The self-efficacy theory as developed by Albert Bandura revolves around a person’s ability to undertake behaviors that lead to a specific outcome (Moran, Israel, & Sebelski, 2021). The internal criticism of the theory reveals that it is limited in terms of its scope. This is because although the theory is centered on the beliefs of an individual, it does consider some of the factors that may have an impact on an individual’s behavior. A person’s environment may hurt their behavior and the theory does not consider such factors (Farazian et al., 2019). Similarly, the theory does not provide clear and justified definitions of elements such as the outcome expectations and the perceived control that a person has. The fact that these elements are not clearly defined means that it is difficult to test the theory and its effectiveness in dealing with specific issues.
In regard to the external criticism of the theory, it is evidence that the theory does not have a lot of empirical support to cement its effectiveness and applicability in nursing practice (Farazian et al., 2019). Although the theory has some support based on research to some extent, studies have not ascertained the ability of the theory to make use of the connection between beliefs and behavior among individuals as the behavior may be affected by other factors in a person’s environment (Moran, Israel, & Sebelski, 2021). The other challenge that the theory has is that it relies heavily on a person’s report and this may hurt its effectiveness and applicability in the nursing profession. Despite these shortcomings, the theory can have a role to play in nursing as it can be used in understanding certain behaviors based on the ability of a person to implement the behavior and in the process attain the desired goals and outcomes.
This discussion helps in the attainment of various student learning outcomes especially in gaining the ability to critique nursing theories. Being able to critique nursing theories is essential in determining their validity and reliability in practice and their ability to advance the nursing profession. It is also important to critique theories in determining the ones that are supported by empirical evidence and the ones that have the greatest potential in the attainment of effective patient care. Determining the theory that is applicable in practice is essential in improving patient outcomes based on their effectiveness in attaining the desired outcomes. The quality of care depends on the methods applied by the practitioners.
