Do Differences in Place of Living and Gender Affect the Self-Efficacy and Quality of Life of University Students?

Entering into university level education often poses challenges, both academics as well as life, especially when it demands people to leave their houses and stay in hostels. The present study was conceptualised to measure the general self-efficacy and quality of life of students who approached universities for higher study and to examine whether the differences in place of living and gender affect their self-efficacy and quality of life. Two hundred and forty university students were assessed on their self-efficacy and quality of life using General Self-efficacy Scale and World Health Organisation-Quality of Life BREF questionnaire. The data were analysed by means of descriptive statistics, 2 (place of living) X 2 (gender) between-subjects ANOVA, product moment correlation (r), and line graph. Both place of living and gender played significant role in the university students' self-efficacy and quality of life. The students who lived in their home and women were found to have greater self-efficacy as well as better quality of life compared to the students who lived in hostel and men respectively. It was also observed that women who stayed in hostel were more vulnerable to psychological health issues. The results demonstrate a need for designing interventions that target enhancing self-efficacy in hostel boarders as well as men students such that their quality of life be improved.