The Relationship of Psychological Resources and Social Support to Job Procurement Self‐Efficacy in the Disadvantaged1

This study investigated social‐psychological characteristics of disadvantaged persons in employment training. Participants ( N =115) furnished information about their psychological resources (internality and learned resourcefulness), social support, and job procurement self‐efficacy when they entered employment training programs. Self‐efficacy was assessed again approximately 3 weeks after termination from training. It was expected that psychological resources and social support would be associated and that they would predict job procurement self‐efficacy at follow‐up. Psychological resources and social support were significantly related. Social support, and particularly reassurance of worth, were significant predictors of participants’ efficacy expectations at follow‐up. Implications for employment preparation are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.