Developmental trajectories of self-efficacy and its predictors among people with severe disabilities

The aim of this study was to examine the developmental trajectories of self-efficacy in individuals with severe disabilities and to identify predictive factors accounting for variations.

This research utilized latent growth curve modeling to analyze data from the first (2016), third (2018), and fifth (2020) waves of the second Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled, conducted by the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The analytic sample consisted of 1,285 working-age adults (19-64 years) with severe disabilities, as defined by the Act on Welfare of Persons With Disabilities in South Korea.

Overall, self-efficacy among individuals with severe disabilities demonstrated a steady increase over time. A significant negative covariance was observed between the initial level of self-efficacy and its rate of change, indicating that individuals with lower initial self-efficacy experienced more rapid growth over time. With respect to predictors, higher initial self-efficacy was positively associated with family support for employment (β = .192, p < .001), participation in social activities (β = .139, p < .001), and the extent of interpersonal relationship maintenance (β = .598, p < .001). In contrast, the rate of change in self-efficacy was negatively associated with family support for employment (β = -.134, p < .01), the number of job aids (β = -.123, p < .001), and the extent of interpersonal relationship maintenance (β = -.377, p < .001). These patterns indicate more gradual increases among individuals with higher initial levels of self-efficacy and steeper growth trajectories among those with fewer initial resources.

The findings suggest that although individuals with severe disabilities who lack initial resources may begin with lower levels of self-efficacy, they can achieve substantial developmental gains through environmental support and accumulated experience. Self-efficacy thus appears to function as a malleable psychological resource within rehabilitation contexts, highlighting the potential of targeted environmental and intervention-based strategies to promote adaptive developmental trajectories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).