Sources of self-efficacy as mediating variables between ADHD symptoms and sense of academic self-efficacy among middle school students, gifted students and tertiary education students (Hebrew)

Inclusion and integration programs have been implemented in the education systems in Israel and around the world in recent years, in the aim of allowing all students to realize their inherent potential and succeed in their studies. However, studies show that students with ADHD encounter barriers and difficulties in their integration process, their academic achievements are low compared to their peers without ADHD, and they are at risk of dropping out. One of the main factors affecting the academic success of school and tertiary students is sense of academic self-efficacy - a central concept in Bandura's social learning theory (1986). According to this theory, sense of self-efficacy is developed and strengthened through four main sources: Mastery Experience, Vicarious Experience, Social Persuasion and Physiological State.
Many studies conducted to date have focused on sense of academic self-efficacy of students with ADHD, which showed that their sense of academic self-efficacy is low compared to their peers without ADHD. However, very few studies have examined the four sources of academic self-efficacy among a population of students with ADHD. The three studies presented in this doctoral thesis fill this gap, specifically examining the mediating effect of the four sources of self-efficacy on academic self-efficacy among the school and tertiary student population with ADHD symptoms using a theory-based model (Baron & Kenny, 1986).
The purpose of the studies was to examine the sources of self-efficacy as mediating variables between ADHD symptoms (such as distraction and hyperactivity) and sense of academic self-efficacy among three groups: 7th grade students (N = 566), gifted 7th grade students (N = 88) and tertiary education students (N = 109).
The research findings indicate a negative relationship between level of ADHD symptoms and academic self-efficacy. The sources "Physiological State" and "Mastery Experience" were found to be direct mediators in the three study populations. The sources "Vicarious Experience" and "Social Persuasion" played different roles in each of the research populations.
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These studies have practical implications in the education and teaching fields and in understanding the importance of creating tools to strengthen the sense of academic self-efficacy of 7th grade students, gifted 7th grade students, and tertiary students with ADHD symptoms. The results clearly indicate the importance of strengthening all four sources of self-efficacy among school and tertiary students for the entire research population. Moreover, the findings further emphasize the need for paying special attention to strengthening the Physiological State and Mastery Experience self-efficacy sources among school-age students and students in academia. Implementation of these conclusions may make a real contribution to improving the motivation, sense of self-efficacy and academic achievements of this important population.