Students who are enrolled in developmental course: no negative impact on students’ academic self-concept or self-efficacy

Students who are enrolled in developmental courses often persist at lower rates than students who enter college prepared for college-level work. This phenomenon has been attributed to numerous potential factors, including the psychological impact of assignment to developmental courses.

This study examines the impact of enrollment in multiple developmental courses on students’ academic self-concept and academic self-efficacy using the difference in differences method of analysis. Students at a small, regional college in the southeast were surveyed at the beginning and end of their first semester of enrollment.

Researchers found no negative impact on students’ academic self-concept or self-efficacy as a result of enrollment in multiple developmental courses in the first semester. There was no difference between the groups for academic self-efficacy.