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Where does
confidence go?
Managing self-efficacy
in the pursuit
of college success
From the Winter 2009 Parent Newsletter
Question: I'm confused. After high school graduation,
my daughter was full of confidence and enthusiasm about starting at the U. She's
been doing OK academically so far, but I've really seen a drop-off in her confidence.
Any thoughts on why or what we can do?
While facilitating a dissertation support group recently, I re-discovered a concept
from one of my early psychology classes: self-efficacy. This concept came up
after I noticed how common "confidence" issues were for graduate students
when they talked about their dissertations (despite proven track records for
academic success). Looking at their struggles through the lens of self-efficacy
helped to account for them.
A simple definition of self-efficacy: the degree of confidence someone has in
completing an identified goal. Though simple, this definition contains some complexities.
For example, self-efficacy depends on specific goals we face—it is not
a general quality or attained level of competency. Thus, in some goals, such
as driving or shooting free throws, I have a high degree of confidence in my
ability to be successful. On the other hand, my ability to dance a waltz without
stepping on my partner's feet is decidedly more in doubt. In short, our level
of self-efficacy is higher in some tasks than in others.
New experiences are common traps for affecting our confidence. The feelings associated
with high levels of self-efficacy can't be beat. On the other hand, low levels
of self-efficacy leave us feeling as though our efforts are just not good enough.
To compound the problem, lower confidence in one area seems to raise our doubts
overall.
I mention this story about grad students partly to note that the issue of diminishing
confidence is common and to suggest that it may account for some of what you've
observed in your daughter. Undergraduates face a significant number of new experiences,
and moving from the empowering feelings earned from mastering high school to
the doubts generated in early college can be jarring.
So, what can be done?
There's a relatively simple, three-part recipe to effectively navigating low
self-efficacy:
- Practice, practice, practice
- Mentorship or coaching
- Authentic encouragement
The first part is intuitive—the more we try, the more we learn; the more
we learn, the better we perform; the better we perform, the more we succeed and
experience confidence. Mentors and coaches in the second part are essential for
hope, vision, and efficiency. For example, a dance instructor will help me improve
my dancing more quickly than if I were left to my own devices. The third part
is needed to keep our emotional batteries going while the pursuit of new goals
wears on us.
...and what can I do?
For parents, there are two main considerations: First, understand what's been
described above—changes in self-efficacy are normal and expected. It is
possible for students to have both a high level of self-efficacy coming out of
high school and to experience low self-efficacy in college.
Second, encourage the steps noted in the three-part recipe. For example, "practice" for
students entails doing the basics—go to class, complete readings and assignments,
work in study groups, and talk with professors. Point out the importance of these
efforts and offer liberal doses of encouragement.
Identifying your role in the three steps is the difficult part. Parents don't
always make the best mentors or coaches; partly because parents often lack needed
expertise (personally, I'd make a lousy mentor for organic chemistry). In addition,
students need to begin forming professional relationships outside the family
(a role well-suited for mentors).
You can assist your student by connecting them with someone else—a faculty
member, an academic adviser, an employer, or another person who is now in your
student's life. Through this process, you are encouraging mastery, promoting
the skills of consultation and networking, and de-stigmatizing the feelings associated
with seeking assistance when it is needed.
Finally, encourage patience in your student. Learning to tolerate low self-efficacy
is an essential skill for raising it later. With time, practice, and guidance,
students grow personally and intellectually. Satisfaction and enthusiasm are
sure to follow. |
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Dr. Scott Slattery, University Counseling & Consulting
Services, addresses questions from parents of University of Minnesota
students. He may be reached at 612-625-4568 or slatt008@umn.edu.
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