Do behavioural characteristics play a moderating role in classroom interactions that students perceive and their self-efficacy beliefs?
Following social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986), this study examined the links between the quality of classroom interactions as perceived by students and their self-efficacy beliefs regarding schoolwork by considering the moderating role played by their behavioural characteristics. The data was collected from 574 Quebec elementary school students evolving in mainstream classrooms. The t-test analysis results indicate that self-efficacy beliefs are lower for students who exhibit externalized behavioural difficulties than regular students. Multiple linear regressions showed that classroom organization and instructional support explain a part of the variances in students’ self-efficacy beliefs. Finally, the students' behavioural characteristics play a moderating role in the three relationships between the domains of classroom interactions (emotional support, classroom organization, instructional support) and their self-efficacy beliefs. These results highlight that classroom interactions do not influence self-efficacy beliefs in the same way for all students.