Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

Correlation between Self-Efficacy and Psychosocial

Well-Being among Students in Public Universities
in the Upper Eastern Region of Kenya
Mghoi Joyce Macharia1; John Otieno Ogembo2; Grace Gatune Muriithi3
Humanities and Social Sciences, Chuka University, Kenya

Abstract:- The impact that psychological chal- students so they can benefit from one other's experi-
lenges have on University students, their families, and ences and develop useful problem-solving skills.
society at large, are of worldwide significance. Govern-
ment and non-governmental organizations have Keywords:- Self-Efficacy, Psychosocial Well-Being, Cor-
launched efforts to improve psychosocial well-being in relation, Students.
response to this. Since attending college can be stressful,
there is rising concern about the psychological chal- I. INTRODUCTION
lenges that university students face. Examining the cor-
relation between university students' self-efficacy and One in four persons will experience mental illness at
psychosocial well-being is likely to provide an overview some point in their lives, either as a result of drug usage or
on their capacity to handle difficult situations and pre- mental illness. Mental illnesses are responsible for 14.3%
serve good mental health. Self-determination theory of fatalities globally (WHO, 2020). This indicates a psy-
and cognitive behavior theory were incorporated into chosocially maladjusted state. This statistic does not ex-
the study. Correlational study design and descriptive clude university students. Psychosocial well-being and
survey were applied. Using purposive and stratified self-efficacy (SE) are linked terms that deal with a person's
random sampling, a study sample of 395 was selected mental and emotional well-being. The idea of SE is useful
from 34,009 respondents, which included university in understanding and enhancing psychological well-being.
students, student counselors, and deans of students Research has demonstrated a strong association between
from Tharaka University, Meru University of Science self-efficacy (SE) and several aspects of subjective well-
and Technology, and Chuka University. A psychologi- being, including life satisfaction, positive affect, and over-
cal test instrument for students and an interview sched- all well-being. University education represents the pinna-
ule for student counselors and deans of students were cle of education, it is a remarkable accomplishment in the
used to gather data. The instruments were piloted in a field of academia. In order to help highly skilled individu-
university outside the research prior to administration. als, contribute to their future career opportunities as well as
With 382 respondents providing data, the study's re- the well-being of their families and communities, it pro-
sponse rate was 96.7%. Data were discussed and sub- vides professional training and prepares them for the work-
jected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. force, Bunoti (2011). High expectations are expected of
While quantitative data was examined both descrip- beneficiaries due to the value placed on a university degree
tively and inferentially using the Statistical Package for and the significant financial outlay that goes along with ob-
Social Sciences version 27.0 computer software, quali- taining one. The high expectations set by stakeholders fre-
tative data was evaluated thematically. Frequency and quently have an impact on students' wellbeing, either posi-
percentages were employed as descriptive statistics, tively or negatively. Excessive expectations can sometimes
and Pearson's correlation was used to test hypotheses be detrimental, especially if they are irrational or over-
at the 95% significant level. The results of the study blown. Excessive expectations can lead to students experi-
showed a strong and favorable correlation between psy- encing anxiety and tension, which can have detrimental
chological wellness and self-efficacy. Therefore, it is ad- consequences (David, 2023; Andrea, 2023). One of the as-
vised that university administration implement meth- pects of the students' well-being possibly affected by high
ods targeted at boosting students' self-efficacy to im- expectations is psychosocial well-being.
prove their wellbeing in coordination with other stake-
holders. Encourage peer mentoring programs run by

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1313

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

Given the substantial influence that university stu- quality of life can be improved. The goal of the study was
dents' psychological health has on their academic achieve- to close the information gap on the precise mechanisms via
ment, personal growth, and general quality of life, there has which university students' psychological well-being and
been an increase in research in this area in recent years. For self-efficacy are correlated.
students, their time in university is a critical time for iden-
tity, development and personal growth (George, Patrick, & A. Statement of the Problem
Paul, 2019). Enhancing one's psychosocial well-being has For university students, psychosocial well-being is
a positive impact on pupils' total self-worth, resilience, critical since it affects their academic performance, per-
self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence. These attributes sonal growth, and general quality of life at this significant
not only help students feel more fulfilled and satisfied per- and life-changing stage of their education. It helps pupils
sonally, but they also help them succeed in relationships overcome hardship and deal with uncertainty more skill-
and their future employment. Students' capacity to estab- fully. It also promotes resilience, avoids burnout, and sup-
lish and preserve positive social relationships is greatly in- ports personal growth. All of these things add to an overall
fluenced by their psychosocial well-being. According to sense of life satisfaction and happiness. Despite all of this,
Eiroa-Orosa (2020), psychosocial well-being is the result counseling offices have records of students experiencing
of social and psychological components collaborating to mental, emotional, social, and spiritual hardship across
promote a person's overall health and quality of life. Stu- campuses, which manifests itself in the form of drug and
dents' sense of social support, interpersonal skills, and substance misuse, radicalization, toxic relationships, and
sense of belonging are enhanced by their positive social re- suicidal ideation and suicides. Suicides are costing univer-
lationships with peers, educators, mentors, and support sities students. Psychosocial difficulties can make it diffi-
systems. On the other hand, social exclusion, disagreement, cult to obtain and maintain appropriate education, good
or tense interpersonal bonds can have a detrimental effect mental health, wholesome relationships, a positive sense of
on students' general mental health and wellbeing. self, and the capacity to completely participate in one's own
growth. Although the majority of research has attempted to
Over the years, there have been documented occur- identify causes, impacts, and coping strategies, psychoso-
rences of psychosocial difficulties among university stu- cial difficulties are still present in universities. The study
dents culminating in suicide deaths. Since 2022, five cases on the correlation between self-efficacy and psychosocial
have been documented in Kenya's upper eastern public uni- well-being among university students in public universities
versities. Records kept at the offices of student counselors was necessary to highlight the individualistic view of self-
indicate that within the same time frame, 67 suicidal at- evaluation as opposed to the external search for causes of
tempts were reported. Too many lives should not be lost as psychosocial challenges because it revealed a knowledge
a result of psychosocial difficulties. Along with rape inci- gap. The research looked at internal beliefs and self-evalu-
dents, drug and substance misuse cases have also been re- ation.
ported. Particular stress and difficulties associated with so-
cial relationships, financial limitations, academic expecta- B. Research Hypothesis
tions, and the formation of personal identities are often ex- H01: There is no statistically significant correlation
perienced by students (Mofatteh, 2021). By analyzing psy- between self-efficacy psychosocial well- being among stu-
chosocial well-being, research on psychosocial issues is dents in public universities in the Upper Eastern Region of
anticipated to assist practitioners and scholars in identify- Kenya.
ing risk factors for psychological issues like depression,
anxiety disorders, drug abuse, and suicidal thoughts (Orosa, C. Limitations of the Study
2020). The purpose of this particular study was to deter- Considering that Self-reporting data collection meth-
mine whether psychological well-being and self-effi- ods can introduce bias or inaccuracies whereby students
cacy are related. This focused the hunt for answers to psy- may provide responses that align with social desirability or
chological problems on people's ideas, opinions, feelings, underreport behaviors or feelings, the tool did not require
and self-evaluation. The goal of counseling psychology is any personal information to ensure anonymity. Further, re-
to strengthen a person's inner capacity so they can over- spondents were assured confidentiality and that the infor-
come life's obstacles. While we as humans may not be able mation generated would be used only for academic purpose.
to control the outer world, we do have influence over how Secondly the study was mainly psychological tests which
we respond to its demands. In order to implement programs limited access to detailed information on students’ personal
that increase university students' self-evaluation, it is criti- opinion of psychosocial wellbeing, to overcome this limi-
cal to comprehend the correlation between self-effi- tation the research collected data from students’ counsel-
cacy and wellbeing. With early enhancement, more major lors and deans of students to enable triangulation.
mental health disorders can be averted and students' overall

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1314

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089
**
Special description of the title. (dispensable) ing psychosocial wellbeing (Francisco, 2020). Thus, pro-
moting healthy social interactions, managing daily stress,
II. LITERATURE REVIEW and achieving the potential of individuals, families, and
communities all depend on understanding psychosocial
A. Psychosocial Well-Being wellbeing.
A person's mental and emotional state, including their
degree of happiness, life satisfaction, sense of self-worth, B. Self-Efficacy and Psychosocial Well-Being
and sense of purpose in life, are all components of psycho- Self-efficacy, according to Bandura, is crucial for mo-
logical well-being (Francisco, 2020). The ability to engage tivation, conduct, and individual success. Based on Ban-
with one's environment, make informed decisions, and dura (1997), environments create frameworks that impact
build and maintain positive relationships are all compo- self-efficacy beliefs. Self-efficacy describes a person's con-
nents of social well-being (Chhabi, 2020). An individual's fidence in their ability to plan and carry out the actions nec-
relationship to their cultural and spiritual beliefs is a com- essary to handle future circumstances. It has an impact on
ponent of psychosocial well-being, and it can have a bene- psychosocial well-being, which is the sum of a person's so-
ficial effect on their overall well-being. This is known as cial and psychological facets of life. Self-efficacy is the
cultural and spiritual well-being (Francisco, 2020). As a re- conviction that one can achieve particular objectives and
sult, psychosocial well-being is a comprehensive idea that activities on one's own. This self-belief allows people to
acknowledges the connections between different facets of influence their own motivation, leading to increased confi-
a person's existence. It highlights how crucial internal (psy- dence, resilience, persistence, effort, and achievement
chological) and exterior (social and environmental) ele- (Schunk & DiBenedetto, 2021). It is the conviction that one
ments are in fostering an individual's general well-being. can function well under a variety of circumstances. Be-
Psychological interventions, social support, and environ- cause self-efficacy is domain-specific, it might differ in
mental modifications to produce a comfortable and happy many spheres of life. For instance, a person could feel very
living environment are frequently used in combination as confident in their career but less confident in their interper-
strategies to improve psychosocial well-being. sonal connections. According to Yokoyama (2019), self-
efficacy affected students' own views in their abilities to
A student's overall health could be affected by the sig- limit their behavior and prevent them from engaging in
nificant adjustments and challenges that come with going wrongdoing. He emphasized that young people's failure to
to college. Numerous mental health conditions, including cope with life's obstacles may lead to dangerous conduct
stress, relationship troubles, low self-esteem, drug abuse, and foster rebellion of parental authority. Confident people
traumatic experiences, loneliness, anxiety, and depression, are more inclined to set high goals and stick with them
have been related in research to the psychosocial well-be- when things get difficult, which improves their psycholog-
ing of university students. These conditions also affect peo- ical well-being.
ple's general functionality and their capacity to realize their
full potential as members of society (Chhabi, 2020). Both The link between self-efficacy and psychological
internal and external elements, such as a person's charac- well-being is receiving more attention in psychology and
teristics, aptitudes, emotions, surroundings, and social cir- education. Albert Bandura's idea of self-efficacy relates to
cumstances, can affect their psychosocial wellness (Eghosa an individual's belief in their capacity to complete activities
& Waqar, 2022). It is measured both objectively and sub- and objectives. Self-efficacy is a measure of an individual's
jectively, with objective metrics like money or educational ability to complete a goal or activity. Bandura's social cog-
achievement serving as benchmarks and subjective mark- nitive theory, which says that human behavior is founded
ers like self-rated happiness and life satisfaction offering a on observational learning, includes self-efficacy (Bandura,
more accurate gauge of well-being (Marie & Farah, 2023). 1997). Bandura contends that the social environment has a
Furthermore, a sense of mastery or success, optimism for significant impact on conduct. It is an important predictor
the future, happy emotions, and strong interpersonal rela- of human behavior, determining how people handle obsta-
tionships are all associated with psychosocial wellness and cles, deal with stress, and persevere in their activities. Self-
support healthy psychological well-being (Francisco, efficacy is especially important in the context of university
2020). In today's globalized society, addressing the com- students, since it may have a major impact on their aca-
plex and multifaceted issues that affect individuals and so- demic achievement, overall contentment, and psychologi-
cial groups such as mental health, economic, gender, racial, cal well-being. Learners' objectives, motivation levels, and
and ethnic inequality, migration, demographic shifts, con- academic success all influence their sufficiency views in
flict, and the stigmatizing effects on marginalized groups— education and ability to get higher academic grades (Nar-
requires an understanding of and commitment to promot- tey, 2023). As a result, it is projected that older and more

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1315

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

experienced students would be better equipped in terms of (2018), school administrators should take advantage of
self-efficacy beliefs. possibilities to create learning environments where all stu-
dents can explore and complete fundamental self-evalua-
A person's psychological well-being may be greatly tions in order to address students' unrest. The current re-
influenced by their level of self-efficacy. Individuals who search was carried out among university students as op-
possess a strong sense of self-efficacy and confidence in posed to secondary schools and was to look at the correla-
their own skills are more inclined to participate in activities tion between core self-evaluation traits and psychosocial
that enhance their general well-being. People who have a well-being.
strong sense of their own abilities are more likely to make
and accomplish significant objectives, manage stress well, III. METHODOLOGY
and uphold healthy relationships. Their psychological
well-being is influenced by these elements as well. Low This study employed a correlational research design
self-efficacy, on the other hand, can result in demotivation in addition to a descriptive survey. It focused on university
and powerlessness, both of which can be detrimental to students, student counsellors and Deans of students of
psychological well-being. Psychological notions of self-ef- Chuka University, Tharaka University and Meru Univer-
ficacy and psychosocial well-being are connected. While sity of Science and Technology. A sample of 395 students
psychosocial well-being includes the more comprehensive was estimated using Yamane formula (Nakamura, et al.,
facets of mental, emotional, and social health, self-efficacy 2012) and distributed proportionately across the universi-
represents a person's conviction in their capacity to carry ties based on stratified and simple random sampling. A
out certain activities. sample of 6 student counsellors and 3 Dean of students
were purposively sampled from the universities. The study
Although there is a dearth of empirical research on variables were self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing
self-efficacy and psychological well-being in East Africa, among students in public universities. Data from students
several studies do offer valuable insights into these ideas. was collected using self-report psychological test instru-
It has been shown that adherence self-efficacy—which is ment adopted from Schwarzer and Jerusalem self-efficacy
the belief in one's capacity to follow treatment plans—is a test (1995), and Ryff and Keyes Psychosocial wellbeing
significant predictor of medication adherence in the con- test (1995). Information from student counselors and Dean
text of HIV therapy (Zaida & Brian, 2022). Adolescents of students were sought using key informant interview
living with HIV can more easily transition to adult clinical schedule. Prior to administration, the instruments were pre-
treatment if they have high self-efficacy. Intercultural At- tested using 39 respondents from University of Embu. Data
titudes, Self-Efficacy, and Ethnic Identity Douglas, (Mulu- obtained was edited, coded and analyzed quantitatively and
geta & Gelila, 2024). According to Yufei's study on self- qualitatively based on study objectives. Qualitative data
efficacy and basic psychological needs theory, resilience was analyzed in themes based on the study objectives. De-
among trauma survivors is fostered by self-efficacy, which scriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze
also serves as a predictor of mental health. Higher psycho- quantitative data with the aid of Statistical Package for So-
logical security and less symptoms of anxiety and depres- cial Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0 computer software. Hy-
sion have been linked to greater self-efficacy. Jens, pothesis was tested using correlational analysis at 95%
Racheal, and Yufei (2023) finally, despite the paucity of level of significance. The study was done in October 2024.
empirical research on the relationship between self-effi-
cacy and psychological well-being in East Africa, the stud- A. Sampling Size Determination
ies that are available indicate that self-efficacy is a major The study adopted Yamane formula in determining
factor in wellbeing and health outcomes. To fully compre- appropriate study sample. The total population comprises
hend these ideas and how they affect the people in the area, 34,009 students enrolled in the three public universities in
more study is required. the upper eastern region of Kenya. Yamane (1967) pro-
vides a simplified formula to calculate sample sizes: n =
According to Aomo, Raburu, Aloka, and Ogolla N/1+N (e) 2 (where n is the sample size, N is the population
(2018), who investigated the association between students' size, and e is the level of significance = 5%). When Ya-
indulgence in behavioral problems in a sample of Kenyan mane (1967) formula is applied, the sample size is calcu-
secondary schools and their self-efficacy, a component of lated as follows:
core-self evaluations. The study found a substantial nega-
tive association between students' self-efficacy and indul- n = {34009/ [1 + 34009(0.05) 2]}
gence in behavior problems; high self-efficacy was associ- n≈395.45
ated with low levels of indulgence in behavior problems, n=395 students
and vice versa. According to the study by Aomo et al.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1316

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

The sample size for this study was 395 students, how- The proportionate distribution of the sample calculated us-
ever the respondents reached in the actual study were 382. ing the formula: Population x Sample/Target Population is
provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Sampling Grid

University Population Sample Male Sample Female Total Sample Size
Tharaka University 7,350 51 34 85
MUST 12,096 83 58 141
Chuka University 14,563 96 73 169
Total 34,009 230 165 395
Source: Admissions Office Tharaka, Chuka & MUST Universities, 2023
Further proportionate sampling to identify male and female in each year was done.

B. Sampling Procedure Psychosocial Wellbeing test has 18 items. For the

The study adopted Multistage sampling which incor- psychosocial well-being scale, the Ryff PSWS was
porates stratified, proportionate, probability and purposive adopted, Ryff, & Keyes (1995) The 18-item scale was used.
sampling. Stratified sampling procedure was employed to The subscale items for autonomy are Q15, Q17, and Q18.
pick first years, second years, third years and fourth years. Q4, Q8, and Q9 are the subscale items for environmental
Proportionate sampling to identify the number of male and mastery. Q11, Q12, and Q14 are the subscale items for per-
female in each year was used. Probability sampling was sonal growth. Q6, Q13, and Q16 are the subscale items for
used to pick individual respondent in the different years. positive relations with others. The subscale items for "Pur-
Tools such as random number generators were employed. pose in Life" are Q3, Q7, and Q10. Q1, Q2, and Q5 are the
The researcher was also employ purposive sampling to subscale items related to self-acceptance. The scores for
pick the students counselor and the deans of students. This Q1, Q2, Q3, Q8, Q9, Q11, Q12, Q13, Q17, and Q18 need
is because the student counselors' and deans of students’ to be reverse scored. Items with reverse scoring have words
expertise and insights are very valuable to our study and that are interpreted to be the opposite of what the scale is
their numbers are few. assessing. An item can be scored in reverse using the fol-
lowing formula: ((Number of scale points) + 1) - (Respond-
C. Research Instruments ent's answer) Q1, for instance, has a seven-point rating.
The instruments to be used for this study was psycho- You would recode a respondent's response to question (1)
logical tests for student respondents, an interview schedule as follows: (5 + 1) - 3 = 3. To put it another way, you would
for university student counsellors and deans of students. enter a 5 for this respondent's response to question 1. Add
up respondents' responses to each subscale question to de-
D. Students Psychological Tests termine each participant's subscale score. Higher psycho-
Quantitative information was gathered from the uni- logical well-being levels are indicated by higher scores.
versity students using a self-report test based on the objec- Appendix B psychosocial well-being test for students, Ap-
tives of the study. This is because it is simple to administer pendix C contains interview schedule for Student Counsel-
to a big population in just a brief time. Self Efficacy test lors and Deans of Students.
with 10 items each. The study used a self-efficacy test by
Schwarzer. According to Schwarzer and Jerusalem E. Validity of Instruments
(1995), General self-efficacy test is a self-report measure The capacity to carry out an accurate investigation
of self-efficacy. It’s a 10-item test. It’s a 4-point Likert under suitable conditions and with the appropriate instru-
scale ranging from not at all true to exactly true. The total ments and obtain acceptable and consistent findings is
score ranges between 10 and 40, with a higher score indi- known as research validity. For accurate measurements, re-
cating more self-efficacy. Goal setting attribute of self -ef- searchers depend on accurately calibrated instruments. Ac-
ficacy was be tested by question 3 and 9, persistency in the cording to Thanasegaran (2009), validity is the level at
face of challenges by question 1 and 2, problem solving which the items that are in the data collection tools and the
skills by 4 and 6, optimism and positivity by 5 and 10 and data collection tool itself measure what the tool is meant to
effective stress management 7 and 8. Appendix A shows measure. The validity shows the accuracy level of the ques-
the self-efficacy psychological test. tionnaires and how the tools affect that accuracy. Data col-
lection tools for this study was validated using construct
assessing how well the tools measure the concept designed
to measure, criterion validity how well the results accu-
rately measure the concrete outcome they are designed to

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1317

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

measure, and content validity which are the most widely supervisors reviewed and enhanced the reliability of the in-
used measures of validity. Construct validity was veri- struments by identifying and addressing potential areas that
fied by subjecting the items on the instrument to construct needed clarity and interpretation. During pilot study items
validity analysis based on Exploratory Factor Analysis provided a dependability coefficient of 0.70 or above and
(EFA). Only items whose factor loading were greater than they were deemed dependable.
0.4 were retained for analysis while those less were omitted.
Face validity was ensured by the researcher and supervi- IV. RESULTS
sor’s judgement whether there is appropriate font size, line
spacing, logical, clarity and arrangement of the instruments Results obtained showed that 382 students, 5 student
was done. To achieve this, the supervisors and other ex- counselors and 3 Deans of students participated in the
perts in the field of counselling psychology at Chuka Uni- study yielding a response rate of 96.7%. It was established
versity were consulted to give their opinion on the instru- that a majority of the students (57.1%) were males, mean
ment's validity. This is to ensure that the instruments cover age of the students was 21.33 (SD=1.906) years and were
the areas under study. fairly spread across the various years of university educa-
tion (second years were the highest (2nd year=28.8%, 1st
F. Reliability year=24.6%, 3rd year and 4th year =23.8% each).
Since measurement accuracy is so important in re-
search, it is imperative that the study ascertains the instru- A. Psychosocial Wellbeing of University Students
ment's reliability before using it to collect data. The degree The goal of the study was to ascertain whether stu-
or extent to which an evaluation instrument yields con- dents' psychological well-being and self-efficacy were cor-
sistent and stable outcomes over time is known as its relia- related. The collected data was assessed in order to test the
bility (Cozby, 2023). Using the Cronbach's Alpha Coeffi- formulated null hypotheses. The results on psychosocial
cient technique, the study's instrument reliability was as- wellbeing, the study's dependent variable, are first pre-
sessed. This internal consistency index was created to be sented in this section along with discussions of self-effi-
used with exams that could feature questions with ambigu- cacy variable. Eighteen statements were used to measure
ous or incorrect answers (Cronbach, 1990). Cohen and the dependent variable. Table 2 displays the results for
Swerdlik (2020) state that this approach has the benefit of every statement.
just requiring one test administration. Pilot testing and

Table 2: Psychological Wellbeing Students Responses (N=382)

Statements SA A N D SD Total
“I like most parts of my personality.” 69.4 21.2 6.8 1.8 0.8 100.0
“When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how 53.7 29.8 9.2 6.0 1.3 100.0
things have turned out so far.”
“Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one 39.8 32.5 20.7 3.9 3.1 100.0
of them.”
“The demands of everyday life often get me down.” 28.5 30.6 23.0 10.2 7.6 100.0
“In many ways I feel disappointed about my achievements in 15.4 21.5 21.5 17.8 23.8 100.0
life.”
“Maintaining close relationships has been difficult and frustrat- 25.9 26.2 20.4 13.6 13.9 100.0
ing for me.”
“I live life one day at a time and don't really think about the fu- 18.3 20.2 22.8 15.4 23.3 100.0
ture.”
. “In general, I feel I am in charge of the situation in which I 45.5 32.5 13.4 5.5 3.1 100.0
live.”
“I am good at managing the responsibilities of daily life.” 45.3 32.5 16.0 4.5 1.8 100.0
“I sometimes feel as if I've done all there is to do in life.” 21.7 24.3 23.3 15.7 14.9 100.0
“For me, life has been a continuous process of learning, chang- 61.8 22.0 9.7 5.8 0.8 100.0
ing, and growth.”
. “I think it is important to have new experiences that challenge 59.7 23.0 9.4 4.7 3.1 100.0
how I think about myself and the world.”
. “People would describe me as a giving person, willing to share 45.0 33.0 14.9 4.2 2.9 100.0
my time with others.”
“I gave up trying to make big improvements or changes in my 17.3 22.8 19.2 15.6 25.1 100.0

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1318

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

life a long time ago”

. “I tend to be influenced by people with strong opinions” 34.3 26.2 21.2 7.6 10.7 100.0
“I have not experienced many warm and trusting relationships 26.1 27.0 25.4 11.3 10.2 100.0
with others.”
“I have confidence in my own opinions, even if they are differ- 49.5 32.2 11.8 5.2 1.3 100.0
ent from the way most other people think.”
“I judge myself by what I think is important, not by the values 50.5 30.1 12.6 3.7 3.1 100.0
of what others think is important.”

According to the data, nearly all of the students Qualitative data was also sought from deans of stu-
(90.6%) stated they liked most aspects of their personalities; dents and student counsellors as regards university The
somewhat fewer (83.5%) claimed they were happy with psychosocial well-being of students. Relationship prob-
how things have worked out so far in their life's journey, lems, disputes with parents and love partners are among the
they are pleased with how things have turned out so far, psychological concerns that student counselors frequently
while more than two thirds (72.3%) were convinced that handle, according to data collected from them. This was
although some people wander aimlessly through life, they verified by SC2, SC3, and SC4, who stated that issues re-
are not some of them. Similarly, a majority (59.1%) of the lated to love and sexual relationships, drug and substance
students said they frequently feel down due to the respon- use problems, and financial and economic hardships
sibilities of daily life. A small percentage of students
(39.9%) stated that their life accomplishments make them Results indicate that a variety of psychosocial prob-
feel very disappointed, and slightly more than half (52.1%) lems, including as drug and substance misuse, relationship
reported that they have found it challenging and hard to problems, and financial difficulties, were plaguing univer-
have close relationships. The results also revealed that less sity students. The deans reaffirmed this and said that, in
than half of the students in the sample (38.5%) take things accordance with D1, some of the typical instances they
day by day and don't really consider the future, but more handled were stress and depression, anxiety, marital prob-
than three quarters said they generally feel in control of lems, substance misuse, financial difficulty, and academic
their circumstances (78%) and are adept at handling the ob- stress.
ligations of daily life (77.8%). Less than half of the stu-
dents (46%) said that they occasionally feel like they've ac- This was supported by D2 and D3, who said that drug
complished everything in life. More than three quarters and substance use disorders, relationship difficulties, fam-
(83.5%) said that learning, growing, and changing have ily disputes, and financial difficulties are common issues
been constant aspects of life; 82.7 percent said it's im- that students in their institutions present with. The results
portant to have experiences that challenge one's beliefs indicated that in addition to the problems brought up by
about oneself and the world; and 78% said that others student counselors, there were instances of tension, worry,
would characterize them as giving and willing to share and depression brought on by relationships, financial diffi-
their time. While more than three quarters of the students culties, and drug and substance abuse. Consequently, SC2
have confidence in their own opinions, even if they differ observed that although few students seek counseling, the
from the opinions of the majority of people (81.7%), less majority are aware of the psychosocial concerns affecting
than half of the students (40.1%) indicated that they gave them. A study was conducted on the following dimensions
up trying to make significant improvements or changes in of psychosocial wellbeing: self-acceptance, positive rela-
their lives a long time ago. Additionally, more than half tionships, environmental mastery, personal progress, and
(60.5%) tend to be influenced by people with strong opin- autonomy. Regarding autonomy, interviewee SC1 noted
ions, and 80.6% of them judge themselves based on what that the majority of college students possess the ability to
they think is important rather than what others think is im- manage their own problems, including their own education.
portant. Findings therefore showed that though there is This was supported by SC2, SC3 and SC4 who held that
peer pressure and influence among students most of them students in their institutions are autonomous and know
(69.26%) judge themselves positively and have confidence what they want but the influence of peers and parents’ lim-
in what they think and do. Overall, the results demonstrate its this.
the intricate interactions of societal factors, personal views,
and unique experiences that shape university students' psy-
chosocial wellbeing.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1319

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

B. Self-Efficacy and Psychosocial Wellbeing of University (HT), Neutral (N), Moderately True (MT) and Exactly
Students True (ET). The self-efficacy attributes that were tested in-
The study also sought to ascertain the correlation be- cluded goal setting, persistency in the face of challenges,
tween self-efficacy and psychosocial well-being among problem solving skills, optimism and positivity as well as
students in public universities in the upper eastern regions effective stress management. Goal setting attribute was
of Kenya. Self-efficacy was measured using a psychologi- measured by item 3 and 9, persistency in the face of chal-
cal test comprising ten items. Table 3 shows the percent- lenged item 1 and 2, problem solving skills item 4 and 6,
ages attained in each response. The responses are catego- optimism and positivity item 5 and 10, and lastly effective
rized into five levels: Not at all True (NT), Hardly True stress management was measured by item 7 and 8.

Table 3: Self-Efficacy Students Responses (N=382)

Statements NT HT N MT ET Total
I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough. 16.5 13.4 11.5 16.0 42.7 100.0
If someone opposes me, I can find the means and ways to get what I 13.3 19.9 20.2 20.9 25.7 100.0
want.
It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals. 12.0 13.6 12.0 23.4 39.0 100.0
I am confident that I could deal efficiently with unexpected events. 11.5 12.6 20.2 26.4 29.3 100.0
Thanks to my resourcefulness, I know how to handle unforeseen 13.9 17.0 18.6 24.3 26.2 100.0
situations.
I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort. 8.4 14.1 13.6 19.9 44.0 100.0
I can remain calm when facing difficulties because I can rely on 12.0 16.5 16.2 19.6 35.6 100.0
my coping abilities.
I actively practice self-care routines such as sufficient sleep and 12.0 13.1 21.5 22.8 30.6 100.0
healthy eating.
I actively set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time 9.9 16.8 15.2 23.8 34.3 100.0
bound (SMART) goals to guide my academic and personal
development.
I can usually handle whatever comes my way. 12.0 15.7 16.5 25.7 30.1 100.0

According to Table 2 results, more than half of the (55.8%) indicated that they can usually handle whatever
students (58.7%) said that they can always manage to solve comes their way.
challenging problems if they try hard enough; slightly less
than half (46.6%) said that they can find ways to get what A majority of students (63.9%) think that if they put
they want even in the face of opposition while more than in the required work, they can tackle the majority of diffi-
half (62.4%) insisted that it is simple for them to stay on culties. Similarly, (55.2%) of respondents said they can
track and achieve their goals. The findings also revealed rely on their coping mechanisms to help them stay com-
that a majority of students (55.7%) are confident that they posed in the face of adversity. More than half 53.4% of the
can deal efficiently with unexpected events, about a half of students agreed that they practice self-care routines such as
them (50,5%) indicated that thanks to their resourceful- sufficient sleep and healthy eating. Similarly, (58.1%) of
ness, they know how to handle unforeseen situations while students agree that setting specific, measurable, achieva-
a majority of the students (63.9%) believe that they can ble, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is something
solve most problems if they invest the necessary effort. they actively do to guide their academic and personal de-
Similarly, more than half of the students (55.2%) indicated velopment. Lastly, (55.8%) of the students said they can
that they can remain calm when facing difficulties because generally handle any situation that arises.
they can rely on their coping abilities, slightly less than this
proportion (53.4%) believed that they actively practice On the whole, findings showed that a majority of the
self-care routines such as sufficient sleep and healthy eat- students (60.5%) demonstrate the ability to set goals. They
ing, while more students (58.1%) agreed that they actively have the capacity to set and achieve SMART goals.
set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time Slightly more than a half (52.7%) of the students said they
bound (SMART) goals to guide their academic and per- are persistent when faced with difficulties. They confessed
sonal development though slightly less than this proportion having the ability to figure out how to accomplish their

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1320

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

goals and solve challenges. In a similar vein, slightly more Deans of students on their part noted that;
than this proportion (58.8%) of students said they could
solve problems. Just 53.2% of those exhibited optimism D1, D2 & D3: When students set clear goals,
they present a sense of purpose and direction
and positivity. Any problem that comes their way can be
and experience higher levels of satisfaction
handled and resolved by them. Finally, nearly half of the which build their self-confidence. Their ability
respondents, 54.3%, said they can effectively manage their to persist in the face of challenges help to build
stress, maintain composure, and engage in self-care. Find- resilience and a sense of accomplishment
ings therefore illustrated that more than half of the sampled which results in reduced anxiety and stress
students (55.95%) confirmed possessing positive self-effi- and enhanced self-confidence and self-effi-
cacy despite the coping abilities and goal setting behaviors. cacy. When students believe in their ability to
deal with challenges they face, their level of
self-confidence increases while levels of stress
Qualitative data was also sought from student coun- and anxiety decreases resulting in increased
sellors and deans of students on their conception of univer- self-esteem. This results in enhanced optimism
sity students’ self-efficacy as well as its extent of contribu- and the belief in ability to succeed and a sense
tion to their psychosocial wellbeing. Information obtained of self-efficacy.
from student counsellors in the course of their interaction
with students showed that: Findings therefore show that both student counsellors
and deans of students believe that goal setting, persistence,
problem solving ability as well as optimism and positivity
SC1, SC2 & SC3: Some students have goals
contribute to effective stress management and self-efficacy
while others got lost and need help to refocus
which ultimately contributes to the psychosocial wellbeing
their life, drug and substance use as well as
of university students.
romantic sexual relationship to a great deal
having contributed in killing goals of many.
Respondents’ scores for each of the items of self-ef-
Many students also lack the persistence re-
ficacy were computed to assess respondents’ self-assess-
quired in handling life challenges and want to
ment of their levels of self-efficacy. Results obtained were
be like their friends. A majority of students
as presented in Table 4.
lack critical problem-solving skills and turn to
drug and substance use to mask their problems
Table 4: University Students’ Level of Self-Efficacy
which is a major challenge to their overall
Level Frequency Percentage
wellbeing. A majority of students turn to sub-
LSE 91 23.8
stance use to mask their problems while others
hide in relationships due to lack of problem- HSE 291 76.2
solving skills which is a major challenge. Total 382 100.0
Apart from religion and sports, a majority of Key: LSE – Low Self-Efficacy; HSE – High Self-Efficacy
students do not know how to manage stress.
They rarely seek counselling and most often Data obtained show that very few (23.8%) had low
resort to drugs and illicit relationships. levels of self-efficacy compared to those with high self-ef-
ficacy (76.2%). Data obtained was then subjected to Pear-
son’ correlational analysis to test the relationship between
students’ self-efficacy and its five sub-scales with their
psychosocial wellbeing. Findings were as summarized in
Table 5.

Table 5: Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Psychosocial Wellbeing of University Students

Variable Mean SD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Goal Setting 3.5969 1.28989 -
Persistence 3.4031 1.28480 Corr. .780** -
Sig. .000
PS 3.6322 1.22482 Corr. .810** .780** -
Sig. .000 .000
OP 3.3901 1.23582 Corr. .781** .732** .838** -

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1321

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

Sig. .000 .000 .000

SM 3.4856 1.25614 Corr. .786** .736** .779** .758** -
Sig. .000 .000 .000 .000
SE 3.5016 1.14107 Corr. .918** .890** .927** .905** .895** -
Sig. .000 .000 .000 .000 .000
PSWB 3.4277 .45523 Corr. .363** .343** .302** .244** .314** .346** -
Sig. .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000
**. Correlation is Significant at the 0.01 level (2-Tailed).
Key: GS – Goal Setting, PS – Problem Solving, OP – Optimism and Positivity, SM – Stress Management, SE – Self-Efficacy,
PSWB – Psychosocial Wellbeing

Information in Table 4 show that university students Stress management was found to be positively and
scores for goal setting sub-scale was positively and signif- significantly correlated self-efficacy (R=0.895 p<0.001)
icantly correlated with persistence (R=0.780, p<0.001), and psychosocial wellbeing (R=0.314, p<0.001) implying
problem solving (R=0.810, p<0.001), optimism and posi- that the variable is positively and significantly related with
tivity (R=0.781, p<0.001), stress management (R=0.786, both self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing of university
p<0.001), self-efficacy (R=0.918, p<0.001) and ultimately students. Ultimately, data obtained relative to self-efficacy
their psychosocial wellbeing (R=0.363, p=<0.001). Find- indicated that the variable is positively and significantly
ings mean that students’ level of goal setting is positively correlated with psychosocial wellbeing (R=0.346, p<0.001)
and significantly related with persistent, problem solving, implying that self-efficacy of university students is posi-
optimism and positivity, stress management, self-efficacy tively and significantly related with their psychosocial
and their psychosocial wellbeing. Information obtained wellbeing. Findings also showed that university students’
also showed that students’ scores for persistence subscale aspects of goal setting, problem solving, optimism and pos-
was positively and significantly correlated problem solving itivity as well as aspects of stress management are posi-
(R=0.780, p<0.001), optimism and positivity (R=0.732, tively and significantly correlated with the students’ psy-
p<0.001), stress management (R=0.736, p<0.001), self-ef- chosocial wellbeing. Therefore, the hypothesis H01 which
ficacy (R=0.890, p<0.001) and positively and significantly stated that there is no statistically significant correlation be-
correlated with their psychosocial wellbeing. (R=0.343, tween self-efficacy and psychosocial well-being among
p<0.001). Findings imply that students’ score for persis- students in public universities in the Upper Eastern Region
tence is positively and significantly related with their levels of Kenya was rejected.
of problem solving, optimism and positivity, stress man-
agement, self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing. V. DISCUSSIONS

Findings relative to problem solving show that re- The study sought to ascertain the correlation between
spondents score for the variable is positively and signifi- self-efficacy and psychosocial well-being. Various aspects
cantly correlated with optimism and positivity (R=0.838, related to students' self-efficacy such as goal setting, prob-
p<0.001), stress management (R=0.779, p<0.001), self-ef- lem solving, persistency, problem solving skills, optimism
ficacy (R=0.927, p<0.001) and psychosocial wellbeing and positivity as well as effective stress management.
(R=0.302, p<0.001). It implies that university students’ Descriptive findings indicate that a majority of students are
view of their problem-solving ability is positively and sig- persistent in pursuing their goals (60.3%) and therefore
nificantly related with optimism and positivity, stress man- also possess strong resourcefulness and coping mecha-
agement, self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing. Opti- nisms. Qualitative findings showed that some students
mism and positivity was observed to be positively and sig- have goals while others got lost and need help to refocus
nificantly correlated with stress management (R=0.758, their life, drug and substance use as well as romantic sexual
p<0.001), self-efficacy (R=0.905, p<0.001) and ultimately relationship to a great deal having contributed in killing
and psychosocial wellbeing (R=0.244, p<0.001). It implies goals of many. When students set clear goals, they present
that university students’ feelings of optimism and positiv- a sense of purpose and direction and experience higher lev-
ity is positively related with stress management, self-effi- els of satisfaction which build their self-confidence. Infer-
cacy and their psychosocial wellbeing ential analysis illustrated that university students scores for
goal setting sub-scale was positively and significantly cor-
related with persistence (R=0.780, p<0.001), problem solv-
ing (R=0.810, p<0.001), optimism and positivity (R=0.781,
p<0.001), stress management (R=0.786, p<0.001), self-ef-

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1322

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

ficacy (R=0.918, p<0.001) and ultimately their psychoso- the face of challenges help to build resilience and a sense
cial wellbeing (R=0.363, p=<0.001). Findings mean that of accomplishment which results in reduced anxiety and
students’ level of goal setting is positively and significantly stress and enhanced self-confidence and self-efficacy.
related with persistent, problem solving, optimism and pos- When students believe in their ability to deal with chal-
itivity, stress management, self-efficacy and their psycho- lenges they face, their level of self-confidence increases
social wellbeing. Jing and Qingsheng (2017) observed that while levels of stress and anxiety decreases resulting in in-
students who actively set specific, measurable, achievable, creased self-esteem. Inferential analysis showed that stu-
relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals tend to exhibit dents’ scores for persistence subscale was positively and
higher levels of persistence and effective problem-solving significantly correlated problem solving (R=0.780,
skills. They also maintain a positive outlook and manage p<0.001), optimism and positivity (R=0.732, p<0.001),
stress well, which collectively enhances their self-efficacy stress management (R=0.736, p<0.001), self-efficacy
and contributes to better psychosocial well-being. (R=0.890, p<0.001) and positively and significantly corre-
lated with their psychosocial wellbeing. (R=0.343,
Findings with respect problem solving to showed that p<0.001). Findings imply that students’ score for persis-
descriptively, a majority of the students perceive them- tence is positively and significantly related with their levels
selves as capable problem solvers (59.8%) implying that of problem solving, optimism and positivity, stress man-
that many students possess strong resourcefulness and cop- agement, self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing.
ing mechanisms. Data obtained show that very few (23.8%) Mtshweni (2022) in a study entitled the effect of psycho-
had low levels of self-efficacy compared to those with high social factors on the academic persistence of undergraduate
self-efficacy (76.2%). Qualitative findings showed that university students concluded that findings of this study
many students turn to substance use to mask their problems showed that sense of belonging, academic motivation, and
due to lack of appropriate problem-solving skills. When the generation status of students significantly predicted ac-
students believe in their ability to solve their problems, ademic persistence, whereas academic anxiety, perceived
their level of self-confidence is enhanced which promotes social support, and the socioeconomic status of students
their self-esteem and self-efficacy. Inferential findings rel- was not predictive of academic persistence. Marjorie and
ative to problem solving show that respondents score for Brooks (2016). found a positive correlation between per-
the variable is positively and significantly correlated with sistence and success in problem solving suggesting that
optimism and positivity (R=0.838, p<0.001), stress man- persistence is an important contributor to problem solving
agement (R=0.779, p<0.001), self-efficacy (R=0.927, abilities
p<0.001) and psychosocial wellbeing (R=0.302, p<0.001).
It implies that university students’ view of their problem- Information obtained on optimism and positivity il-
solving ability is positively and significantly related with lustrated that descriptively, more students (53.2%) demon-
optimism and positivity, stress management, self-efficacy strate optimism, positivity and confidence in handling un-
and psychosocial wellbeing. Daniels, Beesley, Wimalasiri expected situations, which reflects a level of self-efficacy.
and Cheyne (2013) in a study on problem solving and well- Qualitative findings confirmed that several students are op-
being observed that discussing problems with others to timistic. When students maintain a positive outlook and be-
solve problems (DIS-SP) was inversely associated with lieve in their ability to succeed, they experience low level
subsequent negative affect and that there were curvilinear of stress and anxiety. Optimism and positivity was ob-
relationships between changing aspects of work activities served to be positively and significantly correlated with
to solve problems (CHA-SP) and subsequent levels of neg- stress management (R=0.758, p<0.001), self-efficacy
ative affect, fatigue, and cognitive failure, such that only (R=0.905, p<0.001) and ultimately and psychosocial well-
high levels of CHA-SP were associated with lower levels being (R=0.244, p<0.001). It implies that university stu-
of negative affect, fatigue, and cognitive failure. Fatigue dents’ feelings of optimism and positivity is positively re-
was inversely associated with subsequent levels of DIS-SP lated with stress management, self-efficacy and their psy-
and CHA-SP. Contrary to expectations, there was a posi- chosocial wellbeing. Wani and Dar (2017) examined the
tive association between cognitive failure and subsequent level of optimism, happiness, and self-esteem among Uni-
CHA-SP. versity students and found that there is positively signif-
icant correlation between optimism, happiness, and self-es-
As regards persistence, descriptive data showed that teem. Concurrently, gender is negatively significant corre-
more than half of the students (52.3%) are adequately re- lated with optimism, happiness, and self-esteem, whereas
silient, feel capable of navigating challenges and maintain- age was found negatively insignificant correlated with op-
ing composure during stressful situations, which is crucial timism, happiness, and self-esteem respectively.
for their overall resilience. Qualitative findings illustrated
that a majority of students possess the ability to persist in

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1323

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

Descriptive findings also showed that more than half Findings confirm that universities can benefit from pro-
of the students underscore the importance of self-care moting programs and interventions that enhance students'
(54.3%) and goal setting which enhances effective stress self-efficacy. This can include workshops on goal setting,
management. Engaging in self-care practices contributes to problem-solving skills, resilience-building activities, and
their overall wellbeing, while setting SMART goals helps academic support services. Counseling services can play a
them stay focused and motivated in both academic and per- pivotal role in supporting students who struggle with self-
sonal endeavors. Qualitative findings showed that apart efficacy issues, providing strategies to boost confidence
from religion and sports, a majority of students do not and manage academic stress effectively.
know how to manage stress. They rarely seek counselling
and most often resort to drugs and illicit relationships. VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Stress management was found to be positively and signifi-
cantly correlated self-efficacy (R=0.895 p<0.001) and psy- A. Conclusion
chosocial wellbeing (R=0.314, p<0.001) implying that the Self-efficacy is positively and significantly correlated
variable is positively and significantly related with both with psychosocial wellbeing implying that self-efficacy of
self-efficacy and psychosocial wellbeing of university stu- university students is positively and significantly related
dents Kvintová, and Sigmund, (2012) in a study on psy- with their psychosocial wellbeing. It can therefore be con-
chosocial aspects of stress in current university students cluded that university students’ self-efficacy is positively
found that the student population has poorer health than the and significantly correlated to their psychosocial well-be-
non-studying population of the same age. Analyzing the ing. The objective sought to ascertain the correlation be-
profile of a university student appears to be an important tween self-efficacy and psychosocial well-being among
aspect that can contribute to the creation of preventive pro- students in public universities in the Upper Eastern Region
grams to reduce or compensate the burden in the student’s of Kenya. Study findings showed that relative to self-effi-
population and to identify topics for effective intervention cacy indicated that the variable is positively and signifi-
in university counseling. cantly correlated with psychosocial wellbeing implying
that self-efficacy of university students is positively and
Findings therefore illustrated that more than half of significantly related with their psychosocial wellbeing. It
the sampled students (55.95%) confirmed possessing posi- can therefore be concluded that university students’ self-
tive self-efficacy despite the coping abilities and goal set- efficacy is positively and significantly correlated to their
ting behaviors. Qualitative findings showed that both stu- psychosocial well-being.
dent counsellors and deans of students believe that goal set-
ting, persistence, problem solving ability as well as opti- B. Recommendations
mism and positivity contribute to effective stress manage- The positive and significant correlation imply that
ment and self-efficacy which ultimately contributes to the strategies directed at strengthening the self-efficacy would
psychosocial wellbeing of university students. Inferential result in enhanced wellbeing of the students. It is therefore
analysis relative to self-efficacy indicated that the variable recommended that university management, student coun-
is positively and significantly correlated with psychosocial selors in collaboration with other education stakeholders
wellbeing (R=0.346, p<0.001) implying that self-efficacy should put in place strategies aimed at strengthening the
of university students is positively and significantly related self-efficacy. In particular, they could Create interventions
with their psychosocial wellbeing. Findings also showed that improve and reinforce students' ability to create goals
that university students’ aspects of goal setting, problem and their sense of self-efficacy. Workshops on effective
solving, optimism and positivity as well as aspects of stress stress management techniques, problem-solving tech-
management are positively and significantly correlated niques, and goal-setting for both academic and personal
with the students’ psychosocial wellbeing. Chýlová and success may be part of this. Promote student-led peer men-
Natovová (2013) investigated the correlation between torship programs that allow them to gain practical problem-
stress, self-efficacy and well-being of the university stu- solving skills and learn from each other's experiences.
dents and found that students perceived their general self-
efficacy to be significantly heightened, while they were
less satisfied with their lives than the normal population.
Furthermore, the study found significant correlations be-
tween self-efficacy and stress coping strategies, which in-
duce, that the concept of self-efficacy is a strong and useful
concept that deserves to be included into psychological
seminars and contact lessons in education of our students.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1324

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

REFERENCES [13]. Francisco, M., Isabel, L., Ted, B. & Jose. M. (2020).
The relationship between Psychological Well-being
[1]. Abid, M., Muhammad, A. Aaqib, S. &Farhat, S. and Psychological Factors in University Students.
(2019). The Effect of Self-Efficacy on Academic International Journal of Environmental Research
Performance at Higher Level of Learning: A Case and Public Health. MDPI
Study of Punjab University Lahore. Journal of Ed- [14]. Geng J, Lei L. & Han L. (2021). Shyness and de-
ucational Sciences and Research, 6(1), 33-47. pressive symptoms: a multiple mediation model in-
[2]. Alessandri, G., Vecchione, M., Eisenberg, N. & Ła- volving core self-evaluations and sense of security.
guna, M. (2015). On the factor structure of the Ros- J Affect Disord. 286:19–26.
enberg (1965) general self-esteem scale. Psycho- [15]. Julie, A., Cedric, G. & Reda, S. (2020) The Associ-
logical Assessment, 27(2), 621-635. ation of Self- Esteem and Psychosocial Outcomes in
https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000073 Young Adults. A 10 year Prospective Study. Re-
[3]. Andrea M. (2023). Setting Expectations Too High- trieved from https://doi.org/.1111/camh.12392
a Direct Route to Stress and Depression? Harley [16]. Kaufman, S. (2018). Self-actualizing people in the
Therapy Tm Retrieved from harleytherapy.co.uk 21st century: Integration with contemporary theory
[4]. Arshad, M., Zaidi, S. & Mahmood, K. (2015). Self- and research on personality and well-being. Journal
esteem and academic performance among univer- of Humanistic Psychology, Advance online publica-
sity students. Journal of Education and Practice, tion, 1-33.
6(1), 105-115. [17]. Maqbool Parray, W., Kumar, S., E. David, B. &
[5]. Bunoti, S. (2011, June). The quality of higher edu- Khare, S. (2020). Assertiveness predicts self-es-
cation in developing countries needs professional teem, academic achievement, and stress: A study of
support. In 22nd International Conference on Kashmiri adolescents. Humanities & Social Sci-
Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www. ences Reviews, 8(1), 707-715.
intconfhighered. org/FINAL% 20Sarah% 20Bunoti. https://doi.org/10.18510/ hssr. 2020.8185
pdf. [18]. Marie, C. & Farah. Q. (2023). Psychosocial Well-
[6]. Chhabi. K. (2020). Psychosocial Well-Being of In- being Determinants and Occupants Happiness in
dividuals. Springer Link. Retrieved from Green Neighbourhood? Community. Frontiers in
link.springer.com Built Environment. Retrieved form frontiers.org/ar-
[7]. David, E. (2023). High Expectations Make us Per- ticles
form Better: The Pigmalion Effect Explained. The [19]. Marie, C. & Farah (2023). Psychosocial Well-Being
Knowledge 2023 and Health. American Psychosomatic Society. 672
[8]. Dhillon, M., Dhawan, P. & Kalyani, A. (2016). Fac- Old Mclean Village drive Molean, Virginia 22101
tors Influencing Self-esteem of Indian Female Ado- [20]. NCCK (2023). Upper Eastern Region. NCCK. No-
lescents. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social ble Peace Prize Nominee. Retrieved from
Science, 21(7), 56- 63. https://www.google.com/search?q=Upper+East-
[9]. Eghosa, E., & Wqar, S. (2022). Psychosocial Well- ern+Region.+NCCK. &rlz
Being Determinants and Occupants Happiness in a =1C1VDYX_enKE825KE825&oq=Upper+Easter
Green Neighbourhood? Community. Frontiers in n+Region.+NCCK.+& gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUy-
Built Environment. Retrieved from frontiersin.org BggAEEUYOTIJCAEQIRgKGKABMgkIA-
[10]. Elizabeth Acosta-Gonzaga (2023). The Effects of hAhGAoYoAEyCQgDECEY-
self Esteem and Academic Engagement on Univer- ChigAdIBCjE5MzkyajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sour
sity Students Performance. Behave Sci Basel ceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
[11]. Fanaj, M. (2015). Self-esteem and hopelessness as [21]. NSW (2020). Government, Department of Educa-
predictors of emotional difficulties. A cross-sec- tion Supporting High Academic Expectations.
tional study among adolescents in Kosovo. Every student is Known, Valued and Cared for in
[12]. Francisco, J. (2020). Understanding Psychosocial our Schools. Center for Education Statics and Eval-
Wellbeing in Context of complex and Multidimen- uation. www,cese, NSW.GOV.AU
sional Problems. National Library of Medicine, Na- [22]. Orodho, J. (2014). Policies On Free Primary and
tional Center for Biotechnology Information. Secondary Education in East Africa: Are Kenya
Int.J.Environ Res Public Health. And Tanzania On Course To Attain Education For
All (Efa) Goals By 2015? Journal Of Humanities
and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 19 (1), 11-20.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1325

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

[23]. Orosa, F. (2020). Understanding Psychosocial

Wellbeing in Context of complex and Multidimen-
sional Problems. National Library of Medicine, Na-
tional Center for Biotechnology Information. Int.
J.Environ Res Public Health.
[24]. Oso, W. & Onen, D. (2011). Writing Research Pro-
posal and Report: A Handbook for Beginning Re-
searchers. Rsvd edn. Nairobi-Kenya: The Jomo
Kenyatta Foundation.
[25]. Yamane, Y. (1967). Mathematical Formulae for
Sample Size Determination. Scientific Research
Publishing Inc.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1326

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

APPENDIX A

Self-Efficacy Test
Guided by the scale provided, respond to the following questions on Self- Efficacy (1= Not at all true 2= Hardly True, 3=Neu-
tral 4= Moderately True 5=Exactly True).
Statements 1 2 3 4 5
NT HT N MT ET
SEF 1 I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough.
SEF2 If someone opposes me, I can find the means and ways to get what I want.
SEF3 It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals.
SEF4 I am confident that I could deal efficiently with unexpected events.
SEF5 Thanks to my resourcefulness, I know how to handle unforeseen situations.
SEF6 I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort.
SEF7 I can remain calm when facing difficulties because I can rely on my coping abil-
ities.
SEF8 I actively practice self-care routines such as sufficient sleep and healthy eating.
SEF9 I actively set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound
(SMART) goals to guide my academic and personal development.
SEF10 I can usually handle whatever comes my way.

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1327

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

APPENDIX B

Psychosocial Well-Being Test

Instructions: Indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following psychosocial well-being statements. Answer Format:
1 = Strongly Agree; 2 = Agree; 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree (Neutral); 4 = Disagree; 5 = Strongly Disagree.
Statements 1 2 3 4 5
SA A N D SD
PSWB1 “I like most parts of my personality.”
PSWB 2 “When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how things have
turned out so far.”
PSWB 3 “Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.”
PSWB 4 “The demands of everyday life often get me down.”
PSWB 5 “In many ways I feel disappointed about my achievements in life.”
PSWB 6 “Maintaining close relationships has been difficult and frustrating for
me.”
PSWB 7 “I live life one day at a time and don't really think about the future.”
PSWB 8 . “In general, I feel I am in charge of the situation in which I live.”
PSWB 9 “I am good at managing the responsibilities of daily life.”
PSWB 10 “I sometimes feel as if I've done all there is to do in life.”
PSWB 11 “For me, life has been a continuous process of learning, changing, and
growth.”
PSWB 12 . “I think it is important to have new experiences that challenge how I
think about myself and the world.”
PSWB 13 . “People would describe me as a giving person, willing to share my time
with others.”
PSWB 14 “I gave up trying to make big improvements or changes in my life a long
time ago”
PSWB 15 . “I tend to be influenced by people with strong opinions”
PSWB 16 “I have not experienced many warm and trusting relationships with oth-
ers.”
PSWB 17 “I have confidence in my own opinions, even if they are different from
the way most other people think.”
PSWB 18 “I judge myself by what I think is important, not by the values of what
others think is important.”

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1328

Volume 9, Issue 10, October – 2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT1089

APPENDIX C
Student Counsellors and Deans of Students Interview Schedule

Introduction

Welcome and thank you for participating in this interview. The purpose of this interview is to explore the correlation
between core self -evaluation traits and psychosocial well-being among university students.

 Section 1

 Indicate your gender. Male ( ) Female ( )

 Indicate your age bracket Below 25 ( ) 25-35 ( ) 36-45 ( ) 46-55 ( ) Above 55 ( )
 How long have you worked as a Student Counsellor? Less than 5 years ( ) 5-10 Years ( ) More than 10 Years
( )
 For how long have you served in this current station Less than 5 Years ( ) 5-10 years ( ) More than 10 years
( )
 What are the most common psychosocial issues you handle as a student counsel-
lor? ...............................................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................

 Section 2

 Comment on each of the Following Aspects of Your Students’ Psychological Wellbeing

 Autonomy
 Environmental Mastery
 Personal growth
 Positive relation
 Purpose of life
 Self-acceptance
 Overall psychosocial wellbeing

 In Your Opinion what is the Contribution of Each of the Following Aspects of Self-Efficacy to University Students’ Psycho-
social Wellbeing

 Goal setting
 Persistence
 Problem solving
 Optimism and positivity
 Effective stress management

IJISRT24OCT1089 www.ijisrt.com 1329