View in EDS

Can Teaching Writing Enhance Students' Writing Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Can Teaching Writing Enhance Students' Writing Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis
Language: English
Authors: Steve Graham (ORCID 0000-0002-6702-5865), Clarence Ng, Michael Hebert, Tanya Santangelo, A. Angelique Aitken, April Camping, Adiba Nusrat
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2025 117(4):559-581.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Information Analyses
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Self Efficacy, Writing Instruction, Elementary Secondary Education, Writing Achievement, Achievement Gains, Public Schools, Private Schools
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000923
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: Writing self-efficacy acts as a catalyst for writing, an engine for engagement, and a determinant of the actions and resources writers apply while composing. As a result, it is important to ensure that school-aged students view themselves as competent writers. This meta-analysis examined if teaching writing improves kindergarten to Grade 12 students' efficacy for writing, what writing treatments enhance efficacy, and whether instructionally induced writing gains predict gains in writing efficacy. Published and unpublished experiments using an experimental or quasi-experimental design (with pretests) provided the data for this review, yielding 105 writing treatment/control comparisons assessing writing self-efficacy in 65 experiments. Teaching writing had statistically detectable and positive impacts on posttest writing self-efficacy (effect size [ES] = 0.30), maintenance writing self-efficacy (ES = 0.61), and writing posttest performance (ES = 0.88). Three specific writing treatments produced statistically detectable improvements in writing self-efficacy: goal setting (ES = 0.65), strategy instruction (ES = 0.47), and feedback (ES = 0.19). Teaching writing skills, however, resulted in a statistically detectable decrement in writing self-efficacy (-0.17). Instructionally induced gains in writing performance predicted gains in writing self-efficacy. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506951
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506951
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Can Teaching Writing Enhance Students' Writing Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Steve+Graham%22">Steve Graham</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6702-5865">0000-0002-6702-5865</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clarence+Ng%22">Clarence Ng</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+Hebert%22">Michael Hebert</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tanya+Santangelo%22">Tanya Santangelo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22A%2E+Angelique+Aitken%22">A. Angelique Aitken</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22April+Camping%22">April Camping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adiba+Nusrat%22">Adiba Nusrat</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 117(4):559-581.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 23
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Information Analyses
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Instruction%22">Writing Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Achievement%22">Writing Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gains%22">Achievement Gains</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Schools%22">Public Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Private+Schools%22">Private Schools</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1037/edu0000923
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Writing self-efficacy acts as a catalyst for writing, an engine for engagement, and a determinant of the actions and resources writers apply while composing. As a result, it is important to ensure that school-aged students view themselves as competent writers. This meta-analysis examined if teaching writing improves kindergarten to Grade 12 students' efficacy for writing, what writing treatments enhance efficacy, and whether instructionally induced writing gains predict gains in writing efficacy. Published and unpublished experiments using an experimental or quasi-experimental design (with pretests) provided the data for this review, yielding 105 writing treatment/control comparisons assessing writing self-efficacy in 65 experiments. Teaching writing had statistically detectable and positive impacts on posttest writing self-efficacy (effect size [ES] = 0.30), maintenance writing self-efficacy (ES = 0.61), and writing posttest performance (ES = 0.88). Three specific writing treatments produced statistically detectable improvements in writing self-efficacy: goal setting (ES = 0.65), strategy instruction (ES = 0.47), and feedback (ES = 0.19). Teaching writing skills, however, resulted in a statistically detectable decrement in writing self-efficacy (-0.17). Instructionally induced gains in writing performance predicted gains in writing self-efficacy. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1506951
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506951
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1037/edu0000923
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 23
        StartPage: 559
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gains
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Private Schools
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Can Teaching Writing Enhance Students' Writing Self-Efficacy: A Meta-Analysis
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Steve Graham
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Clarence Ng
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Michael Hebert
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tanya Santangelo
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: A. Angelique Aitken
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: April Camping
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Adiba Nusrat
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0022-0663
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1939-2176
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 117
            – Type: issue
              Value: 4
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Educational Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1