Abstract:
Abstract
The study purpose to investigate how academic self-efficacy was related to academic performance of secondary schools
students. The students’ performance plays a significant role in producing the finest quality graduates who will become great
leaders and source of manpower for the country. Poor academic performance not only limits the opportunities available to a
person but lead to serious psychological, social and economic outcomes. In spite of this, a decline in academic performance
has been registered in KCSE exams in secondary school in Nairobi County, Kenya hence the need to investigate whether
academic self-efficacy which is a psychological factor is associated with academic performance. This study was guided by
Social Cognitive Theory by Albert Bandura (1986). The study employed correlational research design. Questionnaires were
administered to provide quantitative and qualitative data using a sample of 397 form four students from 12 public secondary
schools in Nairobi County. Purposive, stratified and simple random sampling procedures were used in the selection of the
locale, schools and respondents for this study. The data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, guided by the study
objective. Product Moment Correlation Coefficient test statistic was used to establish the relationship between academic selfefficacy and academic performance. The level of significance in rejecting the null hypothesis was at p= ≤ .05. The study found
a significant and positive relationship between students’ academic self-efficacy and academic performance (r (367) = 0.160,
P< 0.05). A major implication and recommendation of the study was that all stakeholders in education should work together in
enhancing schools and homes environments for fostering the development of academic self-efficacy. Various strategies
including exposing the students to various sources of self- efficacy and counseling approaches should be employed for
initiating and increasing students’ academic self-efficacy.
Keywords: academic self-efficacy, enactivemastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasions, physiologicalstates
