Self-Efficacy and Job Satisfaction in Hispanic/Latino Vocational Rehabilitation Participants With Learning Disabilities

There is a demonstrated association between self-efficacy and job satisfaction in White college graduates with learning disabilities (LDs); however, there is a paucity of research examining this relation in Hispanic/Latino individuals with LDs. Researchers have found that ethnicity is related to employment outcomes in adults with LDs (i.e., gainful employment, earnings, and job tenure), and that members of minority groups perceive self-efficacy differently than Caucasians. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between self-efficacy and job satisfaction in Hispanic/Latino participants with LDs enrolled in the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Bandura's self-efficacy theory was the theoretical framework that guided this study. The study employed a quantitative retrospective chart review of data collected through the Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program database. The sample consisted of 64 participants. An ordinal logistic regression analysis indicated a positive and statistically significant correlation between self-efficacy and job satisfaction, independent of postsecondary education level. A moderator regression analysis could not be conducted to test if level of education had a moderating effect in the relation between self-efficacy and job satisfaction, as there were not enough participants with an endorsed education level higher than high school. These findings are important because they increase the awareness of state VR counselors about the role self-efficacy in job satisfaction in this population, and also emphasize the importance of self-efficacy in the workplace. In addition, these results could promote policy changes within VR agencies to develop training programs that promote job satisfaction among the Hispanic/Latino population.