Social Influences and the Development of Leadership Self-Efficacy among Students

This study examined the social influences on the development of self-efficacy among student leaders in Nueva Ecija, focusing on institutional, community, peer, and familial support. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, the study surveyed student leaders to assess the extent of social support and its relationship to leadership self-efficacy. Results revealed that institutional, community, and familial support were rated as high, while peer support was rated as very high. Overall, student leaders perceived the social factors to provide high support. In terms of leadership self-efficacy, respondents strongly agreed that they possessed very high self-efficacy, particularly in creativity, accountability, communication, and team collaboration. Correlation analysis indicated a significant positive relationship between social factors and self-efficacy (r=0.57, p<0.01), with community and peer support showing the strongest influence. Findings suggest that strong support systems across institutional, community, peer, and familial domains play a crucial role in shaping student leaders’ confidence in their leadership abilities. The study highlights the importance of fostering supportive environments to strengthen youth leadership, aligning with the view that self-efficacy develops through social interactions, role modeling, and experiential learning.