effectiveness of meta-cognitive skills training on self-handicapping and self-efficacy of students

Objectives: considering the negative effect of self-handicapping on both mental and physical health and the positive effect of self-efficacy on success and efficacy of people, this research has been conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of meta-cognitive skills training on self-handicapping and self-efficacy of students. methods: this research is an experimental study with pre/post-test, and 28 student participants were allocated to experimental and control groups randomly (14 persons per group). jones and rhodewalt self-handicapping scale, sherer and maddux self-efficacy scale, and raven standard progressive matrices test had been utilized for data collecting. the meta-cognitive training program was provided to the experimental group within two months in six sessions while students of the control group did not receive any training. results: covariance analysis proposes that meta-cognitive training has a significant effect on decreasing self-handicapping in experimental group; however, there are no significant differences in the results of self-efficacy post-test in both experimental and control groups. discussion: findings of the present study suggest that meta-cognitive skills training- as an effective training program- could be used for decreasing students’ self-handicapping. but with regards to the effectiveness of meta-cognitive skills training on self-efficacy, it is revealed that more variables are involved, and it needs further investigation.