Academic self-efficacy as a resilience factor among adjudicated girls

Gila Amitay*, Thomas Gumpel

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding learning disabilities (LDs) as a non-specific risk factor for delinquency among adolescent at-risk girls and investigates academic, social and emotional self-efficacy of adolescent girls with and without LDs in three educational settings: youth protection authority facilities (YPA), special education (SE) and general education (GE). In addition to self-efficacy variables, the study also gathered emotional-behavioural data. The sample included 46 girls adjudicated in YPA facilities, 31 with LDs, and 15 without LDs, 7 girls placed in SE settings due to their LDs, 23 girls attending GE settings, 14 with LDs, and 9 without LDs. Non-parametric analysis indicated that GE girls without LDs had the highest general and academic self-efficacy beliefs compared to all other research groups. YPA girls with LDs had the lowest general self-efficacy beliefs among research groups, and SE girls had the lowest academic self-efficacy. Regression analyses indicated LDs as main effect variable predicting all types of self-efficacy, except emotional self-efficacy beliefs. SES, institution type and anxiety were also frequent variables predicting variations in self-efficacy beliefs. Reasonable academic self-efficacy beliefs found among adjudicated girls with LDs can indicate academic self-efficacy as an achievable resilience factor, especially when working with at-risk girls suffering LDs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)202-227
Number of pages26
JournalInternational Journal of Adolescence and Youth
Volume20
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Apr 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis.

Keywords

  • Gender
  • Learning disabilities
  • Self efficacy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Academic self-efficacy as a resilience factor among adjudicated girls'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this