Role of Self-efficacy in Building Resilience among Institutionalized Children of Kashmir

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OCTOBER 2017 DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 20 No. 2
Delhi Psychiatry Journal 2017; 20:(2) © Delhi Psychiatric Society 281
Role of Self-efficacy in Building Resilience among
Institutionalized Children of Kashmir
Nasir Ahmad Bhat, M. Shafiq
Department of Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi-110025
Contact: Nasir Ahmad Bhat, E-mail: bhatjmi2012@gmail.com
Original Article
Introduction
There is sufficient evidence indicating that self-
efficacy is one of the resilience factors playing an
important role in the times of adversity and
vulnerability. This is a clear self-evaluative belief
among institutionalized children leading to regulate
human functioning and cognitive satisfaction when
perceiving efficient in performance likely to apply
more various thinking styles.1,2 Research evidence
indicated that adolescents valued themselves
moderately able to cope with adversity, adapt
themselves in a new and unfamiliar environment and
perceived themselves as highly able to cope with
demands3. Self-efficacy is referred to both the ability
to successfully cope with change, misfortune or
adversity4,5 and dynamic process of overcoming the
negative effects of risk experience with positive
outcomes6 and avoiding the negative trajectories
associated with these risks7. The concept of self-
efficacy according to Bandura8 was defined as the
belief of a person in his or her ability to organize
and execute certain behaviors that are necessary in
order to produce given attainments. The efficacy
beliefs influence the type of activity orphan children
choose to engage in the levels of effort they spend
to and their perseverance in the face of adversities
suggested the relationships between beliefs
concerning personal ability in a specific task and
the concrete realization of this task.
Resilience
Resilience is a complex multi-faceted construct
refers an ability among orphans to handle
environmental demands without experiencing
negative effects of orphanhood. In psychology,
resilience is defined as ‘the general capacity for
flexible and resourceful adaptation to external and
internal stressors9 associated with increased quality
of life, wellbeing and functional capacity in times of
ABSTRACT
Background: There is sufficient evidence indicating that self-efficacy is one of the resilience
factors plays an important role during the times of adversity and vulnerability. It is a
clear self-evaluative belief leading to regulate human functioning and cognitive satisfaction.
The study investigated the nature of the association between general self-efficacy (GSE)
and resilience. Material and Method: Institutionalized children (N=300) who were exposed
to an adverse situation in Kashmir constituted as the sample of the study. Self efficacy
was measured by GSE scale and resilience was assessed with the help of with the help of
Wagnild & Young scale. Results: GSE was correlated with (r = .431, p < .001) and a
significant predictor (
∆
R = .43,
∆
R2 = .186, F (1, 279) = 63.7, p < .001.) of resilience
and orphan children exhibit resilience when responding to adversities and vulnerabilities.
Conclusion: Identifying construct for example self-efficacy that is related to resilience
establish the precise nature of how self-efficacy plays the role in building resilience will
assist the development of intervention promoting resilience in children.
Key Words: Self-efficacy, Resilience, Institutional Children.

DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 20 No. 2 OCTOBER 2017
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282
adversity.10 According to Gilligan11 resilient child is
a child who does better than they ought to, bearing
in mind what has happened to them. Resilient
children were often found to use different types of
thinking styles. They are highly efficient both in
general and scholastic context12 and highly elusive
and highly diverse discussed as inferring hardiness,
toughness, and resistance, along with somewhat
paradoxically elasticity and flexibility.13 Several
researchers found that resilient children are better
to coping with difficulties and adopting the hardiness
in traumatic experiences and using problem solving
strategies14 because Resilience mediated the
negative association between emotional intelligence
and psychological distress and highlighting the
importance of inter and intra-individual emotional
competencies in promoting resilience and enhancing
well-being.15 Resilience is both multi-faceted and
multi-leveled. It is described by Gilligan11 and
Connor16 a set of qualities that help a person to
withstand many of the negative effects of adversity
and a potential to exhibit resourcefulness by using
internal and external resources in response to
different contextual and developmental challenges.17
Abiola and colleagues18 offer a full account in terms
of inner strength, competence, optimism, flexibility,
and the ability to cope effectively when faced with
adversity, minimizing the impact of risk factors, such
as stressful life events enhancing the protective
factors, such as optimism, social support, and active
coping that increase people’s ability to deal with life’s
challenges.
Self-efficacy and Resilience
Like resilience, self-efficacy is context specific
and seems particularly important when individuals
face adversity, when positive self-efficacy beliefs
are associated with increased motivation and per-
severance19,20 and an increased likelihood of reject-
ing negative thoughts regarding own capabilities.21
Self-efficacy as an important characteristic that
distinguished resilient and non-resilient children22 and
is considered to be the foundation of human agency23
and is referred to as an important protective factor
regulating human functioning and emotional
wellbeing through cognitive, motivational, affective,
and selective processes. Self-efficacy, planning,
persistence, anxiety, and uncertain control were
confirmed predictors of resilience.24 The proposes
that resilience research needs to examine indicators
of resiliency in order to identify what processes can
promote protective mechanisms and calls for more
affective and motivational training for adolescents
to assess their impact on their affective and motiva-
tional outcomes.25
Material and Method
Sample
The participants for the present study were
drawn from the states different orphanages of both
male and female, having more than a year of
experience in the following placement. The age
range of the participants, was from 13 to 18 years
(Mean = 8.43, SD = .49).
Tools used
General Self-efficacy scale (GSE): This is
10 items, context specific scale measuring adole-
scents General Self-efficacy developed by
Schwarzer and Jerusalem.26 For example one of an
item in this scale is ‘I can always manage to solve
difficult problems if I try hard enough’. Items are
assessed on four point scale ranging from not at all
true to exactly true.
Reliability Cronbach’s Alpha for the measure
of present data was calculated as .67 preferably
closer to .90.
Resilience Scale: This is 25 items, context
specific scale measuring adolescents Resilience
developed by Wagnild27. For example one of an item
in this scale is ‘I have enough energy to do what I
have to do.’ Items are assessed on a seven-point
response scale, ranging from ‘strongly disagree’ to
‘strongly agree’ with higher scores representing
greater resilience to stress.
Reliability Cronbach’s Alpha for the measure
of present data was calculated as .87 preferably
closer to .90.
Procedure
The data of the present study was collected in
small groups. Before administering the scales, the
investigator established rapport to the subjects and
explained purpose of investigation to them. Partici-
pants were assured that their responses will be kept
strictly confidential. Participants took 10-20 minutes
time in completing the scales. After collect data with
effort, they were thanked for their participation and

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Delhi Psychiatry Journal 2017; 20:(2) © Delhi Psychiatric Society 283
cooperation.
Results
Table-1. Pearson’s coefficient of Correlation
on scores of Self-efficacy and Resilience
Variable NMean SD Resilience
Self-efficacy 300 31.93 4.29 .431**
*P < .05,** p < .001
In table-1 Pearson’s coefficient of correlation
was used to examine the relationship between scores
of self-efficacy and resilience. Results revealed
significant positive association between self-efficacy
and resilience (r = .431, p < .001).
Linear regression analysis revealed general self-
efficacy as a significant predictor of resilience and
shows positive and significant relation with resilience.
It was indicated that orphans with high level of self-
efficacy are more resilient as compared to the
orphans with low levels of resilience. Further it was
revealed that orphans experienced high level of
resilience only when they felt about themselves to
be able to cope with. These findings are in the lines
with the study done by Yendork and Somhlaba29 have
studied that the influence of self-efficacy and stress
experienced children living in the orphanage showed
high level of self-efficacy and reveals self-efficacy
a positive predictor of resilience.
Table-2 Linear Regression analysis predicting Resilience from Self-efficacy
RR Square Adjusted R2 Std. error of FSignificance
estimate
.43 .186 .183 15.17 63.70 .000
Predictor Standardized t-value Significance
Beta
Self-efficacy .431 7.98 .000
Dependent variable-self-efficacy
In table-2, Linear Regression analysis revealed
that resilience shows significant contribution on self-
efficacy. In explaining scores on resilience ∆R =
.43, ∆R2 = .186, F (1, 279) = 63.7, p < .001. These
variables jointly explained 19% variance in the
scores on Resilience. Self-efficacy was found
positively and significantly related to Resilience (β
= .43, t = 7.98, p < .001) indicated that orphans with
high level of self-efficacy were more resilience as
compared to the lower level of self-efficacy.
Discussion
Present study wanted to find out the role of
self-efficacy in building resilience among Institu-
tionalized Children of Kashmir.
The findings obtained from the scores of present
study revealed positive association between self-
efficacy and resilience means that self-efficacy is
directly proportional to resilience among orphan
children. Present study was supported by the
previous finding of Hinz et al28 have found that
general self-efficacy was moderately to highly
associated with resilience.
Conclusion
Institutionalized children with high level of self-
efficacy can easily understand the meaning of their
life that can be more meaningful to others because
self-efficacy is not only based on competence but
behavioral and prospective as well. Self-efficacy
beliefs drive persons to strive proactively for goals
and mold their own future 30. Orphan once go through
the high levels of resilience gains strength to respond
the stress in various domains of life.
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