Abstract

ORNELAS CONTRERAS, Martha; BLANCO VEGA, Humberto; AGUIRRE CHAVEZ, Juan Francisco  and  GUEDEA DELGADO, Julio César. Observed self-efficacy in health care behaviors in first year university students: A study about Physical Education students. Perfiles educativos [online]. 2012, vol.34, n.138, pp.62-74. ISSN 0185-2698.

The purpose of this research reported in this article was to characterize the students who are undergraduated studies in Physical Education for what regards to the efficacy that can be observed in their health care behaviors, by comparing their profile with the one of students who choose for other kinds of studies. The global sample were 2,089 individuals, 902 women and 1,187 men, all of them first year students in the undergraduate courses offered by the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, on an average 18.23 years old (DE=0.74). The approach adopted in this research is quantitative with a descriptive survey design. The results that were obtained show that the self-efficacy that can be observed in health care behaviors, above all for what regards to the need of taking care of oneself and to exercise during at least 30 minutes three times a week, is higher for Physical Education students than for the students enrolled in other courses.

Keywords : Health care; Self-efficacy; Student's beliefs; Higher Education; Academic performance; Student's characteristics.

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