Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation and Prosocial Behavior among Secondary School Students in Uganda

Abstract

The study examined the relationship of self-efficacy, self-regulation and prosocial behavior among secondary school students in Uganda. A sample size of 200 students from five secondary schools (3 private and 2 government schools) with age between (13-14, 15-16 and 17-18) years were selected. The findings posited the path of relations assigning self-regulation a major role of predicting the level of students’ prosocial behavior. Self-regulation mediated the relations of self-efficacy to prosocial tendencies such as helping, caring, sharing, volunteering, and empathic concern towards others. A correlational design and a quantitative approach were used in data collection and analysis, and questionnaires were distributed among students using systematic random sampling to assess how effectively students dealt with beliefs and emotions and their later behaviors. Findings suggest that beliefs and emotions are necessary to make good choices or decisions to promote behaviors right from the self and relations with others (Damasio, 1994; Goleman, 1995). Positive significant relationships were established between self-efficacy and self-regulation, self-regulation and prosocial behavior, and self-efficacy and prosocial behavior. Recommendations were suggested to teachers, educators and policy makers of Uganda and beyond to enhance self-efficacy, self-regulation and prosocial behavior among other ways by structuring cooperation right from the classroom level, the entire school, parents and the neighborhood.