Exploring the Interrelationships and Predictive Roles of Social Support and Perceived Stress in Academic Self-Efficacy Among Students in NGO-Operated Schools

Abstract

Academic self-efficacy plays a critical role in shaping students’ motivation, learning strategies, and overall academic achievement. This study examines the interrelationships and predictive roles of social support and perceived stress on academic self-efficacy among 200 students aged 9–15 from NGO-operated schools in rural and urban Alwar, Rajasthan. Drawing on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress, the research focuses on students in under-resourced educational settings facing significant psychosocial challenges. Using standardized measures—the Morgan-Jinks Student Efficacy Scale, Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale for Children—data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Results indicated that social support positively correlates with and predicts academic self-efficacy, whereas perceived stress shows a significant negative correlation and predictive effect. These findings underscore the importance of fostering supportive environments and effective stress management to enhance academic confidence among vulnerable students. The study offers valuable implications for educational and mental health interventions in marginalized school contexts.