Self-Efficacy as a Determinant of Students' Learning Outcomes in Junior Secondary Schools in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State

This study investigated self-efficacy as a determinant of students' learning outcomes in junior secondary schools in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. The study was motivated by concerns over variations in students' academic performance and the growing recognition of self-efficacy as an important psychological factor influencing learning outcomes. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A correlational survey research design was adopted. The population comprised 20,639 junior secondary school students in public secondary schools in Ethiope East Local Government Area, from which a sample of 393 students was selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Self-Efficacy and Learning Outcomes Questionnaire (SELOQ). The instrument was validated by experts and yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.81 using Cronbach's Alpha. Mean and standard deviation served as the statistical tools for answering the research questions, whereas Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Simple Linear Regression were used to examine the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that self-efficacy is a significant determinant of students' learning outcomes and recommended strategies aimed at strengthening students' confidence and academic motivation.