Abstract
This study investigated whether self-efficacy beliefs measured before the onset of social change would moderate effects of social change on adolescents’ life satisfaction, optimism regarding their future, and educational success. Self-efficacy beliefs of 593 German adolescents were measured between 1985 and 1988 before German unification. In 1992, perceived social change due to unification and outcome variables was assessed. Higher levels of perceived negative social change and lower levels of prior self-efficacy predicted lower levels of life satisfaction and less optimism regarding one’s future after German unification in 1992. In addition, we found that higher self-efficacy buffers negative effects of unification-based change on both psychological outcome variables. However, no interaction effect between perceived social change and self-efficacy was found on the probability of attending the highest school track in 1992.