Research on the relationship of effortful control in early adolescence and self-efficacy in young adulthood: Moderating the effects of family functioning and gender

Abstract

Adolescents with strong self-efficacy (SE) are better equipped to handle challenges, yet many struggle to develop this confidence. Prior research suggests that effortful control (EC) which is known as the ability to regulate behavior and attention, may be an important component of SE development, but empirical evidence is limited. This longitudinal study examined whether EC in early adolescence predicts SE in young adulthood and whether this relationship is moderated by family functioning (FF) and gender. Data were drawn from the Dutch TRAILS cohort (N = 2230), with EC and FF measured at age 11 (T1), and SE assessed 10 years later (T4). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted, controlling for socioeconomic status. Results showed that EC at T1 significantly predicted SE at T4 (β = .134, p < .001), indicating a positive long-term association between EC and SE. FF and gender showed no significant moderating effects. These findings suggest that the relationship between EC and SE does not differ between adolescents of low or high functioning families or between boys and girls. The study highlights the importance of promoting EC during early adolescence as a foundation for SE development. Interventions targeting EC may therefore support young people grow into confident, capable young adults. Future research should consider using domain-specific SE measures to better understand potential gender-related differences