Self-Efficacy as a Resource Factor in Stress Appraisal Processes

Abstract

The present research attempted to establish the usefulness of such a problem-solving/social-cognitive approach to anti-smoking interventions by first investigating the nature and causes of problem-solving deficiencies among students at high risk for cigarette smoking. Second determining if various self-efficacy problem-solving elements influence smoking decisions so as to alter the level of temptation experienced in social situations. Some 4,000 sixth, eighth, and tenth grade reacted to hypothetical smoking scenarios by rating temptation level, intentions to smoke, and the likelihood of applying ten problem-solving strategies thought to mediate smoking intentions. Between-group analysis indicated consistent differences in problem-solving approaches among individuals with various smoking histories, regardless of grade, sex, ethnicity or ability level. Moreover, path analysis showed that self-efficacy strategies and outcome expectations acted as mediators of the temptation intention relationship regardless of smoking history. Implications of these results for a social problem-solving approach to adolescent health education are considered.