The influence of self-efficacy beliefs for student parents attending university

Abstract

Student parents (i.e. students who have their own dependent children) are a specific subpopulation of adult learners. This study investigated the impact of self-efficacy beliefs on student parents’ perceived capacity to manage multiple roles and their satisfaction with family, school and life. Survey data collected from 398 student parents enroled at four Canadian universities were analysed. Latent variable analysis was conducted using maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors using Mplus. Self-efficacy beliefs were found to influence student parents’ perceptions of satisfaction at school, in the family and with life in general. Perceptions of one’s capacity to manage multiple roles (i.e. school–family balance) were found to mediate the relationship between academic self-efficacy and school satisfaction as well as parental self-efficacy and family satisfaction. Furthermore, preliminary evidence is provided of unique subgroups within the student parent population based on children’s ages, partner status and enrolment status (i.e. full/part-time studies).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tricia M. van Rhijn

Tricia M. van Rhijn, PhD, RECE, is an assistant professor of Family Relations and Human Development in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. Her research interests include parent–child relationships, child development, early childhood education and care, well-being, family relations, various aspects of work-life integration (as well as school-life or school-work-life integration) and the experiences of non-traditional students in formal post-secondary education, in particular mature students and student parents.

Donna S. Lero

Donna S. Lero is a professor in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition and the Jarislowsky Chair in Families and Work. She leads a programme of research that focuses on public policies, workplace practices and community supports in the University’s Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being, which she co-founded. Her research interests include parental leave policies, the experiences of employees with adult and elder care responsibilities, and workplace policies and practices that support the integration of work and family responsibilities.