Mediation Analysis of Academic Performance Between Self-Efficacy in STEM Health Studies and Basic Clinical Competence

Curriculum modification has become vital in educational research, addressing students’ diverse and evolving needs in content knowledge and skill development. Revising existing general curricula has proven effective in creating more accessible learning environments that support students and educators across various contexts. This study investigates the mediating effect of academic performance in supplementary subjects on the relationship between students’ self-efficacy in the STEM curriculum under Health Studies and their basic clinical competence. Specifically, the study aims to assess self-efficacy, academic performance, and clinical competence levels and determine whether academic performance mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and clinical competence through mediation analysis. The respondents consisted of 12th-grade students from a private institution in Davao Region. Data were collected via validated survey questionnaires and academic records from the school registrar. Statistical analyses, including a series of regression tests, were conducted to examine correlations among the variables. Results indicate significant but low positive correlations between self-efficacy and clinical competence (r = .223), self-efficacy and academic performance (r = 0.250), and academic performance and clinical competence (r = 0.181). Mediation analysis using the Sobel test revealed that academic performance positively mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and clinical competence. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how academic factors influence the development of clinical competence and self-efficacy among students in modified STEM Health Studies curricula.