have argued that the presence of both response and self-efficacy information improves fear appeal success but the individual impacts of each have not been properly estimated. A meta-analysis (k = 158, N = 19,736) was conducted to examine the individual and combined effects of response and self-efficacy information contained in fear appeals on behavioral intentions and behaviors. Estimating the impact of fear appeals relative to low and no fear controls, the meta-analysis showed that fear appeals had a stronger influence on behavioral outcomes when they included positive response efficacy information but did not vary as a function of including self-efficacy information or negative response efficacy information.

Does ComPsych Communication Skills Training Alter Trainee Self-Efficacy?

ComPsych communication skills training is designed to teach psychiatry trainees effective skills and strategies for undertaking key communication tasks relating to mental illness, such as schizophrenia, with patients and their families/carers. This study examined the program's feasibility, utility, and trainees' self-efficacy. Trainee cohorts attending their first year formal education course were recruited annually over 4years between 2015 and 2018. Each trainee attended at least one session of training in their cohort year. Trainees completed a questionnaire presenting questions about personal demographics, their perceived confidence in communication, and the effectiveness of elements of training delivery. A total of 41 trainee psychiatrists (15 male) completed the questionnaires presented at four time points (two pre-training and two post-training). Participants reported a significant increase in confidence in their own communication skills post-training (d = 1.12) and rated elements of training delivery (video feedback, feedback from peers in small groups, small group facilitation, and use of simulated patients) as significantly more helpful or effective post-training (d = 0.42). Trainees also reported a significantly increased ability to critically evaluate their own communication skills post-training (d = 0.59), suggesting an increased ability to recognize their own communication skill competence. Following ComPsych training, trainees were more confident discussing information about schizophrenia with patients and their families/carers and were more able to critically evaluate their own communication skills: an important feature of good clinical acumen. These subjective ratings provide important self-efficacy information, including the benefits perceived and evidence of the program's feasibility and utility.

Development of the Self-efficacy Beliefs of Engineering Undergraduates Preparing for an International Contest

This study was designed to understand the everyday experiences influencing the self-efficacy of a group of engineering students preparing for the TECO Green Tech International Contest. It also aimed to understand whether participants’ self-efficacy levels fluctuated under the influences of these experiences. The paper takes a qualitative approach using focus group discussion, journaling, and one-to-one interviews as data gathering tools. Our study confirms previous theoretical assumptions and empirical findings that four sources of self-efficacy information are related to self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, the study also supports the role of collective efficacy and context in influencing engineering students’ self-efficacy. During the first two weeks of the contest preparation period, participating students experienced a low sense of self-efficacy under the influence of perceived lack of knowledge and skills, contest pressure, doubt of team ability, and negative feelings. A couple of weeks prior to the contest, as the students draw inspiration from a growth in knowledge and skills, verbal feedback, and positive feelings, their self-efficacy was enhanced. Comparison with team members and trust in the advisor’s credibility also strengthened their sense of self-efficacy. This research has the potential to inform the development of engineering undergraduates’ contest self-efficacy.

An exploratory study examining the relationship between sexual self efficacy and premature ejaculation mediated by depression, anxiety and sexual fantasy among a British cohort

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a commonly reported sexual dysfunction in men and yet research remains scarce when looking at the psychopathological mechanisms involved in PE. This study aimed to establish whether depression, anxiety and sexual fantasy mediated the relationship between sexual self- efficacy and PE. Sixty British participants with and without PE aged between 18 and 50 years took part in an online cross-sectional survey consisting of questionnaires measuring PE, sexual self-efficacy, sexual fantasy, depression, anxiety and demographic information. The total and direct effects of sexual self- efficacy on PE were significant. Further, anxiety mediated the relationship between PE and sexual self-efficacy. However, depression and sexual fantasy did not mediate the relationship between these variables. Higher levels of depression, anxiety, and lower levels of sexual self-efficacy were reported among the PE group than the non-PE group. Sexual fantasies further differed between PE and non-PE groups where ‘self-derogatory’ sexual fantasies such as “embarrassment due to failure of a sex act” were commonly reported among the PE group. The preliminary findings from this pilot study suggest the possible use of performance anxiety reduction techniques in the treatment of PE.

Lasting Effects of a Community-Based Self-Management Intervention for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in China: Outcomes at 2-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Trial.

This research is to evaluate the lasting effects of a community-based self-management intervention for patients with type 2 diabetes at 2-year follow-up in China. Five hundred patients with diabetes were recruited and randomly divided into intervention group and control group. Eight times standardized self-management intervention group activities were conducted. The results of physical examination, biochemical laboratory examination, health behavior, and self-efficacy information were collected before intervention, 3 months after intervention, and 2 years after intervention. The total score for self-efficacy in the intervention group increased from 96.12 ± 17.48 to 112.90 ± 14.58 after intervention and decreased after 2 years (106.98 ± 18.03; F = 6.64, P = .0014). The number of days of self-blood glucose monitoring in the intervention group was increased from 1 day per week to 2 days per week after intervention, and 2 days per week at 2-year follow-up (F = 8.02, P = .0003). The frequency of average number of aerobic exercises in the intervention group increased from 6 days per week to 7 days per week after intervention and was 7 days per week at 2-year follow-up (F = 3.63, P = .0269). Community-based self-management group intervention for patients with diabetes has long-term effects.

Better together: Effects of four self-efficacy-building strategies on online statistical learning

The goal of this study is to test the individual and combined effects of supplementing an online statistics lesson with four motivational strategies corresponding to Bandura’s (1997) four sources of self-efficacy (anxiety coping, modeling, mental practice, and effort feedback) on cognitive, motivational, and affective outcomes. Internet participants (N = 279) completed an online statistics module in one of six conditions with one or all four self-efficacy-building strategies (5 treatment conditions) or none of these strategies (control condition). The results indicated that the four strategies worked effectively in combination, significantly improving transfer test scores (d = 0.608), increasing self-efficacy ratings (d = 0.696), and reducing task anxiety ratings (d = −0.534), as compared with the control condition. By contrast, no motivational strategy alone was effective. The results suggest the importance of taking advantage of the power of all four sources of self-efficacy information in combination when designing motivational interventions for online mathematical lessons.

Factors Influencing Walking and Exercise Adherence in Healthy Older Adults Using Monitoring and Interfacing Technology: Preliminary Evidence.

Background: Monitoring and interfacing technologies may increase physical activity (PA) program adherence in older adults, but they should account for aspects influencing older adults’ PA behavior. This study aimed at gathering preliminary wrist-based PA adherence data in free-living and relate these to the influencing factors. Methods: Ten healthy older adults (4 females, aged 70–78 years) provided health, fatigue, activity levels, attitude towards pacing, and self-efficacy information and performed a 6 min-walk test to assess their fitness. After a baseline week they followed a two-week walking and exercise intervention. Participants saw their progress via a purposely designed mobile application. Results: Walking and exercise adherence did not increase during the intervention (p = 0.38, p = 0.65). Self-efficacy decreased (p = 0.024). The baseline physical component of the Short Form Health Survey was the most predictive variable of walking adherence. Baseline perceived risk of over-activity and resting heart rate (HRrest) were the most predictive variables of exercise adherence. When the latter two were used to cluster participants according to their exercise adherence, the fitness gap between exercise-adherent and non-adherent increased after the intervention (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Risk of over-activity and HRrest profiled short-term exercise adherence in older adults. If confirmed in a larger and longer study, these could personalize interventions aimed at increasing adherence.

Researchers emotions after information retrieval from databases available through the Egyptian Knowledge Bank: Impacts of perceived self-efficacy

Information search and retrieval are feeling experiences that are characterized by affirmative or negative feelings that affect awareness, memory, performance, and judgment. Feelings and other environmental and personal factors play a significant role in defining the success or failure of a search. The study was based on Bandura's four main sources of self-efficacy information, i.e., Personal self-assessment and mastery experience, social persuasion, indirect experience and comparison with others, and physiological states, on researchers' feelings after research articles retrieval. A questionnaire was managed, and 254 responses were accurate, valid, and applicable for data analysis and interpretation. Multiple linear regression test was conducted to evaluate the effect of the four main sources of self-efficacy research articles on researchers' feelings after articles retrieval. Additionally, the relationships between the sources of researchers' self-efficacy and feelings after retrieving research articles were examined considering several demographic variables and individual characteristics. The results suggested that social feedback had a major impact on researchers' feelings after articles retrieval and that Personal self-assessment and affective arousal also had impacts. The data analysis revealed that older and more proficient researchers mentioned being more influenced by their Personal self-assessment and their physiological arousal and their feelings. The study applied a quantitative research method using multiple linear regression test, which provided salutary experimental insights and a comprehensive perception for knowledge bank managers of the factors that have important impacts on researchers' feelings after articles retrieval. The results contribute a modern perspective to past studies on researchers' feelings after research articles retrieval, which has not previously been researched in the Egyptian context.

Health Behavior Prediction Model Based on Health Literacy among Mothers with Obesity Children

INTRODUCTION: Mothers have an important role in childhood obesity. The role of the mother is influenced by self-care, self-efficacy, child health status, and health information obtained by mothers who form health literacy in the prevention of obesity in children.
 AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the health behavior prediction model based on health literacy among mothers with obesity children.
 METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional study design. The study sample was all mothers who had school children aged 7–15 years in Jakarta Province, Indonesia, in 2018, with a sample of 301 people. The sampling technique used proportional random sampling. Data were collected by health literacy questionnaire, self-care, self-efficacy, health status, health information, and maternal health behavior in the prevention of childhood obesity that has been validated. Data were analyzed using the structural equation model using Stata version 14.2 (Stata Corporation) software.
 RESULTS: The results of this study found that determinant variables associated with obese children’s behavior prevention in mothers were health literacy, self-care, self-efficacy, health status, and health information (p < 0.05). The model of maternal health behavior to prevent childhood obesity based on health literacy, health information, and health status explained 40% of maternal health behavior variances. In addition, health information, self-care, self-efficacy, and health status associated with health literacy described 34%.
 CONCLUSION: This study confirmed maternal health behavior based on health literacy to prevent childhood obesity. These results will help health professionals promoting effective childhood obesity prevention among mothers.

Short-Term Information Technology Training Impact on Research Self-Efficacy of Undergraduate Students at Provincial Cambodian Universities

This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of research self-efficacy short-term information technology (IT) skills training intervention administered to 3rd year and 4th year undergraduate students at three provincial Cambodian universities. The training intervention was conducted at the universities' computer centers where the internet could be accessed. The training lasted three weeks for 60 hours in total and covered topics such as using statistical analysis software, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and referencing software. The participants were 461 undergraduate students at universities during the 2018 academic year. The survey method used for this study was based on the “Research Self-Efficacy Scale” by Phillips and Russell (1994), which was administered before and after the training. The research used descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the participants’ research self-efficacy perceptions increased after conducting the intervention. The results showed that there was a significant increase in mean score after intervention based upon a 5-point scale from 2.10 (SD = 0.68) before the intervention to 3.57 (SD = 0.54) afterward. These findings suggest that IT training intervention is beneficial for undergraduate students at provincial universities in Cambodia resulting in an improvement in research self-efficacy.

Working on Stories to Enhance Career Decision Makings Self-Efficacy

This article considers the potential complementarity of traditional career assessment and more recent narrative approaches -in particular narrative career counseling and story telling approach- to career counseling in terms of theory and practice. It describes an Integrated Qualitative Structured Interview to construct stories about the four sources of career decision making self-efficacy information: mastery experiences, vicarious learning, social persuasion and emotions regulations techniques. The model facilitates and enables narrative exploration to supplement clients’ knowledge and understanding of the role of past and present influences concerning career decision making self-efficacy. The Narrative career counselling and the story telling approach and Social Cognitive Career Theory are the foundation of the qualitative structured interview based on story crafting questions.

Feasibility of Home-Based Neurologic Music Therapy for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Pilot Study.

Family caregivers often feel ill-equipped to handle bothersome behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, such as agitation, apathy, and sleep disturbances, leading to increased caregiver distress and nursing home placement for people with dementia. Therapies for such symptoms are currently limited and non-pharmacological options are preferred, given potential side effects of medications. Neurologic music therapy (NMT) could provide an additional treatment option for managing behavioral and psychological symptoms for community-dwelling people with dementia and their caregivers. This pilot study sought to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of home-based NMT for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Eighteen persons with dementia-caregiver dyads were enrolled to receive one-hour weekly sessions of home-based NMT for 6 weeks. Demographic, quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptom, and caregiver burden and self-efficacy information was collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Seven dyads (38.9%) withdrew from therapy before completing all sessions; these participants had higher Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores and were of older age at baseline. For those who completed therapy, neuropsychiatric symptom scores improved at 6 weeks, an effect that was sustained at 12 weeks. No other outcome measures changed significantly after therapy. Initiating NMT too late in the course of dementia, when behavioral symptoms are already present, may be impractical for people with dementia and increase caregiver stress, even when provided within the home. Introducing and incorporating the principles of NMT earlier in the course of dementia could allow for increased comfort and benefit for people with dementia and their caregivers.