Relationship between self-regulation and self-efficacy of Japanese elementary school children.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors of self-regulation and self-efficacy through factor analyses conducted on elementary school children The relationships among these factors were also investigated via multiple regression. The subjects were 1312 (678 boys and 634 girls) Japanese children from the 3rd to 6th grade of elementary school. Factor analysis yielded four factors of self-regulation, labeled Permissiveness, Self-disclosure, Decision-making, and Uniqueness. In addition two factors of self-efficacy were found, labeled as Perceived Self-Efficacy and Judgement of Ability based on prior achievement. Analysis of variance was used to test for differences on each of the six factor scores as a function of Sex, Grade and their Interaction. In addition, Multiple Regression was used to predict each of the four Self-Regulation scores from Sex, Grade, and the two Self-Efficacy Scores. ANOVA results show effects for Grade but not Sex. Multiple Regression showed that the first three Self-Regulation scores were predicted by each of the Self-Efficacy factors. However, the fourth Self Regulation score was only predicted by the Judgment of Ability factor. Finally, the interactions among factors based on multiple regression were discussed.