Pre-Service Educators’ Confidence and Efficacy in Dealing with Child and Adolescent Risk Behaviors in Diverse Classroom Settings

Abstract

Continuing behavioral research has documented the mounting prevalence of child and adolescent health risk behaviors. Fifty pre-service educators were assessed regarding their perception of critical factors that would influence their confidence, comfort, and efficacy levels in dealing with child and adolescent risk behaviors. Study results revealed that administrative support and legal concerns, personal experiences, educational training, the student’s family, professional advice, and student support services influence preservice educators’ reactions to student risk behaviors. Factors essential to enhancing pre-service educators’ confidence, comfort, and efficacy levels include providing opportunities to gain skills in tackling risk behaviors; addressing legal issues, such as confidentiality, student rights, and district policies, within a teacher training program; offering professional advice regarding effective strategies for handling risk behaviors in the classroom and school settings; enlightening campus administrators of the importance of perceived teacher support; as well as informing counselors and other support personnel of their identified role as informational resources.