Having a sense of efficacy: considering adolescent and adult perceptions of self and self-in-community in relation to meeting personal and communal challenges

Abstract

This review paper reports on a series of five studies that have sought to understand differences and commonalities regarding the constructs of self efficacy and communal mastery in relation to personal and community problem solving. Adult studies include university students’ management of stress, rural residents’ management of land use issues and volunteering behaviour, and urban residents’ management of water resources. Adolescent studies of mental health and community engagement include general and clinical samples. Once shared variance for measures of generalised self efficacy (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) and communal mastery (Hobfoll, Schroder, Wells & Malek, 2002) was removed, the relative significance of the two constructs tended to differ in relation to predicting aspects of personal problem solving (coping and wellbeing) and community problem solving (volunteering and engagement). For example, while adults’ reported self efficacy was a better predictor of managing worries, communal mastery was more predictive of managing actual stressful events. Adolescents’ reports of communal mastery were a better predictor of mental health indicators and coping than their reports of self efficacy. In regard to environmental issues, self efficacy contributed more to the prediction of pro-environmental behaviour than communal efficacy. Findings are discussed in terms of advancing conceptual understanding of the two constructs and the importance of promoting the development of communal as well as self efficacy in caring for the good of the one and the good of the many.