The interplay of self-efficacy sources and reading self-efficacy beliefs in metacognitive reading strategies

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the association between Bandura's four hypothesized self-efficacy sources and metacognitive reading strategies by employing reading self-efficacy beliefs as a mediating variable. A correlational research design was used. A total of 188 Saudi EFL learners were selected from five public universities of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by employing proportionate stratified random sampling. Three questionnaires including 'questionnaire for sources of reading self-efficacy', 'reading self-efficacy beliefs questionnaire', and 'survey of reading strategies' were used to collect the data. Structural equation modelling by a statistical software, i.e., PLS 3.0 was utilised in order to test the relationships among variables. Findings provided support for the proposed conceptual framework, disclosing that all the four self-efficacy sources were significantly correlated with reading self-efficacy beliefs. Also, reading selfefficacy beliefs were significantly correlated with metacognitive reading strategies. Lastly, reading self-efficacy beliefs mediated the association between self-efficacy sources and metacognitive reading strategies.