Autoeficacia académica y ansiedad, como incidente crítico, en mujeres y hombres universitarios / Academic Self-efficacy and Anxiety, as a Critical Incident in Female and Male University Students

Resumen Con el objetivo de explorar las relaciones entre la autoeficacia académica y la ansiedad, como inciden te crítico, el presente estudio descriptivo-correlacional incluyó una muestra de 310 estudiantes (183 mujeres y 127 hombres), quienes respondieron a la Escala de Autoeficacia en Conductas Académicas (EACA), la Escala de Ansiedad ZUNG y el Inventario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo (IDARE). La prueba de Pearson indicó una correlación positiva significativa entre las puntuaciones de autoeficacia percibida, deseable y alcanzable en EACA, pero una correlación negativa con el índice de mejora de la misma prueba; es decir, los puntajes de autoeficacia percibida, deseable y alcanzable se com portan de manera similar; pero, a medida en que los puntajes de estos tres indicadores disminuyen, la puntuación del índice de mejora es mayor. Por lo tanto, la autoeficacia percibida se tomó como el principal indicador de EACA, la cual se correlacionó inversamente con los puntajes de las escalas de ZUNG e IDARE; es decir, cuanto menor es la autoeficacia percibida mayor es el nivel de ansie dad. En un segundo análisis, un criterio arbitrario permitió definir tres rangos de puntuaciones en autoeficacia percibida: baja (puntuación 1-7.4), intermedia (puntuación 7.5-8.9) y alta (puntuación 9.0-10.0). Un ANOVA de dos vías indicó que los estudiantes, con niveles de autoeficacia percibida baja, obtuvieron los niveles de ansiedad más altos con la conocida tendencia del género femenino a desarrollar mayores puntajes de ansiedad. En conclusión, los estudiantes con baja autoeficacia perci bida manifiestan ansiedad en el momento de la prueba. Permanece pendiente la exploración de una relación causa-efecto.

Abstract: With the aim of exploring relationships between academic self-efficacy and anxiety, as critical incidents, this des criptive study included a sample of 310 students (183 women and 127 men). Volunteers responded to the Self-efficacy in Academic Behavior Scale (EACA), ZUNG anxiety scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A correlation analysis was performed between the different levels of perceived, desirable, achievable self-efficacy and an improvement index with anxiety indicators. A Pearson analysis indicated a moderate but significant positive correlation among perceived, desirable, and attainable self-efficacy scores in the EACA test, but a negative corre lation among these three indicators and the same test's improvement index. In other words, perceived, desirable, and attainable self-efficacy scores tabulated similarly, but as the scores of these three indicators rose, the score of the improvement index declined. Therefore, the perceived self-efficacy was taken as main indicator of EACA. The perceived self-efficacy correlated inversely with the scores obtained on ZUNG and STAI scales, i.e., as lower the perceived self-efficacy, the higher the level of anxiety. In second analyses, an arbitrary criterion allowed the esta blishment of three ranges of perceived self-efficacy scores into low (score 1-7.4), intermediate (score 7.5-8.9) and high (score 9.0-10.0). A two-way ANOVA indicated that students in the low range of perceived self-efficacy also scored the highest anxiety levels, with the well-known trend of feminine gender to express high levels of anxiety. In conclusion, students with low perceived self-efficacy are also anxious at the moment of the test, leaving for the future an exploration of a cause and effect relationship.

Perceived Self Efficacy and Mental Health among Elderly.

Objectives: Perceived self-efficacy is a belief centers on appraisal vs. misappraisal of capabilities within the individual to produce designated level of performance. It mediates the relationship between functional decline, health condition and the need for formal care services. The present stduy aimed to study the impact of perceived self efficacy on mental health and to explore the predictor of mental health among elderly population. Method: The study consisted of 160 elderly respondents. Half of these were males and the other half females. They were further sub-divided into eight groups on the basis of their gender and age. Each of eight subgroups consisted of 20 respondents and assessed on the measures of Perceived Self Efficacy (PSE) and Mental Health i.e. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results: The mean differences showed that the elderly males scored higher on the measure of PSE and GHQ and showed better meatal health than elderly females. Again the younger elderly groups scored higher on the measures of PSE and GHQ and reported better mental health than the elderly of advanced age groups. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the problem of elderly is emerging not only due to their increasing proportion of age but also due to their own faulty cognitions and perceptionof aging. Perceived self efficacy emerged as an imjportant predictor of mental health among elderly males and females i.e. elderly who perceive themselves self efficacious to have control over their environment reported better mental health and vice versa.

A follow up study of diabetic camp activity on perceived self-efficacy and self-care behaviors in diabetic children.

This study aims to follow up the perceived self-efficacy and self-care behavior of diabetic control in diabetic children after attending a diabetic camp. The study involved twenty type-I diabetic children and adolescents age 10-19 years old. The data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed in percentage, mean, standard deviation and comparing the mean scores of perceived self-efficacy and self-care behavior behavior by using paired t-test and ANOVA. The results demonstrated that the children’s perceived self-efficacy of control of their diabetes before attending the camp, on the last day of self-efficacy in insulin injection was significantly different (P < .05). The children’s self-care behavior before attending the camp, on the lest day of the camp, and three months following the camp, were not different (P > .05), but it was found that self-care behavior in sugar control in daily life and in various special occasions were significantly different (P < .05 and P < .001 respectively). The diabetic control indicators HbA1C, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were better three months after attending the camp ; these improvements were statistically significant (P< .05, P < .01 and P < .01 respectively). It is recommended that diabetic children be encouraged to attend diabetic camp in order to develop self-efficacy, a crucial factor enabling diabetic children to practice appropriate self-care, in order to control their diseases and prevent complications.

The effects of participation in an obesity summer camp on perceived self-efficacy and weight control in obese Thai children.

Obesity is a condition that can play a very significant role on the health of children who are growing up into maturity. The effects of obesity include increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Its major causes are excessive eating, lack of restraint, and easily gratifying their desire for tasty food. If an adjustment can be made to their perception and behavior so that they can define the volume of food consumed then these obese children are capable of monitoring their weight and are able to reduce the risk of illness as a consequence of obesity without needing weight control pills which can be detrimental to their health. The most important factor that can help to change obese children's behavior is their perceived self-efficiency in monitoring their weight by self-control practiced by dieting and balanced excercise using the support of other members of the obese children group. Participation in the summer camp for obese children has the following objectives to promote their perceived self-efficacy; to make an adjustment to their consumption and exercise behavior, and to make them aware of the effects of obesity. The activities of the project comprised of education relating to obese children and their parents, restriction of energy intake to 800 Kcal/d, participation in group activities and exercise e.g. swimming, aerobics, and visual education without administration of weight control tablets for 4 weeks, 5 days/week. After completing of the summer camp, group meetings were held occasionally to assess their perceived self-efficacy. The results of monitoring the behavior of 20 obese children participating in project with BMI ranging from 26-41 Kg/m2, with age range of 10-15 years, were assessed by data collection by questionnaires concerning perceived self-efficacy, a BMI Assessment Form, and the data analysed using paired t-test. The results of the assessment on the last day of the summer camp and 12 weeks after the late day found that obese children had an increased perceived self-efficacy at a statistically significant level of P<.001 on both occasions. It can be concluded therefore that participation in a summer camp by obese children made them have aware of their ability to control their weight and that they could decrease their weight without needing weight control pills.