Investigation of Academic Success, Psychological Flexibility and Self-efficacy in Teacher Candidates

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to examine the predictive role of psychological flexibility and self-efficacy variables on academic success in teacher candidates studying at education faculties of different universities in Türkiye. The research was based on the correlational study. The research group consisted of 398 teacher candidates (167 male, 42%; 231 female, 58%) studying at the education faculties of different universities in Türkiye in the 2022-2023 academic year. Psychological Flexibility Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Personal Information Form were used as data collection tools in the research. In this research, data were collected via Google Form online method. As a result of the examination of the data obtained in the research, it was determined that the data were suitable for multiple linear regression analysis (stepwise). As a result of the research, the psychological flexibility variable significantly predicted academic achievement in the first place. In the second place, it was determined that the self-efficacy variable predicted significantly.

Keywords

• academic success
• psychological flexibility
• self-efficacy
• teacher candidates

References

1. Aypay, A. (2010). The adaptation study of general self-efficacy (GSE) scale to Turkish. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 11(2), 113-132.
2. Ateş, B. (2016). Psychological well-being and social competence as a predictor of academic success of university students. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 15(59), 1203-1214. https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.263225
3. Ateş, B. ve Sağar, M. E. (2021a). The predictive role of teacher candidates’ life satisfaction and communication skills on academic success. Journal of Family, Counseling and Education, 6(2), 59- 70. https://doi.org/10.32568/jfce.1032814
4. Ateş, B., & Sağar, M. E. (2021b). Cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation skills and resilience as predictors of self-efficacy in university students. İstanbul Aydın University Journal of Social Sciences, 13(3), 679-695.
5. Ateş, B., & Sağar, M. E. (2022a). Resilience, cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy as predictors of academic success in psychological counsellor candidates. Erzincan University Journal of Education Faculty, 24(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.17556/erziefd.894637
6. Ateş, B., & Sağar, M. E. (2022b). The predictive role of psychological flexibility, self-efficacy and communication skills on life satisfaction in teacher candidates. Cumhuriyet International Journal of Education, 11(1), 219-227. https://doi.org/10.30703/cije.1007362
7. Bakırcıoğlu, R. (2012). Dictionary of education and psychology. Anı Publishing.
8. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

9. Bandura, A. (1984). Recycling misconceptions of perceived self-efficacy. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 8(3), 231-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01172995
10. Bandura. A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
11. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman And Company.
12. Basith, A., Syahputra, A., & Ichwanto, M. A. (2020). Academic self-efficacy as predictor of academic achievement. Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia (JPI), 9(1), 163-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.23887/jpiundiksha.v9i1.24403
13. Beauvais, A. M., Stewart, J. G., DeNisco, S., & Beauvais, J. E. (2014). Factors related to academic success among nursing students: A descriptive correlational research study. Nurse Education Today, 34(6), 918-923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2013.12.005
14. Bond, F. W., & Flaxman, P. E. (2006). The ability of psychological flexibility and job control to predict learning, job performance, and mental health. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 26(1-2), 113-130. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v26n01_05
15. Bond, F. W., Hayes, S. C. and Barnes-Holmes, D. (2006). Psychological flexibility, ACT, and organizational behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 26(1-2), 25-54. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v26n01_02
16. Bond, F. W., Lloyd, J., & Guenole, N. (2013). The work‐related acceptance and action questionnaire: Initial psychometric findings and their implications for measuring psychological flexibility in specific contexts. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), 331-347. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12001
17. Bouih, A., Nadif, B., & Benattabou, D. (2021). Assessing the effect of general self-efficacy on academic achievement using path analysis: A preliminary study. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 3(4), 18-24. https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2021.3.4.3
18. Chen, X., Rubin, K. H., & Li, D. (1997). Relation between academic achievement and social adjustment: Evidence from Chinese children. Developmental Psychology, 33(3), 518–525. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.33.3.518
19. Coutinho, S. A. (2007). The relationship between goals, metacognition, and academic success. Educate~, 7(1), 39-47.
20. Goulão, M.F. (2014). The relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement in adults’ learners. Athens Journal of Education, 1(3), 237-246. https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.1-3-4
21. Graziano, P. A., Reavis, R. D., Keane, S. P., & Calkins, S. D. (2007). The role of emotion regulation in children’s early academic success. Journal of School Psychology, 45(1), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2006.09.002
22. Harris, R. (2007). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) introductory workshop handout. Psych Med.
23. Harris, R. (2009). ACT made simple: an easy-to-read primer on acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publication, 9(13), 26-30.
24. Hayes, S. C. (2004). Acceptance and commitment therapy, relational frame theory, and the third wave of behavioral and cognitive therapies. Behavior Therapy, 35, 639-665. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(04)80013-3
25. Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A. and Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006
26. Honicke, T., & Broadbent, J. (2016). The influence of academic self-efficacy on academic performance: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 17, 63-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.11.002
27. Karakuş, S., & Akbay, S. E. (2020). Psychological flexibility scale: Adaptation, validity and reliability study. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 16(1), 32-43. https://doi.org/10.17860/mersinefd.665406
28. Karasar, N. (2016). Scientific research method. Nobel Academic Publishing.
29. Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.001
30. Khan, S., Hafeez, A., & Saeed, M. (2012). The impact of problem solving skill of heads’ on students’ academic achievement. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(1), 316-312.
31. Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2010). Learning ACT: An acceptance ve commitment therapy skills-training manual for therapists. New Harbinger Publications, 60, 549-552.
32. Lucas, J. J., & Moore, K. A. (2020). Psychological flexibility: positive implications for mental health and life satisfaction. Health Promotion International, 35(2), 312-320. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daz036
33. Macakova, V., & Wood, C. (2022). The relationship between academic achievement, self-efficacy, implicit theories and basic psychological needs satisfaction among university students. Studies in Higher Education, 47(2), 259-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1739017
34. Marshall, E. J., & Brockman, R. N. (2016). The relationships between psychological flexibility, self- compassion, and emotional well-being. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 30(1), 60-72. https://doi.org/10.1891/0889-8391.30.1.60
35. Mendes, A. L., Canavarro, M. C., & Ferreira, C. (2022). The roles of self-compassion and psychological flexibility in the psychological well-being of adolescent girls. Current Psychology, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02438-4
36. Motlagh, S. E., Amrai, K., Yazdani, M. J., Abderahim, H. Altaib, & Souri, H. (2011). The relationship between selfefficacy and academic achievement in high school students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 765-768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.03.180
37. Novotny, J. S., & Kremenkova, L. (2016). The relationship between resilience and academic performance at youth placed at risk. Ceskoslovenska Psychologie, 60(6), 553- 566
38. Oriol, X., Miranda, R., Oyanedel, J. C., & Torres, J. (2017). The role of self-control and grit in domains of school success in students of primary and secondary school. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(1716), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01716
39. Sağar, M. E. (2022a). Psychological flexibility and problem solving skills as predictors of social media addiction in adults. Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, (35), 179-192. https://doi.org/10.20875/makusobed.1080674
40. Sağar, M. E. (2022b). Child psychology, mental health and basic concepts. B. ATEŞ (Ed.). Child Psychology (ss.1-14). Vizetek Publications.
41. Sharma, D., & Sharma, S. (2018). Relationship between motivation and academic achievement. International Journal of Advances in Scientific Research, 4(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.7439/ijasr.v4i1.4584
42. Tabbodi, M., Rahgozar, H., & Makki Abadi, M. M. (2015). The relationship between happiness and academic achievements. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 4(1), 241-246.
43. Yarin, A. J., Encalada, I. A., Elias, J. W., Surichaqui, A. A., Sulca, R. E., & Pozo, F. (2022). Relationship between motivation and academic performance in peruvian undergraduate students in the subject mathematics. Education Research International, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3667076