Predictors of Self-Efficacy for Participants of a Capacity-Building Group Intervention for Individuals Living in Poverty

Background and Purpose:  Capacity-building anti-poverty programs are important for helping people living in poverty understand, identify, and begin to overcome structural and individual barriers to economic mobility. Many individuals in poverty have multiple and complex barriers; thus, persistence and determination are needed to take steps towards economic progress.  However, self-efficacy plays a role in the individual’s chances of mobility, since a person’s possibility of achieving goals and overcoming barriers hinges on their belief in their own ability to do so.  Thus, this project sought to explore predictors of self-efficacy in participants of a capacity-building anti-poverty program.

Methods:  Secondary data were used from participants of a nationwide outcome study (n = 399) of “Getting Ahead,” a manualized curriculum designed to help people living in poverty learn about structural causes of poverty and build individual and community capacity.  OLS regression was used to test a model predicting scores on the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale ([GSES] R = 10-40, M = 29.60, SD = 5.90) of participants at baseline when they entered the program.  Predictors included demographics (age, gender, race, and employment status), the presence of a barrier due to self-reported physical health problems, substance abuse problems, or relationship abuse, and scores on standardized measures of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, R = 0-52, M = 27.62, SD = 7.21), mental health and well-being (Mental Health Continuum, R = 0-70, M = 40.78, SD = 14.92), and social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, R = 0-120, M = 68.92, SD = 23.76).

Results:   The model significantly predicted GSES scores (F = 28.06, p ≤ .001).  The predictors accounted for nearly half of the variance in the GSES score (adjusted R² = .48).  Demographic variables and self-reported individual barriers were not significant predictors.  Significant individual predictors of self-efficacy were perceived stress (B = -.180, β = -.219, p ≤ .001), mental health and well-being (B = .154, β = .389, p ≤ .001), and social support (B = .050, β = .200, p ≤ .001). 

Conclusions and Implications:  The findings of this study suggest that some Getting Ahead participants may have lower self-efficacy than others, particularly participants with higher stress, lower mental health, and lower social support upon program entry.  Self-efficacy is an important component in the change process, since individuals cannot overcome barriers if they do not believe they are capable of doing so.  The Getting Ahead program centers on helping people identify their personal and structural barriers to economic mobility and to develop a plan to build resources and begin to overcome those barriers.  Findings of this study have implications for providers of Getting Ahead, and suggest that they should target these particular individuals and immediately focus on increasing hope and self-efficacy.  Future research needs to examine whether differences in self-efficacy translate to differences in short and long-term outcomes for Getting Ahead participants.  Future research also needs to examine interventions to significantly increase self-efficacy in this population.  Limitations of this study include the convenience sampling design.