Familial influence on self-efficacy: Exploring the relationship between perceived parenting style, current social support, and self-efficacy beliefs in a sample of nontraditional college students

This exploratory correlational research study examined the relationship between Baumrind's three parenting styles, perceived social support, and general self-efficacy beliefs in a convenience sample of 162 nontraditional college students. Participants completed four online questionnaires to assess demographic characteristics, perceived parenting style of their parents while growing up, current perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others, as well as general self-efficacy beliefs. Contrary to expectations, none of the three parenting styles were significantly correlated with general self-efficacy. However, as predicted, results showed a significant positive correlation between social support and self-efficacy (p < .01), and between authoritative parenting and social support (p < .01). Interestingly, supplementary analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between current socioeconomic status (SES) and general self-efficacy (p < .01). A subsequent post hoc ANOVA showed that participants from lower SES scored significantly lower on the general self-efficacy scale than participants from middle SES or upper SES, with no significant difference between the latter two groups. Statistically significant group differences in general self-efficacy were also found between undergraduate and graduate students (p = .002), as well as between high achieving (GPA 3.5+) and lower achieving (GPA 3.49 or lower) students (p = .008). Conclusions were tempered by limitations of small to moderate correlations and small effect sizes. These findings were discussed in light of a conceptual framework that incorporates self-efficacy theory, attachment theory and Baumrind's parenting styles typology.