Structural Equation Modeling Approach to Determine the Effect of Attitude towards Statistics on Statistical Self-efficacy Belief

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to examine the relationship between students' statistical selfefficacy beliefs and their attitudes towards statistics and to propose a structural equation model by identifying the factors affecting them. IBM SPSS and AMOS package program were used in the data analysis. Data were collected from 330 university students who took statistics and biostatistics lessons to form the sample of the study. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that the self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes towards to statistics lesson of students were at a moderate level. A positive and significant correlation was obtained between statistical self-efficacy belief and attitude. It was determined that statistical attitude explains 33% of the statistical self-efficacy belief. We propose to use modified multi-factor first-order and multi-factor first-order models for statistical self-efficacy belief and attitude levels, respectively. This result was supported with the values of goodness of fit indices.