GE2204

Maricar M. Paladan
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: __________________

General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE)

The General Self-Efficacy Scale is correlated to emotion, optimism, and work satisfaction. Negative
coefficients were found for depression, stress, health complaints, burnout, and anxiety.

Instructions
Below is a list of statements dealing with your general feelings about yourself. Please indicate how
strongly you agree or disagree with each statement.

Not at all Hardly Moderately Exactly

true true true true
1. I can always manage to solve difficult
   
problems if I try hard enough
2. If someone opposes me, I can find the
   
means and ways to get what I want.
3. I can easily stick to my aims and accomplish
   
my goals.
4. I am confident that I can deal efficiently
   
with unexpected events.
5. Thanks to my resourcefulness, I know how
   
to handle unforeseen situations.
6. I can solve most problems if I invest the
   
necessary effort.
7. I can remain calm when facing difficulties
   
because I can rely on my coping abilities.
8. When I am confronted with a problem, I
   
can usually find several solutions.
9. If I am in trouble, I can usually think of a
   
solution.
10. I can usually handle whatever comes my
   
way.

References:
Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright,
& M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs
(pp. 35-37). Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.

05 Worksheet 1 *Property of STI

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 GE2204

Scoring:
Not at all true Hardly true Moderately true Exactly true
All questions 1 2 3 4

The total score is calculated by finding the sum of all items. For the GSE, the total score ranges
between 10 and 40, with a higher score indicating more self-efficacy.

Interpretation and Summary:

The scale was created to assess a general sense of perceived self-efficacy with the aim of predicting
coping with daily hassles and adaptation after experiencing all kinds of stressful life events.

Self-efficacy is the belief that a person can finish a task or reach a goal. It is a person’s belief in their
ability to control their behavior, have an effect on their surroundings, and stay motivated to reach their
goal. People can have self-efficacy in school, work, relationships, and other important areas.

People may have a high sense of self-efficacy in areas where they believe they can excel, such as
school, work, friendships, parenting, sports, hobbies, and other activities.

Strong self-efficacy examples include:

• A person struggling to manage a chronic illness believes that by working hard and following
their doctor’s recommendations, they can get back on track and improve their health.
• A student who is confident in their ability to learn the material and perform well on a test.
• Someone who has recently accepted a job in a role they have never performed before but
believes they have the ability to learn and perform well.

People with low self-efficacy perceive difficult tasks as threats to be avoided. As a result, they avoid
setting goals and have low levels of commitment to the ones they do set.

When they experience setbacks, they tend to give up quickly. They are more likely to experience
feelings of failure and depression because they lack confidence in their ability to achieve. Stressful
situations can also be difficult to deal with, and people who lack self-efficacy are less resilient and
less likely to recover.

How to Improve Self-Efficacy

Fortunately, self-efficacy is a psychological skill that can be developed and improved. Begin by
considering how you can incorporate Bandura’s sources of self-efficacy into your own life.
Acknowledging your success, observing your mentors, receiving positive feedback, and practicing
positive self-talk are all ways to boost your self-efficacy.

References:
Cherry, K. (2022). Self Efficacy and Why Believing in Yourself Matters? https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-
efficacy-2795954

05 Worksheet 1 *Property of STI

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