This study examined the utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) in the prediction of undergraduate college student's math and science interests and choice goals. Coping efficacy and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed separately in order to better understand the relationships between supports, barriers, coping efficacy, and math/science self-efficacy within the SCCT model. Two-hundred and forty-six undergraduate college students completed measures of math and science-related supports, barriers, coping efficacy, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals. A model specifying that barriers, but not supports, were directly related to math and science choice goals provided the best fit to the data. Paths within the best-fitting model provided support for hypotheses specific to SCCT's interest and choice models. Findings also revealed that coping efficacy partially mediated the relation between supports and math/science self-efficacy. In addition, coping efficacy was found to serve as both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between barriers and math/science self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for career counseling and for future research on the SCCT model are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examined the utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) in the prediction of undergraduate college student's math and science interests and choice goals. Coping efficacy and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed separately in order to better understand the relationships between supports, barriers, coping efficacy, and math/science self-efficacy within the SCCT model. Two-hundred and forty-six undergraduate college students completed measures of math and science-related supports, barriers, coping efficacy, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals. A model specifying that barriers, but not supports, were directly related to math and science choice goals provided the best fit to the data. Paths within the best-fitting model provided support for hypotheses specific to SCCT's interest and choice models. Findings also revealed that coping efficacy partially mediated the relation between supports and math/science self-efficacy. In addition, coping efficacy was found to serve as both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between barriers and math/science self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for career counseling and for future research on the SCCT model are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Abrams, Matthew David"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Philosophy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:31Z","subjects":["choice goals","contextual influences","coping efficacy","math and science","social cognitive theory","undergraduate college students","Counseling Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/410","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Abrams, Matthew David"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1970-01-01T11:35:24Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["choice goals","contextual influences","coping efficacy","math and science","social cognitive theory","undergraduate college students","Counseling Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/410"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examined the utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) in the prediction of undergraduate college student's math and science interests and choice goals. Coping efficacy and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed separately in order to better understand the relationships between supports, barriers, coping efficacy, and math/science self-efficacy within the SCCT model. Two-hundred and forty-six undergraduate college students completed measures of math and science-related supports, barriers, coping efficacy, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals. A model specifying that barriers, but not supports, were directly related to math and science choice goals provided the best fit to the data. Paths within the best-fitting model provided support for hypotheses specific to SCCT's interest and choice models. Findings also revealed that coping efficacy partially mediated the relation between supports and math/science self-efficacy. In addition, coping efficacy was found to serve as both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between barriers and math/science self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for career counseling and for future research on the SCCT model are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Social Cognitive Predictors for Undergraduate College Student's Choice Goals in Math and Science: Understanding the Role of Coping Efficacy"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Abrams, Matthew David"],"dc:date.available":["1970-01-01T11:35:24Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study examined the utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) in the prediction of undergraduate college student's math and science interests and choice goals. Coping efficacy and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed separately in order to better understand the relationships between supports, barriers, coping efficacy, and math/science self-efficacy within the SCCT model. Two-hundred and forty-six undergraduate college students completed measures of math and science-related supports, barriers, coping efficacy, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals. A model specifying that barriers, but not supports, were directly related to math and science choice goals provided the best fit to the data. Paths within the best-fitting model provided support for hypotheses specific to SCCT's interest and choice models. Findings also revealed that coping efficacy partially mediated the relation between supports and math/science self-efficacy. In addition, coping efficacy was found to serve as both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between barriers and math/science self-efficacy beliefs. Implications for career counseling and for future research on the SCCT model are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/410"],"dc:subject":["choice goals","contextual influences","coping efficacy","math and science","social cognitive theory","undergraduate college students","Counseling Psychology"],"dc:title":["Social Cognitive Predictors for Undergraduate College Student's Choice Goals in Math and Science: Understanding the Role of Coping Efficacy"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Philosophy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:55:31Z"}