The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting emerging adults during a crucial developmental period, which may have long-lasting effects on their developmental task progression and psychosocial adjustment. Because self-efficacy is a well-researched psychological resource to deal with substantial challenges, the present study examined the link between emerging adults’ life- and domain-specific satisfaction during the pandemic and self-efficacy before the pandemic. Drawing on a sample of 377 German emerging adults (56.5% female), we found that self-efficacy prior to the pandemic was not associated with life or domain-specific satisfaction during the pandemic. However, results revealed that associations between domain-specific satisfaction during the pandemic and self-efficacy varied by educational attainment. Results are discussed in light of specific circumstances related to the progression of the pandemic in Germany, possible non-response bias, as well as implications for social policy and future research.

COVID-19 大流行正在影响处于关键发展时期的新兴成年人，这可能对他们的发展任务进展和心理社会适应产生长期影响。由于自我效能是应对重大挑战的一种经过充分研究的心理资源，因此本研究检查了大流行期间新兴成年人的生活和领域特定满意度与大流行前的自我效能之间的联系。根据 377 名德国新兴成年人（56.5% 女性）的样本，我们发现大流行前的自我效能与大流行期间的生活或特定领域的满意度无关。然而，结果显示，大流行期间特定领域的满意度与自我效能之间的关联因教育程度而异。