Self-regulatory efficacy and sources of efficacy in elementary school pupils : Self-regulatory experiences in a population sample and pupils with attention and executive function difficulties

Abstract

In this study, we examined self-regulatory efficacy and sources of self-efficacy (mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion and physiological/emotional states) and the relationships between self-efficacy and its sources among elementary school pupils. Two groups were compared: a population sample (PS, N = 1284) and pupils with difficulties in attention and executive functions (AED, N = 61). Data gathered from self-report questionnaires indicated that pupils in the PS group had more positive efficacy beliefs and mastery experiences and fewer negative physiological/emotional states than the AED group. Analyses showed strong connections between sources and self-regulatory efficacy. In the PS group, the sources had small unique influences on self-regulatory efficacy, indicating that most of the variance was shared between the sources. In the AED group, sources had less shared variance compared to the PS group. Mastery experiences alone had a strong effect on self-regulatory efficacy, while vicarious experiences had a negative effect on self-efficacy.