Research Self-efficacy among Postgraduate Students at Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Research self-efficacy is the main factor influencing successful administration and pursuing of research by postgraduate students. This study aimed to determine research self-efficacy among postgraduate students at Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS) in 2015-16. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 master and PhD students at BUMS in 2015-16 academic year who were selected by census method. Data were collected by means of Phillips and Russell’s research self-efficacy questionnaire whose validity and reliability had already been confirmed. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression. A total of 154 questionnaires were analyzed. The average age of students was 30.51±6.3 years. The mean score of research self-efficacy was 180.43±53.1 (out of 297) and showed a significant difference in terms of education and marital status being significantly higher in PhD students (223.24±18.84) and single students (189.45±33.52). However, no significant difference was found in research self-efficacy scores in terms of gender, residential status, and faculty. There was a significant direct relationship between grade point average and research self-efficacy (r=0.290, p=0.0001). The results showed that the research self-efficacy of the postgraduate students at BUMS was at an average level and appropriate educational interventions are required to enhance research self-efficacy.