Anti-Intellectualism Attitude and Reading Self-Efficacy of Undergraduate Students in a State University in the Philippines

This quantitative study utilized a descriptive-correlational research design to explore the relationship between anti-intellectualism attitudes and reading self-efficacy among first-year undergraduate students at a state university in the Philippines. A sample of 140 students was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through the Students’ Anti-Intellectualism Scale (SAIS) and a reading self-efficacy scale. The results, analyzed using mean scores, indicate a “neutral” overall anti-intellectualism attitude and a “somewhat fair” level of reading self-efficacy among the students. Results, analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, revealed a weak positive relationship between anti-intellectualism attitudes and reading self-efficacy (correlation coefficient = 0.296), indicating a significant relationship. This finding suggests that students with higher anti-intellectualism attitudes also exhibit higher reading self-efficacy. These findings offer valuable insights for educators, highlighting the importance of addressing anti-intellectualism in pedagogical practices. However, the study's limitations include the sample size, which restricts generalizability. Future research should consider broader samples or different educational levels to confirm these results.