Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the recent economic crisis on three educational outcomes among adolescents; namely, their academic grades, career indecision, and positive future expectations. Additionally, the mediating role of academic self-efficacy was tested. A path model (Lisrel 9.2) was used to analyse data from 500 middle school youths living in Southern Italy. Results revealed that financial pressure due to crisis negatively affects academic grades and positively affects career indecision, while no significant effect was found on positive future expectations. Academic self-efficacy positively relates to academic grades and positive future expectations, and negatively with career indecision. However, academic self-efficacy does not mediate the relationships between economic pressure and the three outcomes.