the relation of fear of failure, procrastination and self-efficacy to academic success in college for

173 Pages·2013·0.87 MB·English

THE RELATION OF FEAR OF FAILURE, PROCRASTINATION AND SELF-EFFICACY
TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN COLLEGE FOR FIRST AND NON FIRST-GENERATION
STUDENTS IN A PRIVATE NON-SELECTIVE INSTITUTION

by
ELIZABETH MOORES STUART
NATHANIEL BRAY, COMMITTEE CHAIR
ARLEENE BREAUX
NIRMALA EREVELLES
STEVEN HAYDUK
CLAIRE MAJOR

A DISSERTATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the Doctor of Education in the
Department of Educational Leadership
Policy, and Technology Studies
in the Graduate School of
The University of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

2013
Copyright Elizabeth Moores Stuart 2013
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ABSTRACT

First-generation students enroll in college expecting to be the first in their families to
obtain a bachelor’s degree, yet historically; the number of these students who graduate with four-
year degrees is much lower than their non first-generation peers (Nunez & Cuccara-Alamin;
Choy, 2001; Glenn, 2008). Limited research exists on the psychological/motivational factors on
this sub-population of students (McGregor, Mayleben, Buzzanga, Davis, & Becker, 1991;
Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak & Terenzini, 2004). This quantitative study researched fear of
failure, procrastination, and self-efficacy of first and non first-generation students to determine if
there were differences between the two groups. Gender, ethnicity and income level of students
were included in the study to determine what, if any role these variables had on the levels of fear
of failure, procrastination and self-efficacy of students. Lastly, fear of failure, procrastination,
self-efficacy, gender, generational status, ethnicity, and income were entered into a multiple
regression analysis to determine what factors, if any, impacted a student’s college success as
measured by academic GPA.
The study found no significant differences on fear of failure, procrastination and self-
efficacy between first and non first-generation students, except on one sub-scale of fear of failure
in which first-generation freshmen students were more fearful of having an unknown future than
their peers. However, fear of failure appears to be prevalent in various degrees among all the
college students in this study. Gender differences for fear of failure, procrastination and self-
efficacy were significant. The study found that females have significantly more fear of failure
than males, males procrastinate at significantly higher levels than do females, and females have
more academic self-efficacy than do males. A multiple regression analysis indicated that gender,
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procrastination, self-efficacy, and ethnicity are predictive of academic success. Females and
Caucasian students received higher first-semester GPA’s than did males and minority students.
Procrastination is negatively associated with GPA, and self-efficacy is positively associated with
GPA.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As I near the end of this dissertation journey, there are several people that I wish to
acknowledge and thank.
Dr. Keith Iddings, provost at Southern Wesleyan University, who planted the seed for my
research as we conversed about the issues of helping underprepared college students on the road
to success.
Dr. Jennifer Jones whose guidance early in the process helped me to narrow down and
fashion my research questions.
Dr. Nathaniel Bray, chair of my dissertation committee, whose love for quantitative
research helped me survive statistics class, make sense out of my SPSS data and understand that
numbers can be our friends!
Dr. Steven Hayduk, co-worker and friend, who was always willing to help me make
sense of my statistical data, from simple t-tests to multiple regression.
Dr. Claire Major, Dr. Nirmala Erevelles, Dr. Steven Hayduk, and Dr. Arleene Breaux
who willingly served on my committee and provided needed guidance and direction.
Cohort IV classmates whose love, friendship and encouragement I will always cherish.
To my wonderful friends and family who cheered me on daily and especially to my dear
sister Carol who challenged me to write the first paragraph when I couldn’t get started. Thank
you for believing in me!
My daughter Anna and my son Ethan who encourage me at every opportunity, and
continuously let me know how proud they are of their Momma!
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Finally, to my beautiful daughter Abby, who made far too many sacrifices so that her
mother could realize a dream. I love you and am so proud of the young woman you are
becoming. I dedicate this work to you.

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CONTENTS

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. iv
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xii
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................xv
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................1
Introduction to the Problem .................................................................................................1
Background of the Problem .................................................................................................4
Problem Statement ...............................................................................................................7
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................8
Research Questions ..............................................................................................................8
Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................10
Definition of Terms............................................................................................................11
Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................12
Summary ............................................................................................................................12
Organization of the Study ..................................................................................................13
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................................14
Introduction ........................................................................................................................14
Conceptual Framework ......................................................................................................14
Self-Worth Theory .................................................................................................15
Fear of Failure ............................................................................................17
Procrastination ...........................................................................................19
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Self-efficacy ...............................................................................................20
Conceptual Model ..............................................................................................................22
Self-Efficacy ......................................................................................................................24
Social-Cognitive Aspects of Self-Efficacy ............................................................24
Building and Increasing Self-Efficacy ...................................................................25
Efficiency Expectations .........................................................................................26
Academic Self-Efficacy .............................................................................27
Academic Self-Efficacy and College Students ..........................................27
Fear of Failure ....................................................................................................................28
Psycho-Social Perspective/Parental Influences of Fear of Failure ........................29
Fear of Failure as Need Achievement Motivation .................................................30
Fear of Failure: Cognitive Perspective
(Attribution/Explanatory Theory) ..........................................................................31

Learned Helplessness and Goal Orientation ..........................................................32

Performance and Learning Goal Orientation .............................................33

Approach-Avoidance Theory .....................................................................34
Gender and Ethnicity in Fear of Failure ............................................................................35
Gender and Fear of Failure ....................................................................................36
Ethnicity and Fear of Failure .................................................................................37
Consequences of Fear of Failure ........................................................................................38
Affective Consequences of Fear of Failure ...........................................................38
Shame as the Core Affective Emotion of Fear of Failure ......................................39
Cognitive and Behavioral Consequences of Fear of Failure .................................40
Self-Handicapping–Behavioral Consequence .......................................................40
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Procrastination ...................................................................................................................42
Gender and Procrastination ....................................................................................43
Ethnicity and Procrastination .................................................................................43
First-Generation Students—What We Know ....................................................................44
Academic Outcomes for First-Generation Students ..............................................44
First-Generation Students in Four-Year Institutions..............................................45
First-Generation Students in Private Four-Year Institutions .................................45
First-Generation Psycho-Social Factors ................................................................46
Parental Influences and Support ............................................................................47
First-Generation Students–Self Efficacy, Fear of Failure, and Procrastination .................48
Summary ............................................................................................................................50
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................52
CHAPTER III: METHODS ...........................................................................................................53
Introduction ........................................................................................................................53
Research Design .................................................................................................................53
Research Questions ............................................................................................................54
Participants/Site Selection .................................................................................................56
Southeastern Christian University .....................................................................................56
Data Collection ..................................................................................................................58
Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................59
Fear of Failure Instrument .....................................................................................60
Procrastination Instrument .....................................................................................60
Self-Efficacy Instrument ........................................................................................61
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Data Analysis .........................................................................................................62
CHAPTER IV: PRESENTATION OF THE DATA .....................................................................65
Introduction ........................................................................................................................65
Demographic Information ..................................................................................................65
Reliability Analysis ............................................................................................................70
Research Questions ............................................................................................................82
Research Question One ..........................................................................................82
Fear of Failure Results ...............................................................................82
Procrastination Results...............................................................................86
Self-Efficacy Results .................................................................................87
Research Question Two .........................................................................................89
Research Question Three .......................................................................................93
Research Question Four .........................................................................................96
Research Question Five .........................................................................................98
Research Question Six .........................................................................................100
CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................102
Findings and Conclusions ................................................................................................103
Research Question One: Differences in First and
Non First-Generation Students ............................................................................103

Fear of Failure ..........................................................................................103
Procrastination .........................................................................................105
Self-Efficacy ............................................................................................106
Research Question Two: Gender Related to Fear of Failure,
Procrastination, Self-Efficacy ..............................................................................107

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