Background  and  Aim: Specific learning disabilities are recognized as significant educational challenges. These disorders can lead to various problems, including academic underachievement, decreased self-confidence, and increased academic stress among students. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of self-efficacy training in improving academic adjustment and reducing academic stress in students with specific learning disabilities.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test and post-test design with two groups: experimental and control. The statistical population consisted of all sixth-grade female students with specific learning disabilities in Khalkhal (a city in Iran) during the 2022-2023 academic year. Using a multistage sampling method, 30 students were selected and assigned to either the experimental group (15 students) or the control group (15 students). Before and after the intervention, participants completed the Academic Adjustment Inventory (Sinha & Singh, 1993) and the Perceived Academic Stress Questionnaire (Zajacova et al., 2005). The experimental group received Bandura’s self-efficacy training package (1997) over eight 90-minute sessions (once a week), while the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and covariance analysis with SPSS_v22.
Results: The results showed that participation in self-efficacy sessions improved academic adjustment and reduced academic stress from pre-test to post-test in the experimental group. There was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups' mean academic adjustment and stress reduction scores (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Based on the findings, self-efficacy training can be beneficial in improving academic adjustment and reducing academic stress in students with specific learning disabilities.