Rhonda Craven

Reciprocal Effects of Self-Concept and Performance From a Multidimensional Perspective: Beyond Seductive Pleasure and Unidimensional Perspectives

We (Marsh & Craven, 1997) have claimed that academic self-concept and achievement are mutually reinforcing, each leading to gains in the other. Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, and Vohs (2003) have claimed that self-esteem has no benefits beyond seductive pleasure and may even be detrimental to subsequent performance. Integrating these seemingly contradictory conclusions, we distinguish between (a) older, unidimensional perspectives that focus on global self-esteem and underpin the Baumeister et al. review and (b) more recent, multidimensional perspectives that focus on specific components of self-concept and are the basis of our claim. Supporting the construct validity of a multidimensional perspective, studies show that academic achievement is substantially related to academic self-concept, but nearly unrelated to self-esteem. Consistent with this distinction, research based on our reciprocal-effects model (REM) and a recent meta-analysis show that prior academic self-concept (as opposed to self-esteem) and achievement both have positive effects on subsequent self-concept and achievement. We provide an overview of new support for the generality of the REM for young children, cross-cultural research in non-Western countries, health (physical activity), and nonelite (gymnastics) and elite (international swimming championships) sport. We conclude that future reviews elucidating the significant implications of self-concept for theory, policy, and practice need to account for current research supporting the REM and a multidimensional perspective of self-concept.

Academic Self-Concept: Beyond The Dustbowl

Publisher Summary Self-concept enhancement activities are included as a component of the school curriculum in some school districts. Also, teachers are sometimes called on to make judgments about the self-concepts of their students as part of the normal classroom assessment and school reporting practices. The importance placed on the enhancement of self-concept is usually based on the premise that high self-concept will lead to feelings of self-worth and self-acceptance. The research summarized in this chapter suggests that the attainment of a positive academic self-concept affects academic behavior, academic choices, educational aspirations, and subsequent academic achievement. The purpose of the chapter is to summarize research on the structure, assessment, measurement, and enhancement of academic self-concept in educational settings. It provides an overview of the theoretical structure of self-concept and the nature of valid and reliable self-concept measurement instruments. It also discusses the relationship of self-concept to other constructs and self-concept enhancement interventions. This discussion focuses on a model of self-concept originally developed by Richard Shavelson and his colleagues and subsequently revised by Marsh in collaboration with Shavelson and other colleagues. Throughout the chapter, the classroom implications of recent advances in self-concept theory and research are discussed.Publisher Summary Self-concept enhancement activities are included as a component of the school curriculum in some school districts. Also, teachers are sometimes called on to make judgments about the self-concepts of their students as part of the normal classroom assessment and school reporting practices. The importance placed on the enhancement of self-concept is usually based on the premise that high self-concept will lead to feelings of self-worth and self-acceptance. The research summarized in this chapter suggests that the attainment of a positive academic self-concept affects academic behavior, academic choices, educational aspirations, and subsequent academic achievement. The purpose of the chapter is to summarize research on the structure, assessment, measurement, and enhancement of academic self-concept in educational settings. It provides an overview of the theoretical structure of self-concept and the nature of valid and reliable self-concept measurement instruments. It also discusses the relationship of self-concept to other constructs and self-concept enhancement interventions. This discussion focuses on a model of self-concept originally developed by Richard Shavelson and his colleagues and subsequently revised by Marsh in collaboration with Shavelson and other colleagues. Throughout the chapter, the classroom implications of recent advances in self-concept theory and research are discussed.

The Effects of Gifted and Talented Programs on Academic Self-Concept: The Big Fish Strikes Again

Participation in gifted and talented (G&T) programs is predicted to have negative effects on academic—but not nonacademic—self-concept on the basis of social comparison theory and Marsh’s big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE). In two studies, students in G&T programs experienced systematic declines in three components of academic self-concept (Reading, Math, School) over time and in relation to matched comparison students in regular mixed ability classrooms, but not in four components of nonacademic self-concept (Physical, Appearance, Peer Relations, Parent Relations). In both studies, these results were consistent over gender, age, and initial ability level. Selection criteria, program strategies, and advice to parents are proposed to counteract this BFLPE and to maximize the benefits associated with G&T programs.

Self-Concepts of Young Children 5 to 8 Years of Age: Measurement and Multidimensional Structure.

A new, adaptive procedure for assessing multiple dimensions of self-concept for children younger than 8 years and related theoretical issues were examined

Do self-concept interventions make a difference? : a synergistic blend of construct validation and meta-analysis

Traditional reviews and previous meta-analyses of self-concept interventions have underestimated effect sizes by using an implicitly unidimensional perspective that emphasizes global self-concept. In contrast, this research employed a synergistic blend of meta-analysis and multidimensional construct validation to evaluate the impact of self-concept interventions for children in 145 primary studies (200 interventions). Overall, interventions were significantly effective (d = .51, 460 effect sizes). However, in support of the multidimensional perspective, interventions targeting a specific self-concept domain and subsequently measuring that domain were much more effective (d = 1.16), suggesting sole reliance on global self-concept is inappropriate for evaluating interventions designed to enhance a specific component of self-concept. Other moderators (e.g., feedback, experimental design, target population groups) also influenced effect sizes in ways useful to the design of new interventions. Methodologically, this research also demonstrates the use of both fixed and random effects models and incorporation of multiple outcomes from the same study.

How do preschool children feel about themselves? Unraveling measurement and multidimensional self-concept structure

Theoretical models suggest that 4- and 5-year-old children should be able to differentiate between multiple dimensions of self-concept, but empirical support is limited. A new 38-item Self Description Questionnaire for Preschoolers (SDQP) that measures 6 self-concept factors (Physical, Appearance, Peers, Parents, Verbal, and Math) was developed and tested. Through an individual-interview procedure, young children (4.0-5.6 years) completed the SDQP and achievement tests. The self-concept scales were reliable (.75-.89), first-order and higher order confirmatory factor analysis models fit the data, and factor correlations were mostly moderate (-.03-.73; Mdn = .29). Achievement test scores correlated modestly with academic self-concept factors (rs = .15-40) but were nonsignificantly or significantly negatively related to nonacademic self-concepts. The results contribute to the critical debate about the validity of self-reports for preschool children, who distinguished between multiple dimensions of self-concept at an even younger age than suggested by previous self-concept research.

Overcoming Problems in Confirmatory Factor Analyses of MTMM Data: The Correlated Uniqueness Model and Factorial Invariance

The general model typically used in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach to multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data is plagued with methodological problems and frequently results in improper or unstable solutions. Here we reanalyze data from a previously published study, demonstrating that this model may lead to inappropriate interpretations even when it does converge to a proper solution, and describe safeguards against this occurrence. The results support the correlated uniqueness model, diagnostic tests of the validity of CFA-MTMM solutions, the inclusion of external validity criteria in the MTMM design as described by Marsh (1988; 1989; Marsh & Bailey, 19911, and the application of factorial invariance to test the stability of CFA-MTMM solutions. More generally, we demonstrate the flexibility of the CFA-MTMM approach for testing a variety of construct validity issues.

Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect Generalizability and Moderation—Two Sides of the Same Coin

Research evidence for the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) has demonstrated that attending high-ability schools has a negative effect on academic self-concept. Utilizing multilevel modeling with the 2003 Program for International Student Assessment database, the present investigation evaluated the generalizability and robustness of the BFLPE across 16 individual student characteristics. The constructs examined covered two broad areas: academic self-regulation based on a theoretical framework proposed by Zimmerman and socioeconomic status. Statistically significant moderating effects emerged in both areas; however, in relation to the large sample (N = 265,180), many were considered small. It was concluded that the BFLPE was an extremely robust effect given that it was reasonably consistent across the specific constructs examined.

Multidimensional Self-Concept Structure for Preadolescents With Mild Intellectual Disabilities A Hybrid Multigroup–MIMC Approach to Factorial Invariance and Latent Mean Differences

Confirmatory factor analysis of responses by 211 preadolescents (M age = 10.25 years,SD = 1.48) with mild intellectual disabilities (MIDs) to the individually administered Self Description Questionnaire I–Individual Administration (SDQI-IA) counters widely cited claims that these children cannot differentiate multiple self-concept factors. Results provide clear support for the a priori eight-factor solution, modest correlations between the factors (Mdn r = .38), substantial reliabilities (Mdn = .90), and invariance of the factor solution over gender, age, and educational placement (regular vs. special, segregated classes). Also introduced is a new hybrid compromise between multigroup and multipleindicator-multiple-cause (MIMIC) approaches to latent mean differences. Consistent with a priori predictions, preadolescents with MIDs have lower self-concepts in segregated classes than in regular classes for three academic self-concept scales (reading, math, and general-school) and, to a lesser extent, peer relationships and global selfesteem, but not for the other three nonacademic components of self-concept (physical, appearance, and parent relationships).

Evaluation of the Big-Two-Factor Theory of Academic Motivation Orientations: An Evaluation of Jingle-Jangle Fallacies

Academic motivation orientation research has consistently found two factors, typically called Performance (or Ego) and Learning (or Mastery or Task) that appear to overlap substantially with other factors coming from different theoretical perspectives. Similar to related work in the Big Five Theory of Personality, we posit a Big-Two-Factor Theory of academic motivation orientation and evaluate the implicit but largely untested assumption that selected motivation constructs can be represented as higher-order (HO) Performance and Learning factors. We collected test-retest data (multi-item scales designed to measure 8 motivation constructs - Ego, Competition, Mastery, Intrinsic, Cooperation, Individual, Approach Success, and Avoid Failure) from a diverse group (N = 606) of able students in grades 3-6 (M age = 9.7 years). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) provided support for each of the 8 scales. HO CFA models fit the data reasonably well for each time considered separately and demonstrated well-defined, HO Learning and Performance factors. For the combined T1 and T2 data, however, the substantial test-retest correlations for first-order factors were not fully explained by the HO factors. Gender differences in the eight specific scales were captured by the two HO factors, thus supporting Big-Two-Factor Theory.