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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Self-efficacy

Overview

  • Influence: Self-efficacy
  • Domain: Student
  • Sub-Domain: Self
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to considerably accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Self-efficacy refers to an individuals sense of confidence to make decisions about what course of action they intend to pursue and reach specific goals. This includes their belief in their capacity to execute the necessary behaviors to reach those goals.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 17
  • Number of studies: 808
  • Number of students: 1,381,152
  • Number of effects: 1,319
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.69
  • Robustness index: 5

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Psychological Reports Holden, Moncher, Schinke, & Barker Self-Efficacy of Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis 1990 Self-efficacy 25 NA 26 0.37
Journal of Counseling Psychology Multon, Brown, & Lent Relation of self-efficacy beliefs to academic outcomes: A meta-analytic investigation 1991 Self-efficacy 36 4,998 38 0.76
Conference paper Silva, Ryan, Kalkbrenner, Featherston, Busk, & Turner Meta-Analysis of Self-Efficacy Interventions in Higher Education 2016 Self-efficacy on achievement in Higher education 20 NA 20 0.25
Book Çikrikci The Effect of Self-efficacy on Student Achievement 2017 Self-efficacy 231 242,023 231 0.72
Review of Educational Research Unrau, Rueda, Son, Polanin, Lundeen & Muraszewski Can Reading Self-Efficacy Be Modified? A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Interventions on Reading Self-Efficacy 2018 Reading self-efficacy 30 NA 33 0.33
British Journal of Educational Technology Gegenfurtner, Quesada-Pallares, & Knogler Digital simulation-based training: A meta-analysis 2014 Self-efficacy in simulation based learning 15 2,274 15 0.72
Psychological Bulletin Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley & Carlstrom Do Psychosocial and Study Skill Factors Predict College Outcomes? A Meta-Analysis 2004 Self-efficacy 13 NA 13 1.84
Dissertation Carpenter A comparison of the relationships of students' self-efficacy, goal orientation, and achievement across grade levels: a meta-analysis  2007 Self-efficacy 48 12,466 48 0.70
International Journal of Instruction Ciftci & Yildiz The effects of self-confidence on mathematics achievement: The meta-analysis of trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS). 2019 Self-confidence 76 1,028,567 76 0.59
Journal of Second Language Writing Sun, Wang, Lambert, & Liu Relationship between second language English writing self-efficacy and achievement: A meta-regression analysis. 2021 Writing self-efficacy on L2 students 76 NA 76 0.56
Personality and Individual Differences Braithwaite & Corr Hans Eysenck, education and the experimental approach: A meta-analysis of academic capabilities in university students. 2016 Self-efficacy on achievement in Higher education 14 NA 14 0.26
Psikologika: Journal Pemikiran dan Penelitian Psikologi Rachmahana Peran efikasi diri terhadap prestasi dan performansi: meta analisis.  2008 Self-efficacy 23 NA 23 0.95
International Journal of Instruction Muhtadi, Assagaf, & Hukom Self-efficacy and students' mathematics learning ability in Indonesia: A meta-analysis study. 2022 Self-efficacy 40 4,503 40 1.71
Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science Haidai, Koçoglu, & Kanadli Contribution of Locus of Control, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation to Student Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modelling.  2023 Self-efficacy 37 16,946 40 0.08
Dissertation Sun Relationship between writing self-efficacy and writing achievement: Evidence from an empirical study and a meta-analysis 2021 Self-efficacy 76 18,620 575 0.50
Education Sciences Nunes, Oliveira, Santini, Castelli, & Cruz-Jesus A weight and meta-analysis on the academic achievement of high school students. 2022 Academic self-efficacy 11 27,705 11 0.74
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching Goetze & Driver Is learning really just believing? A meta-analysis of self-efficacy and achievement in SLA.  2022 Self-efficacy in 2nd language 37 23,050 40 1.04
TOTAL/AVERAGE 808 1,381,152 1,319 0.71
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