factors associated with high self-efficacy - California State ：自我效能感高的加利福尼亚州的相关因素.docVIP

Factors Associated With High Self-Efficacy Among California’s Public Child Welfare Workers A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the School of Social Work California State University, Los Angeles In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Social Work By Kathleen L. McElroy June 2002 8 2002 Kathleen L. McElroy ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Dale Weaver for his invaluable direction, guidance and support throughout this project. I would also like to thank my student colleagues for their camaraderie and support. A very special thanks to the members of my family, whose confidence in me has provided more encouragement than words can say. Finally, a world of thanks to my fiancée, Jonathan Hjelm, who has encouraged and inspired me throughout this and many other challenges. ABSTRACT Factors Associated with High Self-Efficacy Among California’s Public Child Welfare Workers By Kathleen L. McElroy County child welfare workers must perform complex tasks, work with involuntary clients, and negotiate heavily bureaucratic organizations in order to effectively protect the abused and neglected children they are mandated to monitor. These workers must feel confident in their abilities to successfully provide services to clients. The concept of self-efficacy states that when an individual thinks and feels as though he or she is competent in completing complex tasks, that person is more likely to be successful. The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, characteristics contribute significantly to feelings of high self-efficacy among county child welfare workers in California, and whether individual characteristics (such as personal history) or organizational characteristics (such as level of support from administration) were more likely to predict high levels of self-efficacy among child welfare workers. Secondary data from a study on the retention of child welfare workers were used. Bivariate comparisons