CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) Practice Exam 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Self-efficacy refers to the belief in one's own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. It is a core concept in health behavior theories, particularly in the Social Cognitive Theory developed by Albert Bandura, which posits that an individual's confidence in their ability to perform a behavior can significantly influence their motivation and persistence in making health-related changes.

When individuals have high self-efficacy, they are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, overcome obstacles, and effectively implement strategies to achieve their health goals. This belief plays a crucial role in how people approach challenges and effort toward behavior changes, as well as their resilience in facing setbacks.

The other concepts, while important in the context of health behavior theories, do not directly define self-efficacy. Understanding health risks pertains more to health literacy, influences of social norms relate to the environmental and community factors affecting behavior, and outcome expectations involve anticipating the results of behavior changes—all of which contribute to health behavior but do not encapsulate the essence of self-efficacy.