Social-cognitive career theory variables as mediators for the relationship between deep learning and goal persistence in African American college students with disabilities

BACKGROUND: Education is one of the best pathways to middle class earnings. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requires state vocational rehabilitation agencies to reserve and expend at least 15% of its State allotment for pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities, including enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the social-cognitive career theory (SCCT) variables of academic barriers coping self-efficacy, academic milestone self-efficacy, and academic outcome expectancy as mediators for the relationship between deep learning and goal persistence in a sample of African American college students with disabilities. METHOD: Quantitative descriptive research design using serial multiple mediation analysis (SMMA). RESULTS: SMMA results indicated that deep learning was significantly linked to goal persistence (total effect). Also, he direct effect between deep learning and goal persistence was still significant after controlling for the effects of the mediators, indicating deep learning is a strong predictor of goal persistence, and SCCT variables only partially mediated the relationship between deep learning and goal persistence. The mediation effects were estimates of the indirect effects for deep learning on goal persistence through (a) academic barriers coping self-efficacy, (b) academic milestone self-efficacy, (c) academic outcome expectancy, and (d) academic barriers coping self-efficacy, academic milestone self-efficacy and academic outcome expectancy. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study indicated that higher levels of deep learning had the benefit of helping African American college students with disabilities develop academic barriers coping self-efficacy, academic milestone self-efficacy and academic outcome expectancy, leading to goal persistence.