Meta-Analysis of Self-Efficacy Interventions in Higher Education

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: College Student Learning and Development

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated powerful relationships between self-efficacy and academic performance, academic expectations, and personal adjustment of first-year college students (e.g., Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001). Given the importance of self-efficacy to academic achievement and because interventions early in students’ university career are likely to be most effective (Chen, Gully, Whiteman, & Kilcullen, 2006), the purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the measures that colleges are taking to cultivate their students’ self-efficacy to improve academic performance.
Twenty-three effect sizes were calculated from the 20 studies selected for inclusion. The average effect size for general self-efficacy is .39 and is larger than the average effect size of .25 for achievement and .19 for science, mathematics, and computer self-efficacy interventions.

Authors

• Monica Maria Silva, University of San Francisco

• Lisa Ryan, Saint Mary's College of California

• Kimberly Kalkbrenner, University of San Francisco

• Carl Featherston, University of San Francisco

• Patricia L. Busk, University of San Francisco

• Laureen Turner, University of San Francisco