Understanding Self-Efficacy for Alcohol Use: The Roles of Self-Monitoring and Hypothesized Source Variables

Self-efficacy for avoiding alcohol use predicts alcohol use after treatment. However, self-efficacy predicts outcome differentially depending on whether ratings are made before or after treatment. In order to increase the predictive validity of self-efficacy judgments, the hypothesized sources of self-efficacy were examined in the current study utilizing a college student population. Self-efficacy ratings for avoiding heavy drinking before and after self-monitoring of drinking behavior were examined in order to understand whether careful examination of current behavior would result in more informed self-efficacy judgments. Participants (N = 135) completed questionnaires that assessed self-efficacy, drinking behaviors, alcohol expectancies, and perceived normative alcohol use. Participants were assigned to either the control or self-monitoring condition. Self-monitors recorded drinking behaviors during the four weeks after the baseline assessment. All participants returned for a follow-up assessment four weeks later. Consistent with predictions based on social cognitive theory, heavy drinking, positive alcohol expectancies, and perceived norms of use were inversely related to self-efficacy. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that self-monitoring did not lead to stronger relationships between source variables and self-efficacy. Individuals who appeared to be overconfident in their self-efficacy judgments at baseline did not make more accurate ratings as a result of self-monitoring. Results from this study highlight potential sources of information individuals use in making self-efficacy judgments.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Department dc:contributor.department

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2002

Author dc:creator

• Walker, N. Robrina

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Stephens, Robert S.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Clum, George A. Jr.
• Ollendick, Thomas H.

• perceived norms
• outcome expectancies
• alcohol
• Self-efficacy

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05232002-134007

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33136