Self-Efficacy and Health

Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s sense of control over novel or difficult situations or challenges by anticipating their own competent behavior. Individuals with higher self-efficacy are more inclined to select ambitious goals, exert additional effort to achieve them, and feel more competent than those with lower self-efficacy. Self-efficacy beliefs, therefore, have a significant impact on people’s feelings, thoughts, and actions. As a result, the construct of self-efficacy has become an essential part of research on health and health behaviors. This chapter explains how self-efficacy beliefs can be differentiated from related constructs, and what types and dimensions self-efficacy encompasses. It suggests guiding principles and provides examples of how to measure self-efficacy. It also describes the sources of self-efficacy and behavior change techniques for enhancing each one in psychological interventions. Additionally, it summarizes the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions that target self-efficacy and subsequent health behavior. The dynamic relationships between self-efficacy and social resources are also explored. The chapter concludes with potential areas for future research.