Concepts
Health psychology/Models & behaviour · Behavioural model
Self-efficacy
What it means
Bandura’s concept: a person’s belief in their own capacity to carry out the actions needed to achieve a goal — a strong predictor of behaviour change.
Worked example
A patient who believes he can manage his inhaler technique is far more likely to adhere.
In the exam
Two patients want to stop smoking equally, but the one who genuinely believes he is capable of doing it is much more likely to succeed.
What settles it
Self-efficacy is belief in one’s own CAPABILITY. Locus of control is belief about the SOURCE of outcomes (self vs external); they are related but distinct.
Classically confused with
Locus of control
Source: Bandura