Self-Efficacy, Coping Behavior, and the Health Locus of Control in Junior High School Students with Renal Disease

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between perceived self-efficacy, coping behavior, response to stress, and the health locus of control (HLC). Subjects were 44 junior high school students who were hospitalized for renal disease and 61 healthy students as controls. The results of the analysis were as follows: 1. There was no significant difference in self-efficacy, coping behavior, responses to stress, and HLC between students with renal disease and healthy students. 2. There was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and active coping as well as a negative correlation between self-efficacy and passive coping in the renal disease group. There was a significant positive difference in active coping between subjects with high scores and those with low scores in self-efficacy, and a significant negative difference between the two groups in passive coping. 3. A negative correlation was found between self-efficacy and response to stress (irritation and anger) in the renal disease group. A positive correlation was found between self-efficacy and response to stress (cognition and learned helplessness in the renal disease group). The ratings of stress response of subjects with high self-efficacy were significantly lower than subjects with low self-efficacy in the renal disease group. 4. A positive correlation was found between self-efficacy and HLC in the renal disease group. The HLC rating of subjects with high self-efficacy was significantly higher than those of subjects in the low self-efficacy group. Based on these results, the effect of self-efficacy on the coping behavior and responses to stress in students with renal disease was discussed. The relationship between self-efficacy and HLC was also discussed