This study sought to determine if teachers' perceptions of trust and self-efficacy were related to school academic performance based on Ohio Achievement Assessment results for the 2009-10 school year in eight Midwestern public schools. Additionally, the study sought to determine if teacher trust and self-efficacy were related to one another.
Two multiple regression analyses were conducted, and the results indicated that both trust and self-efficacy were significantly related to school academic performance. Results also showed that the trust subscales of trust in colleagues and trust in clients, and the self-efficacy subscales of instructional strategies and classroom management were significantly related to school academic performance.
A canonical correlation was conducted, and the results showed a significant relationship between trust and self-efficacy. A univariate regression analysis was also used to assess if there were relationships between the subscales. Results showed that the self-efficacy subscale of student engagement was related to both trust in the principal and trust in colleagues. It also showed that the self-efficacy subscale of instructional strategies was related to trust in clients (students and parents).
This study was unique because it provided results by looking at relationships between school academic performance, trust and self-efficacy using the percentage of academic indicators passed on the Ohio Achievement Tests. It was unique because it demonstrated that specific subscales contributed separately to school academic
performance, and that some of these subscales were related to one another. This study provided more in depth results when looking at relationships between trust, self-efficacy and school academic performance, and at relationships between the subscales. There are implications for further research to identify the different variables and their degree of influence on each of the subscales that affects the strength of the relationships that each has with school academic performance.