Self-efficacy sources and reading comprehension of L2 undergraduate learners

In EFL context of higher education, reading comprehension is considered one of the most indispensable skills to learn. The aim of the present was to explores the perceptions of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) with regard to the role of Bandura’s four hypothesized sources for reading self-efficacy in reading comprehension. A qualitative research methodology was implemented to realize the study’s objective. In total, six EFL learners were selected from six public Saudi universities using homogeneous purposeful sampling over one academic semester. A semi-structured interview protocol was developed to collect the data, and thematic analysis was employed. The findings revealed several factors that influence the effectiveness of the different self-efficacy sources on reading comprehension, such as the role of teachers, the competitive environment, confidence, and time constraints, etc. These findings underlie useful implications for teaching and learning reading comprehension in an EFL context. The study offers several theoretical and practical implications for EFL learners, instructors, and educational policymakers to assist in enhancing self-efficacy beliefs among learners to facilitate their English reading comprehension.