Self-efficacy in intercollegiate athletics.

The purpose of this study was to understand Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy and Vealey’s (1986) sport confidence implications on collegiate athletes and to explore gender, playing experience, and class status (e.g., first year, sophomore) differences related to self-efficacy in these student-athletes. The study attempted to fill two major gaps in previous research: (a) understanding the relationships of gender, playing experience, and class status on self-efficacy, specifically by analyzing a variety of sports; and (b) expanding upon previous research studies by increasing the generalizability and external validity of the existing self-efficacy theories. The results of the study indicated that student-athletes had high levels of self-efficacy; that males possessed higher levels than females; that more playing experience did not predict higher levels of self-efficacy; and finally, that student-athletes became more self-efficacious as their class status increased (i.e., progressed). Theoretical and practical implications of the study’s findings will be discussed.