Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Work-Life Conflict has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with self-efficacy. This growing interest reflects the recognition that work-life conflict does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.

Selected Public Universities in Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While work-life conflict is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on self-efficacy within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to work-life conflict are helping or hindering self-efficacy — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Work-Life Conflict on self-efficacy in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which work-life conflict influences self-efficacy within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with work-life conflict in relation to self-efficacy.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing work-life conflict in order to improve self-efficacy.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of work-life conflict on self-efficacy in Selected Public Universities in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does work-life conflict influence self-efficacy within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with work-life conflict in relation to self-efficacy?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize work-life conflict in order to improve self-efficacy?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of psychology, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected Public Universities in Nigeria seeking to understand how work-life conflict translates into measurable outcomes around self-efficacy. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected Public Universities in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how work-life conflict relates to self-efficacy within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.