Thesis
Promoting academic self-efficacy in first-generation college students (Bachelor’s thesis).
(2019)
Abstract
The objective of this research was to assess differences in academic self-efficacy between
demographic classifications, with special regard to differences between first- and
continuing-generation college students. Additionally, I explored the relationship between
levels of academic self-efficacy and perceived stress within the academic domain.
Bandura (1997) coined the term self-efficacy to refer to the individual’s belief that they
can take necessary action in order to achieve their goals. In this thesis, I aimed to
measure the success of a written academic self-efficacy intervention within a college
freshman sample, but the lack of sufficient matched pairs led me to modify the secondary
hypothesis to instead measure the changes in academic self-efficacy between two time
intervals. Regarding the primary hypotheses, the analyses revealed no significant
relationship between academic self-efficacy and generational status, nor a correlation
between academic self-efficacy scores and perceived stress scores. However, additional
analyses were conducted to identify gender and race/ethnicity as areas of interest in
student stress outcomes, as female participants and students of color reported
significantly higher stress levels. This research was limited by a small sample size and
limited generalizability. I made future recommendations to address these disparities and
apply this information in a productive capacity.
Keywords
- academic self-efficacy,
- beliefs in educational success test,
- perceived stress,
- university stress scale,
- first-generation college students,
- generational status,
- efficacy intervention
Disciplines
Publication Date
December 15, 2019
Degree
Bechelor of Arts
Field of study
Psychology
Department
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Advisor
Reed M. Mueller, Ph.D.
Citation Information
Sydney Quintana. "Promoting academic self-efficacy in first-generation college students (Bachelor’s thesis)." (2019) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/r-mueller/64/