Self-efficacy and ethnic identity as predictors of mastery goals among first-generation African American and Latino American college students

The purpose of this study was to investigate how academic achievement selfefficacy and ethnic identity predicted mastery goals for African American and Latino American/Hispanic first-generation college students. Participants ranging between the ages of 18 and 25 years-old were drawn from the Community College of Rhode Island, Massasoit Community College, and Bristol Community College TRiO Student Support Services programs. Additional participants from the Talent Development program and General Psychology classes from the University of Rhode Island were also included if they were first-generation college students. Preliminary analyses revealed that non-minority first-generation college students had greater academic achievement self-efficacy than minority first-generation college students. Selfregulated learning self-efficacy and overall ethnic identity were the greatest predictors of mastery goals for first-generation African American and Latino American college students. Implications for application, study limitations, and directions for future research are discussed