Self efficacy configurations and wellbeing in the academic context: A person centred approach
The aim of the present study was to identify self efficacy configurations in different domains (i.e. emotional, social, and self regulated learning) in a sample of university students using a person centred approach. Results from a two cohort sample (N 1650) assessed at the beginning of their first year supported a 4 cluster solution: 1) Highly Self Efficacious students, with high levels of self efficacy in all domains; 2) Low Self Efficacious students, with low levels of self efficacy in all domains; 3) Learning and Socially Self Efficacious students, with a medium high level of self regulated learning, medium level of social, and medium low level of emotional self efficacies; and 4) Emotionally Self Efficacious students, with a medium high level of emotional, medium low level of social, and low level of self regulated learning self efficacies. The association of these configurations with wellbeing indicators, concurrently and one year later, provides support for the validity of the cluster solution. Specifically, by adopting the informative hypothesis testing approach, results showed that the first and second groups have the best and the worst wellbeing levels, respectively. Furthermore, whereas the other two groups did not differ with respect to depression, Learning and Socially Self Efficacious students have higher life satisfaction than the last group. These results were confirmed both concurrently and over time.