As organizations have become more dependent on networked information systems (IS) to conduct their business operations, their susceptibility to various threats to information security has also increased. Research has consistently identified the inappropriate security behavior of the users as the most significant of these threats. Various factors have been identified as contributing to these inappropriate security behaviors, however, not enough is known about the role of social factors in mediating these behaviors. This study developed a new computer security self-efficacy (CSSE) construct, identified items of CSSE in the context of individuals' use of encrypted e-mail, and determined the validity and reliability of the items of CSSE. Further, significant factors of CSSE were identified. First, a qualitative phase comprising focus groups and an expert panel was used to identify valid items of CSSE, develop a new instrument to measure the new CSSE construct, and validate the new CSSE instrument. After completing the qualitative phase, a quantitative phase was employed to collect empirical data on the CSSE items. The CSSE measurement instrument was administered to IS users at a major university in the southeastern United States and 292 responses were received. The collected data was statistically analyzed to identify significant factors of CSSE and the items of CSSE that demonstrate high reliability. Factor analysis was performed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and identified four significant and highly reliable factors of CSSE with a cumulative variance of nearly 68%. The four factors were named Performance Accomplishments and Technical Support, Goal Commitment and Resource Availability, Experience Level, and Individual Characteristics. Additionally, 35 items of CSSE were identified as possessing high reliability. This study contributes to advancing of the body of knowledge regarding the use of e-mail encryption by developing a new CSSE construct and extending Computer Self-Efficacy research into the area of computer security and e-mail encryption. Further, by identifying factors of CSSE, an understanding of what IS users believe will impact their ability to use encryption to send e-mail messages is obtained. This understanding can aid in enhancing the use of encryption mechanisms to send e-mail, promoting positive computer security behavior, and so contribute positively to IS practice.

Adventure therapy employs a technique in which therapists use controlled amounts of stress to bring about change in the behavior of clients. One of the domains in which adventure therapy reports improvement is that of self-efficacy. Perceived self-efficacy is the belief that individuals have in their ability to overcome and change their situation in life. This study examines the effect of a modified adventure therapy program on the perceived self-efficacy of college students who were enrolled in an Outdoor Pursuits course at a major metropolitan university. Students received 16 weeks of outdoor adventure therapy programming that culminated in a voluntary weekend camping trip. The students were administered the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) scale on the second day of class to determine a baseline level of self-efficacy to be compared to the posttest completed on the last day of class. The study examined 3 consecutive semesters of archival data collected by the researcher while instructing the course. Fifty-six participants across the 3 semesters were usable for data analysis. The results show there is a significant difference between students' level of perceived self-efficacy from pre- to posttest, and no difference in the effect on gender, classification of students, or the participation of the student in the weekend campout. Therefore, the 16 week program improved students' perceived self-efficacy regardless of whether or not they participated in the weekend campout.

In order to implement more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into K12 classrooms, it is important to find out whether teachers are comfortable with this pedagogy. To determine teachers' current self-efficacy of STEM pedagogy, teachers in a southern state in the United States were asked to enlighten researchers into this phenomenon. Participants were K12 teachers (n = 119) from a public school district undertaking a district-wide STEM initiative. A measure of STEM teacher self-efficacy and a demographic questionnaire were administered online to participants. STEM teacher self-efficacy data were analyzed, along with demographic data, using descriptive discriminant analysis (DDA) and canonical correlation analysis (CCA). Results suggest some demographic variables are more predictive of STEM self-efficacy (gender, grade level taught, feelings of administrative support, and professional development sessions attended) than others (whether or not gifted courses are taught, age, and length of teaching experience. This data should be used by school administrators that seek to begin or improve STEM pedagogy in their schools.

Imagination and creative self-efficacy are important components of the creative process and outcomes but are rarely investigated together. To explore the relationship between personality factors, imaginative thinking, and creative self-efficacy, survey responses were gathered from university students in a southwestern region in the United States (n = 1,731). Personality was measured using the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), imagination was measured using the Imaginative Capability Scale (ICS), and creative self-efficacy was measured using items based on reliability in previous studies. Participants were asked to complete the three surveys along with demographic information through an online format. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted first to confirm measurements used. After fit indices confirmed measurement models used, subsequent analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). The model of best fit supported creative self-efficacy as a strong predictor of all three factors of imagination. Additionally, the model indicated a strong relationship between conscientiousness and conceiving imagination as well as other notable relationships with personality factors.

The aim of this thesis is to find a relationship between coaching, self-efficacy, employee engagement and personality traits according to the Big Five theory, that means openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. In the theoretical part, the thesis is devoted to measuring the effectiveness of coaching interventions, with a focus on finding connections with the concepts of self-efficacy, engagement and personality traits. The empirical part describes a quasi-experimental research verifying the assumption, that coaching had a significant impact on all monitored independent variables. The experimental group consisted of store managers of unnamed retail company, which were divided into experimental and control group. The experimental group attended six coaching sessions over six months, focusing on any topic related to their work life. The control group did not attend any coaching session. Both groups were tested at the beginning of the coaching program and afterwards. Respondents completed three questionnaires - General Self-Efficacy Scale, Gallup Q12 questionnaire for engagement and NEO five-factor personality inventory. Based on the collected data and statistical analysis, a statistically significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest...

This study examined the musical background characteristics, self-efficacy beliefs, and practice behaviors of string students auditioning for an all-region orchestra in one large South-Central district. Purposes of the study were: (1) to describe the musical backgrounds and self-efficacy beliefs of high school string students, (2) to measure the relationship between self-efficacy scores and performance achievement, and (3) to describe the practice behaviors and thoughts of high and low self-efficacy string students. Questionnaires were given to 101 high school string students; 65 competed in all-region orchestra. Descriptive data from the questionnaire revealed information such as how many took private lessons and that those who did tended to have a higher sense of perceived self-efficacy in relation to playing their string instruments. Other descriptive items asked questions such as whether or not students started in public school and how much they practiced outside of orchestra. The relationship of summed self-efficacy scores to a competition ranking was found to be statistically significant and inverse. For all string participants (n=65) Spearman's rho was, rs= -.37, (p=.001) with 14% of the variance explained (r2 =.14). This inverse relationship documents the linear trend for students with better rankings (lower ranking numbers) to also tend to have higher self-efficacy scores. Observation and interview data of 8 higher and 8 lower self-efficacy sub-group students were also analyzed. The higher self-efficacy sub-group students tended to use more cognitive practice strategies, while the lower self-efficacy sub-group tended to use dissimilar and less advanced strategies. Understanding string students' musical background experiences and characteristics and the possible relationship self-efficacy may have with practice and achievement could benefit certain students. Helping these students gain a higher sense of perceived self-efficacy in their musical endeavors, or obtain certain characteristics that successful students share, could possibly enable them to develop and understand more complex practice strategies and compete more confidently.

Many elementary students struggle to meet expectations on mathematics assessments despite an increase in science, technology, engineering, and math instructional strategies. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore elementary math teachers' technology integration self-efficacy, their level of technology adoption, and their actual technology integration behavior. The conceptual framework used in this study included Bandura's social cognitive theory, which is often used in the investigation of self-efficacy. Additionally, the International Society for Technology Education Classroom Tool, which is in alignment with the National Educational Standards for Teachers, was used to gauge the level of technology integration in the classroom. Nine volunteer teachers in Grades 3-5 participated in surveys, observations, and follow-up interviews. Data were analyzed using open coding to identify themes and patterns. The findings from this study indicated that the teachers' perceptions were positive as they believed technology could have positive implications for the teaching and learning process. However, findings also indicated that not all the teachers in the study felt confident with using technology in their practice. These teachers indicated that there was a need for onsite support, peer mentoring and professional development geared towards effectively aligning content, pedagogy, and technology. The information from this study may add more to the body of knowledge on information and communications technologies adoption and integration. The social change potential in this study is that through confident teachers in mathematics, and technology integration, students may improve their skills to be competitive for employment and opportunities in a global marketplace.

Self-efficacy har beskrivits som en viktig faktor för hur människor handlar. Tron på den egna förmågan kan hjälpa individen att uppnå specifika mål eller färdigheter i alla möjliga domäner. Denna studie hade som syfte att undersöka om VFU samt kön var relaterade till hur studenterna skattade sin generella och akademiska self-efficacy. I studien deltog 122 studenter från tre olika högskole- och universitetsprogram genom att besvara en enkät, vilken innehöll General self-efficacy scale samt College academic self-efficacy scale. Datan analyserades med två tvåvägs ANOVA för oberoende mätningar. Resultatet visade att studenter utan VFU skattade sin akademiska self-efficacy högre än studenter med VFU och att båda variablerna, det vill säga kön och huruvida man haft VFU eller inte, interagerar med varandra i påverkan på vilken grad av akademisk self-efficacy man har. Intresset för vidare forskning inom ämnet self-efficacy diskuteras där studier inom mer specifika områden såsom självtilltro inför kommande arbetsliv i relation till vilken typ av högskole- och universitetsprogram man går.

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