Academic adaptation, stress, self-efficacy and social skills in college students from public and private institutions

Abstract Objective Entering higher education is characterized by personal and interpersonal challenges considered stressful. This study aimed to verify the relationship between the variables stress, self-efficacy and social skills, to identify the predictive power of such variables in college adaptation and to compare them between students from public and private institutions. Method The instruments Questionnaire for Adaptation to Higher Education, Academic Stress Scale, Self-efficacy Scale in Higher Education and Social Skills Questionnaire were used. A total of 917 college students participated in the survey. Results The variables stress, self-efficacy and social skills predisposed academic adaptation and all correlated significantly with each other. Students from private institutions had higher means of academic adaptation and self-efficacy, while students from public institutions had higher means of stress. Conclusion It is concluded that stress management, strengthening of self-efficacy and more elaborate repertoire of social skills provide a better university adaptation.