ERIC Number: ED526465
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 116
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: ISBN-978-1-1245-4695-7
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Applying Self-Efficacy Theory to Understanding the Behavioral Expectations of College Students with Disabilities in Requesting Accommodations
Snitker-Magin, Mikael C.
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Wisconsin - Madison
The purpose of the study was to apply Bandura's self-efficacy theory to understanding the behavior of college students with disabilities in requesting accommodations. Students with disabilities were recruited from 20 two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions by asking student disabilities services staff to forward an email invitation to participate to students with disabilities who were registered for services. The email message provided a link to a questionnaire using SurveyMonkey, which included measures of task-specific self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, behavior expectations, and confidence in knowledge related to requesting accommodations, all based on the work of Palmer (1998; Palmer & Roessler, 2000), in addition to a measure of general self-efficacy. A total of 83 students with disabilities provided responses to all measures and were included in the final sample. The results of the study supported the importance of task-specific self-efficacy to behavior expectations in requesting accommodations. Task-specific self-efficacy was found to mediate the relationship between confidence in knowledge and behavior expectations. In addition, consistent with self-efficacy theory, task-specific self-efficacy was found to explain variance in behavior expectations in requesting accommodations, beyond that explained by general self-efficacy. Also consistent with self-efficacy theory, task-specific self efficacy was found to explain variance in behavior expectations, beyond that explained by outcome expectancies. In making the transition from high school to college, students with disabilities must take a more active role in obtaining needed accommodations, and they may require assistance from disability services programs in making this transition. The results of this study suggest that interventions to improve the task-specific self-efficacy of college students with disabilities may facilitate their behavior in making accommodation requests. In addition, the measures developed and used in the study may be helpful in operationalizing constructs related to self-efficacy theory for disability services programs in working with students and for future research. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: College Students, Self Efficacy, Disabilities, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Postsecondary Education, Community Colleges, Undergraduate Students, Surveys, Task Analysis, High School Students, Educational Psychology, Special Education
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: High Schools; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A