Academic potential beliefs and feelings and life satisfaction: the mediator role of social self-efficacy / Creencias y sentimientos sobre el potencial académico y satisfacción vital: el rol mediador de la autoeficacia social

Abstract The aim of the present study is to examine the mediating role of social self-efficacy on the relationship between academic potential beliefs and feelings and life satisfaction. Participants were 332 university students who completed a questionnaire package that included the Academic Potential Beliefs and Feelings Scale, Cognitive and Behavioural Social Self-efficacy Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. To determine the relationships among academic potential beliefs and feelings, social self-efficacy and life satisfaction, the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analyses were used. In order to test whether social self-efficacy mediated the link between academic potential beliefs and feelings and life satisfaction with regression analyses, Preacher and Hayes macros for SPSS were used. According to the results, social self-efficacy and life satisfaction were predicted positively by academic potential beliefs and feelings. On the other hand, life satisfaction was predicted positively by social self-efficacy. In addition, the association between academic potential beliefs and feelings and life satisfaction was fully mediated by social self-efficacy. Together, the findings illuminate the social processes underlying the association of academic potential beliefs and feelings with life satisfaction.