J. Michael Coleman

Self-Concept and the Gifted Classroom: The Role of Social Comparisons.

concepts higher than their less able age-mates (Tidwell, 1980; Yates, 1975). Other data, however, indicate lower selfconcepts for the gifted in such contrasts (Fults, 1980; Rogers, 1979; Stopper, 1978). The present investigation illustrates that both sets of seemingly conflicting results may be true if one considers the context in which the research was conducted originally. Self-concept has all too often been considered an invariant psychological trait, not influenced by the individual’s situational context (Rogers, Smith, & Coleman, 1978). As the following study demonstrates, self-concept is a social construct and children’s self-perceptions, including those of gifted children, are inevitably influenced by the social environment in which they reside. &dquo;The self-concept may be thought of as an organized configuration of perceptions of the self which are admissible to awareness. It is composed of one’s characteristics and abilities; the percepts and concepts of the self in relation to others and to the environment (Rogers, 1951, p. 136).&dquo; Self-concept is implicitly a social phenomenon, arising and developing in a social context; a continual product of social interaction with others (Nobles, 1973). Given the important role of the social environment in self-

Special-Class Placement, Level of Intelligence, and the Self-Concepts of Gifted Children: A Social Comparison Perspective

Two hypotheses derived from social comparison tested the influence of instructional segregation on the self-concepts of elementary school gifted children. The self-concept scores of half the children were assessed prior to their participation in a one-day-per-week segregated enrichment program for the gifted. The remaining children were tested during program participation. The higher self-concept scores of students assessed prior to the program were interpreted as support for the contention that the reduced heterogeneity of ability in gifted classrooms forces some gifted children to see their abilities in a less favorable light. Each group was further divided by high and low IQ scores (a misnomer). The lowest self-concept scores accrued to low IQ children assessed during program participation. This was interpreted as support for the notion that transition to segregated classes for the gifted most dramatically affects the self-concepts of those children who are at the low end of the distribution of abilities within gifted classes. The self-concept scores of all groups of gifted children were generally robust, but the findings of this study underscore the important influence of childrens social/instructional environments on self-concept.

Self-Concept and the Mildly Handicapped: the Role of Social Comparisons:

Three hypotheses adduced from social-comparison theory were tested by assessing the self-concepts of several children groups. Subjects included normal children, mildly handicapped children residing in one of three special education settings varying from partial to total instructional segregation, and children with academic difficulties who remained solely in regular classes. In the first contrast, the handicapped samples were found comparable in self-concept to normal children, a finding hypothesized as resulting from the increased homogeneity of ability of students in special education placements. Strong support was given a second prediction positing that lower self-concept should be clearly evident when children (handicapped or not) were forced to reside solely in social-comparison groups of generally greater ability. The final hypothesis, suggesting higher self-concepts for handicapped children partially rather than totally segregated from the larger school population, did not receive support. The results are interpreted in terms of the theoretical importance of social-comparison theory in understanding the influence of educational settings on childrens images of their social self.

Handicapped Labels and Instructional Segregation: Influences on Children's Self-Concepts versus the Perceptions of Others

Self-concept scores of preadolescent mildly handicapped children enrolled in one of three instructional settings (one- or two-hour resource and self-contained) were compared to those of regular-class students whose teachers indicated they were having sufficient academic difficulties to warrant special education placement. In addition, mothers of children in all groups were asked to complete a copy of the self-concept measure by responding to the items as they would expect their offspring to respond. The relatively higher scores for special education students as opposed to regular-class students was taken in support of the contention that (a) childrens self-concepts are largely dependent on social comparisons to others in their primary reference group; and (b) partial instructional segregation in homogeneous groups may enhance young handicapped childrens self-concepts by providing them a more favorable environment in which to make social comparisons. The finding that mothers of handicapped children consistently underestimated their childrens scores while mothers of regular-class children overestimated their offsprings results was considered evidence that handicapped labels might alter others perceptions of how special education students feel about themselves. However, no evidence was found to suggest that the low self-concept estimates on the part of handicapped mothers influenced their childrens scores. The findings are synthesized within a discussion of new cognitive-developmental models of self-concept formation and maintenance that call into question many long-held assumptions about the influence of special education on childrens self-concept.

Learning Disabilities and Social Competence: A Social Ecological Perspective:

To explore the relationship between learning disabilities (LD) and social competence, various indexes of social and academic competence were collected from a sample of students with LD, as well as a matched sample of children without disabilities, in Grades 3–6. Measures included academic grades, teacher perceptions, peer perceptions, self-perceptions, social network outside of school, and direct observation of social interactions. Results suggest that children with LD differ from children without disabilities on virtually all indexes of academic competence, regardless of social status. In the social domain, children with LD had higher self-concept scores than did children without disabilities. Most social differences were linked to the childs peer status, independent of disability.

Achievement Level, Social Class, and the Self-Concepts of Mildly Handicapped Children

To illustrate the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and within classroom academic standing on the self—concepts of mildly handicapped children, self—concept scores were collected on 169 elementary school children who divided their school day between special classes and the educational mainstream. The sample was divided into four groups based on SES (high or low) and level of academic achievement in comparison to other handicapped classmates (high or low). High achievers reported higher self—concept scores than low achievers and low SES students had higher self—concept scores than high SES children. The results are interpreted in terms of the influence of social comparison groups on childrens perceptions of their own competence. The results suggest that mildly handicapped children from high SES levels who remain inadequate academically in comparison to their special—class peers have self—concepts significantly lower than those of all other students.

The RISK Screening Test: Using Kindergarten Teachers' Ratings to Predict Future Placement in Resource Classrooms

Teacher ratings from four consecutive cohorts of kindergarten students were used to establish a prediction function by which children who ultimately received special education services in the form of resource-class placement were discriminated from children who remained solely in regular education classrooms. All five factors measured by the RISK scale were significantly related to future school performance, but items that assessed child ability, current performance, and teacher investment were most predictive of eventual special-class placement. Overall accuracy for the screening measure was 94.13%, with 1,194 out of 1,269 children accurately selected to their appropriate educational placement.

Studying Mildly Handicapped Children's Adjustment to Mainstreaming A Systemic Approach

This article provides a brief critique of our current research base with regard to the influence of mainstreaming on the social-emotional competence of mildly handicapped (MH) children followed by discussion of a research project on this topic that we believe overcomes the limitations of previous studies. It emphasizes the need for longitudinal analysis, assessment in multiple environments, and the use of multitrait-multimethod methodologies. It underscores the need of special education to produce systemic research that attempts to weave a more complex pattern from the personal, peer, family, and school factors that serve to mold childrens personal-social competence.

Mothers' Predictions of the Self—Concept of their Normal or Learning-Disabled Children

Two reported effects of the labeling process in special education were investigated in a study which assessed the self-concepts of 48 learning-disabled (LD) children, 54 of their normal age-mates, and 16 regular class students whose teachers indicated the need for special education services. In addition, the mothers of children in each group were asked to complete the same self-concept instrument, responding to the items as they predicted their children would respond. Self-concepts of the children groups were compared to test the hypothesis that labeling and segregating the educationally handicapped from the larger school population might reduce self-regard. Mothers self-concept predictions were compared to the scores of their LD children to test the hypothesis that labeling a child may reduce parents perceptions of the childs feelings of self-worth. Predictions made by mothers of normal children were used to assess the accuracy of prediction across the parenting groups. The results gleaned from mothers of low-achieving, regular-class students were used as a method of control in case of a possibility that parental predictions were influenced more by the childs achievement than by special education placement. Equivalence of self-concept across the regular and special-class children groups was interpreted through social comparison theory and the possibility that reduced heterogeneity of ability evident in special classes may bolster the self-concept of children educated in such environments. The lowered estimates of self-concept generated by mothers of LD students were discussed as an indirect effect of the labeling process whereby the label alters the perceptions of significant others as to the abilities of the labeled individual.

Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers: Influencing Student Performance by Paul A. Alberto & Anne C. Troutman. Columbus, Ohio

I have mostly praise for Professor Holowinskys ambitious effort to encompass in one volume an overview of the psychology and education of exceptional children and adolescents, both from United States and international perspectives. The integrative task in such an undertaking is really formidable, even taking into account the authors qualifier that the international discussions are intended to highlight significant differences between research and practice in the United States and elsewhere rather than to present a detailed, countryby-country r e v i e w . . . The absence of such integration, however, makes the readers task unnecessarily complicated, and may in fact detract from the clarity of the overall presentation. The advanced student would no doubt profit from the perspectives afforded by Professor Holowinsky. The chapter on physical disabilities, which includes discussion of sensory disorders, speech disorders, mental retardation, and learning disabilities, is clear and well focused. The chapters on emotional and social maladjustment are, however, rather disappointing. It is hard to accept that a purported overview volume could fail to include any reference to the work of such major figures as Rhodes, Morse, Redl, or Long, for instance. The chapter on emotional maladjustment suffers from a heavily clinical emphasis. The failure to balance the clinical discussions with those of the modern role of special education in the education of the socially and emotionally maladjusted limits any claim the work might otherwise have to definitiveness.