Indonesian EFL Journal
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2026)

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY: HOW SELF-LEADERSHIP DRIVES ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN EFL LEARNERS

Fetty Poerwita Sary (Telkom University)
Alia Afiyati (Dharma Persada University, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
05 Feb 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of self-leadership on academic performance, the mediating role of self-efficacy, and how these constructs interact in shaping student outcomes. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 72 English major students in one of the private university in East Jakarta through a structured questionnaire measuring self-leadership, self-efficacy, and academic performance. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that self-leadership directly enhances academic performance, but its strongest impact occurs indirectly through self-efficacy. The findings suggest that students’ ability to regulate their behaviors, maintain motivation, and engage in constructive self-dialogue builds confidence in their capacity to succeed, ultimately leading to better academic outcomes. This study concludes that fostering self-leadership and self-efficacy is essential for EFL learners to thrive academically. However, given the modest sample size (N = 72, the findings should be interpreted with caution as they may limit the generalizability of the results. Practical implications include integrating self-leadership training and efficacy-building interventions into English language curricula to strengthen learner autonomy, resilience, and long-term success, such as incorporating structured self-leadership modules, guided reflective exercises, and targeted efficacy-enhancement activities within classroom practice to support measurable improvements in students’ academic outcomes.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

pub

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

The scopes of the journal include critical issues of educational practices in primary, secondary and tertiary education as well as in university level surrounding: English Language Pedagogy Language Acquisition Bilingualism and Multilingualism English language Literacy English for Specific Purposes ...