Test of a self‐efficacy model of interpersonal communication competence

Self‐efficacy is the belief or confidence people have in their ability to achieve their goals. This study tested a path model involving past communicative experience, situation difficulty, self‐efficacy, interpersonal communication competence, and interpersonal communication outcomes. We found that self‐efficacy mediated the effect of past experience and situation difficulty on interpersonal communication outcomes. Interpersonal communication competence directly effected rewarding, satisfying communication. The study also provided concurrent validity information on the Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, a skills measure of competence that taps 10 dimensions of the construct.