Social Competence and Academic Self-Efficacy of CAS Students: The Role of Leadership Involvement as a Basis for an Intervention Program

Abstract

The future societal functioning of every individual makes fostered social competence crucial, defining and emotionally determining success in social and society-related activities. Building self-efficacy in learning fosters confidence, flexibility, and leadership qualities, empowering every individual to succeed in academics and the real world. This descriptive correlational research examined the social self-efficacy and competence of 313 students in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at the University of Northern Philippines. They were selected through stratified proportionate random sampling, and the sample size was determined using the formula by Lynch et al. (1972). The findings show that overall, the respondents have a high level of social competence and an average level of academic self-efficacy. Students with leadership involvement have a significantly higher level of academic self-efficacy and social competence than non-leaders. Also, it was revealed that there is a significant positive relationship among leadership involvement, social competence, and academic self-efficacy. This implies that increased leadership involvement is associated with students’ social competence. Consequently, Project L.E.A.D.: Leveraging Exposure for Advancement and Development among CAS Students, an intervention program derived from the findings and designed to increase student engagement in leadership-related activities and improve levels of self-efficacy and social competence, is proposed.