Examining the Relationship Between Emotional Self-Efficacy Levels and Academic Achievement of Students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between emotional self-efficacy levels and academic achievement among students of the Faculty of Sports Sciences. The research group consists of a total of 314 participants, including 155 female and 159 male students enrolled in the Faculty of Sports Sciences. A personal information form developed by the researcher was used to collect socio-demographic data, official transcripts were used to determine academic achievement, and the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale was utilized to assess emotional self-efficacy levels. Normality analyses were conducted on the obtained data, taking skewness and kurtosis values into account. In the data analysis, t-tests were employed for pairwise comparisons, ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons, and correlation and regression analyses were conducted to determine relationships between variables. As a result of the analyses, no significant differences were found in the sub-dimensions of using emotions to facilitate thinking, regulating emotions, understanding emotions, total emotional self-efficacy scores, or academic achievement based on gender. However, a significant difference was observed in the “understanding emotions” dimension (p<0.05). According to the variable of academic year, no significant differences were found in using emotions to facilitate thinking, regulating emotions, understanding emotions, or total emotional self-efficacy scores, while significant differences were found in the “understanding emotions” dimension and academic achievement (p<0.05). Regarding the department variable, no significant differences were observed in the dimensions of understanding emotions and regulating emotions, whereas significant differences were found in using emotions to facilitate thinking, perceiving emotions, total emotional self-efficacy scores, and academic achievement (p<0.05). The correlation analyses revealed a positive and significant relationship between academic achievement and the dimensions of regulating emotions, understanding emotions, perceiving emotions, using emotions to facilitate thinking, as well as total emotional self-efficacy scores. Regression analyses further indicated that the dimensions of perceiving emotions and using emotions to facilitate thinking significantly and positively predicted academic achievement. In conclusion, as students’ emotional self-efficacy levels increase, their academic achievement also improves. It can be suggested that teachers or academics may enhance students’ academic performance by implementing interventions aimed at improving their emotional self-efficacy.