Self-efficacy

• What is self efficacy?

  Refers to the belief we have in our own ability to carry out an action or a task

  Bandura suggested that self-efficacy is central to our motivation to change behaviour
• Self efficacy is influenced by: Outcome expectancy


  This is an individual’s assessment that a certain behaviour will lead to a particular outcome
• Self-efficacy is influenced by: Mastery experiences 


  Mastery means experience success

  ·         Having success builds self-belief

  ·         If an individual experiences failure, it is important to develop resilience by treating the failure as learning opportunity.

  ·         Be careful not to set a task that is too challenging, as failure will be inevitable and mastery will not be experienced
• Self-efficacy is influenced by: Vicarious reinforcement


  Behaviour is influenced by observations of role models being rewarded

  E.g: if an addict observes a peer winning at gambling, they may also want to gamble

  Or

  IF a drug addict observes a peer successfully quit and they are publicly congratulated or if they have more money to spend on other luxuries.

   
• Self-efficacy is influenced by: Social persuasion

  Persuasion by respected others, such as friends and family, can provide a temporary boost in a persons perceived ability to make change

   

  Individuals who receive persuasion are likely to:

  ·         Put in more effort and sustain it

  ·         Overcome self-doubt
• Self efficacy is influenced by: Emotional State


  Stress, anxiety, worry and fear all negatively affect self-efficacy

  If stress is reduced and emotional state improves, a change in self-efficacy can be observed

  E.g: If an addict can reduce their anxiety about their gambling behaviour, they are more likely to stop
• Types of self-efficacy (related to addiction)

  1.      Resistant self-efficacy- a person’s belief about their ability to prevent an addictive behaviour from starting

  2.      Harmful reduction self-efficacy- a person’s belief about theor ability to keep harmful effects of their addiction to a minimum

  3.      Coping self- efficacy- a person’s belief in their ability to avoid relapse

  4.      Recovery self-efficacy- a person’s belief in their ability to recover from a relapse, once it occurs.

   
• Strengths


  ·         Support from research: strong relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and behaviour change- areas of weight control, contraception use, exercise, etc

  ·         Effective practical applications: opportunities to perform a task successfully have to be structured very carefully. Easier ones followed by later harder ones
• Weakness


  ·         Huge variation in how concepts of the theory are defined and measured: Self efficacy has sometimes been confused with self esteem

  ·         Universal belief that high self efficacy Is a positive thing, but there is evidence that it can backfire and cause overconfidence/complacency