General Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance among Female BS Nursing Students: Evidence from College Records

Self-efficacy is typically linked to academic achievement. However, most of this evidence comes from study-specific measures or from students' own reports of their grades. This study focused on female BS Nursing students and examined whether there is a relationship between general self-efficacy and academic performance in these individuals as reported in college records. A cross-sectional survey was carried out at a nursing college in Sahiwal, Pakistan. A total of 203 students from all four years completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Examination In-charge recorded each student's CGPA or annual percentage from official records. The scale showed acceptable reliability (α = .79). The correlation between self-efficacy and academic performance was positive but small (ρ = .17, p = .017). Controlling for year of study made little difference to this correlation (partial r = .20, p = .004). Self-efficacy did not differ by year of study, residence, home area or age. Nursing students' academic performance is only mildly related to general self-efficacy. These findings can help nursing colleges decide where support for students' confidence is likely to matter most.