Contribution of Personality to Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations in Selecting a High School Major among Adolescents with Learning Disabilities

The current study focuses on the contribution of five personality traits to the development of self-efficacy and outcome expectations regarding selecting a high school major among adolescents with learning disabilities (LD). Social cognitive career theory and the Big Five personality traits model served as the theoretical framework. Participants were 312 adolescents with LD (M[subscript age] = 16.15; SD = 0.46). Positive correlations were found between self-efficacy to select a high school major and outcome expectations from this decision. Structural equation analyses showed that high levels of Extraversion and low levels of Openness to Experience contributed to higher outcome expectations from the chosen major. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.