Personality predictors of self-handicapping as a behavioral manifestation of the individual's self-efficacy deficit

Abstract

In line with a more liberal approach (Snyder & Smith, 1982) to the conceptualization of self-handicapping, empirical data were collected that characterize the personality predictors of self-handicapping as a manifestation of the individual’s self-efficacy deficit, reflected in coping behavior, rather than as a self-esteem safeguarding strategy. A group of 120 undergraduates took part in the study. Using correlational, factor, and multiple regression analyses, we found that the major personality predictors of self-handicapping are (1) proneness to the emotion-focused reactive coping, when confronted with problems in the course of goal-striving, (2) a low level of the conditions of self-evolution as a component of “Dispositional characteristics of self-evolution” (Kusikova, 2012), and (3) a low level of conscientiousness as a broad personality trait. No significant correlations of self-handicapping with self-esteem were found. The specific perspective in this study is determined by the conceptualization of self-handicapping as a proactive disengagement emotion-focused coping strategy, indicative of the individual’s self-efficacy deficit