SELF-EFFICACY IN RELATION TO OCCUPATIONAL CONSIDERATION AND ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE IN HIGH-SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY STUDENTS

Bandura's (1977, 1986) self-efficacy theory was tested in relation to occupational consideration and academic performance with 35 High School Equivalency Program students from seasonal farmworker backgrounds. Within-individual and aggregate analyses indicated a moderate to strong relationship between extent of consideration of occupational activities and self-efficacy, interests, and incentives. Individual differences in the strength of the relationship between self-efficacy and extent of consideration were associated with individual differences in generality of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy expectations for academic areas were moderately related to accomplishment and ability, but not to effort, in those areas. The use of incentives as a moderator of the relationship between self-efficacy and occupational consideration illustrated a more complete test of Bandura's theory.