Self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Academic Stress in Senior Secondary Students

This study examined self efficacy as a predictor of academic stress among senior secondary students. The sample comprised of one hundred twelfth class students of different private schools of Lucknow district. All the students were from CBSE and ISC board with science (Physics, Chemistry & Math) stream. Self efficacy was assessed by Bandura's Multidimensional Scale of perceived self efficacy having 57 items in nine dimensions (i.e. Enlisting social resources self efficacy, Academic achievement self efficacy, Self regulated learning, Leisure time skill and extracurricular activities, Self regulatory efficacy to resist peer pressure, Meet others expectations, Social self efficacy, Self assertive efficacy, Enlisting parental and community support). Academic Stress scale was developed by the researchers having 46 items. Results revealed a significant negative correlation between self efficacy and academic stress. Regarding the correlation of academic stress with different dimensions of self efficacy, all the dimensions were found to have significant negative correlation with academic stress except leisure time skill and extracurricular activities, self regulatory efficacy to resist peer pressure and academic achievement self efficacy. The results of stepwise regression revealed that self regulated learning, meet other's expectations, leisure time skill & extracurricular activities and enlisting parental & community support predicted 25% variance in academic stress. These findings imply that promoting these variables in senior secondary students might help them experience lesser academic stress.