Generalized self-efficacy in junior high school students living in the city and in the countryside

Introduction. The concept of sense of personal competence (self-efficacy) is the belief that man is able to carry out specific activities and is competent to achieve the desired objectives.

Aim. The aim of the study was to compare the sense of personal competence among lower secondary school students living in rural and urban areas.

Material and methods. The study was conducted in late September and October 2014, in two secondary schools in Małopolska from rural and urban areas. The study group was 160 students. The research are presented in this paper relate to the sense of self-efficacy, in other words, a sense of personal competence of students. The research tool was KompOs — Personal Competence Scale.

Results. Many students residing in the city had an average level of self-efficacy. Respondents living in the village are characterized by higher rates of high self-efficacy.

Conclusions. Place of residence (urban, rural) does not affect the generalized self-efficacy of surveyed students. A sense of personal competence is not dependent on residence in the country or in the city. Students of both groups have a high or average level of personal competence.

Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (2): 145–149