The relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and self-efficacy among adolescent students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background The spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as its high contagiousness, increased students’ anxiety and stress. Anxiety may affect individuals’ functioning and undermine their self-efficacy. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and self-efficacy among adolescent students. Method This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted on 306 adolescent students in southern Iran. The research tools were the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale consisting of physical and psychological dimensions of anxiety and the Self-Efficacy Scale composed of three subscales: academic, social, and emotional self-efficacy. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25. Pearson correlation was used to investigate the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and self-efficacy using the total score of both scales and their dimensions as well. T-Test and one-way ANOVA were used to see whether sociodemographic variables of participants significantly varied in self-efficacy and COVID-19 anxiety. Results The mean score of COVID-19 anxiety was 11.70 ± 9.25, representing mild anxiety, and the mean score of the psychological dimension was higher than that of the physical dimension. The mean self-efficacy score was 81.29 ± 12.98 indicating high level of self-efficacy. In addition, the mean score of academic self-efficacy was higher than that of social and emotional self-efficacy. There was an inverse, significant, and mild to moderate relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and the total score of self-efficacy (r = -.28, p < .001) and all its dimensions (r = -. 18, p = .002 for social and academic self-efficacy; r = -.32, p <. 001 for emotional self-efficacy). While the physical dimension of COVID-19 anxiety correlated significantly and negatively with self-efficacy total and subscale scores, the mental subscale of COVID-19 anxiety only correlated with the self-efficacy total score (r = -.20, p < .001) and emotional self-efficacy (r = -.28, p < .001). Conclusion The study results revealed that the higher the COVID-19 anxiety, the lower the self-efficacy among adolescents. It is important to prioritize the enhancement of self-efficacy among adolescents to ensure their success across various life domains including managing stressors brought about by pandemics like COVID-19. This requires a collaborative effort from parents and teachers as they are a primary source of reassurance and information. Parents and teachers can also serve as role models in showcasing resilience and positive coping with the pandemic and allow adolescent students to master adaptive coping and provide positive reinforcement for effective behaviors.