Collective and individual efficacy as predictors of disruptive classroom behavior: a multilevel moderation analysis of teacher- and school-level influences

Disruptive behavior is a significant challenge in classrooms, impairing learning and leading to teacher demotivation and stress. Self-efficacy among school staff is crucial for managing disruptive behavior; however, to address this issue, it is necessary to consider collective efficacy as a vital factor in fostering a supportive school culture. This study investigates the relationship between collective and self-efficacy, as perceived by teachers and school staff, and disruptive behavior within and across schools. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, this study analyzed questionnaire data from 1568 staff members across sixty-three schools. A multilevel modeling strategy was employed to examine individual and school-level variables, justified by significant intraclass correlations in disruptive behavior and consensus among staff members regarding collective efficacy. Analysis of collective and self-efficacy and school-level variables (aggregated collective efficacy) was conducted in steps, with the final step including the interaction between collective efficacy and self-efficacy. The findings revealed that both collective and self-efficacy were negatively related to disruptive behavior within schools; staff members with higher efficacy reported lower disruption rates. Notably, school-level collective efficacy was also negatively correlated with disruptive behavior, indicating that schools with higher average efficacy experienced fewer disruptions. Importantly, collective efficacy moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and disruptive behavior, which suggests that higher perceived collective efficacy strengthens the negative association between self-efficacy and disruptive behavior. This study highlights the need to foster both individual and a shared collective efficacy among school staff, as it may empower teachers to effectively manage disruptive behaviors in classrooms and enhance the overall school environment.