Self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Career Decision Making Among Secondary School Students in Busia County, Kenya

Abstract

The most common constrain to career progression among youth in Kenya is the inability to make informed career decisions. Majority of high school students suffer from excitement for attaining university degree self-actualization rather than taking up career that enhances development of talents and skills that are job market driven. This study aimed at examining the influence of self-efficacy in career decision making among secondary school students. The participants in the study consisted of 364 fourth form secondary school students in Busia County, Kenya.  Gender, age and school type were used as controller variables of self-efficacy on career decision making. Scales to measure self-efficacy and career decision making was developed. Spearman correlation coefficient and multinomial logistic regression techniques were used in data analysis. The results of spearman correlation demonstrated that self-efficacy significantly correlated with students' career decision making (r_s = -0.236, p = 0.001) while coefficient of determination (R²) in multinomial logistic regression models (one to four) accounted for 30.5%, 31.3%, 33.1% and 35.6% variations respectively on student career decision making. These implied the remaining 69.5%, 68.7%, 66.9% and 64.4% respectively unexplained were largely due to variation in other variables outside the regression models. The overall likelihood ratio of the regression model was statistically significant X² (60, N = 364) = 105.984, P=0.001. When controller variables were fitted into the multinomial logistic models the relative risk ratio increased or decreased but the p-value remained statistically significant. This implied that factors within self-efficacy variable contributed significantly in the relationship between self-efficacy and career decision making. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that career decision making should be enhanced in schools using career guidance and counseling strategies

Keywords: Self-efficacy, Decision making, secondary school students, Controller variables, Multinomial logistic regression, Kenya