Examining the Contributions of Coping Self-Efficacy and Help-Seeking Behaviour on Academic Performance
Date
2023-08-10
Authors
Paular, Rikka
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Abstract
Self-regulated learning (SRL) has become an essential aspect of education, with a focus on improving students' skills and strategies to learn and perform effectively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of instrumental help-seeking in the relationship between coping self-efficacy and academic performance from a SRL perspective. Participants (N=233) were enrolled in an elective educational psychology course at a Western Canadian University and completed weekly self-assessments related to SRL practices (e.g., coping self-efficacy, time management, help-seeking behaviours). Path analyses using structural equation modeling were used to examine the mediating role of instrumental help-seeking behaviour on the relationship between coping self-efficacy and academic performance. Findings revealed that coping self-efficacy was not significantly related to academic performance, and that instrumental help-seeking behaviour did not mediate this relationship. However, subsequent models showed that while coping self-efficacy may not directly impact students' GPA, it does influence their help-seeking behaviors. Specifically, the results demonstrated that students with low coping self-efficacy tend to avoid seeking help and perceive it as a threat. Notably, only executive help-seeking behavior had a negative association with GPA, suggesting that relying on others to solve the task may have a detrimental effect on academic performance. Overall, this study offered valuable insights into the role of coping self-efficacy and help-seeking behaviors in academic settings, emphasizing the need for further research to investigate the underlying factors contributing to the negative association between executive help-seeking and GPA.
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Coping self-efficacy, help-seeking behaviours, academic performance, self-regulated learning