At-Risk Boys' Self-Efficacy in A Summer Sports Camp

Research has documented that summer sports camps can provide opportunities for social and physical benefits for at-risk boys who are often from low-income families and vulnerable to academic failure. However, whether these boys can reap such benefits is largely determined by their self-efficacy, including social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine at-risk boys? social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy in a summer sports camp setting.

Specifically, this study addressed the following research questions: (1) Can at-risk boys differentiate between social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy? (2) What level of social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy do at-risk boys in this sample display? (3) What is the relationship between social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy? (4) Do at-risk boys? mean scores of social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy change over the course of the summer sports camp? (5) What are the predictive powers of social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy on behaviors, effort, and intention for future physical activity participation, and (6) What factors do at-risk boys perceive contributing to their social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy?

The results of this study indicated that social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy were clearly distinguishable, but they were also positively related. Both of them significantly predicted prosocial behaviors, with social self-efficacy having stronger predictive power. Physical activity self-efficacy was a better predictor of effort and intention than social self-efficacy. Boys with higher levels of social self-efficacy or physical activity self-efficacy were more likely to display prosocial behaviors. Besides the sources proposed by Bandura?s self-efficacy theory, such as mastery experience, vicarious experience, social persuasion, and emotional and physiological reactions, boys also identified some unique sources contributing to their social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy.

This study provides an initial effort using self-efficacy theory to understand at-risk boys? behaviors, effort, and intention for future physical activity participation in a summer sports camp setting. Given the finding that social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy were related to their behaviors, effort, and intention, it is critical to enhance at-risk boys? social self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy in summer sports camps.