Investigating the influence of achievement on self-concept using an intra-class design and a comparison of the PASS and SDQ-1 self-concept tests.
BACKGROUND
The formation and measurement of self-concept were the foci of this research.


OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to investigate the influence of achievement on academic self-concept and to compare the Perception of Ability Scale for Students (PASS, Boersma & Chapman, 1992) with the Self-Description Questionnaire-1 (SDQ-1, Marsh, 1988).


METHODS
The participants were 479 grade 5 (mean age 126.6 months) coeducational Australian students, located in 18 schools.


METHODS
An intra-class research design was used to investigate the influence of frame-of-reference on self-concept development.


RESULTS
As students' academic scores rose above their class mean their self-concepts increased and as students' academic scores fell below their class mean their self-concepts decreased. Students' difference from class mean predicted their self-concept scores. This finding was consistently shown across the reading, spelling, and mathematics domains using test and teaching rating data. A comparison between the PASS and the SDQ-1 demonstrated concurrent validity across self-concept domains.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings support the notions that the social environment is a significant agent that influences self-concept, and that teacher ratings and standardised tests of achievement and the PASS and the SDQ-1 are valid measures for self-concept research.
Hay
I
I
Faculty of Education, School of Cognition, Learning and Special Education, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. I.Hay@edn.qu.edu.au
Ashman
A
A
van Kraayenoord
C E
CE
D000124:Achievement; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007721:Knowledge of Results, Psychological; D008297:Male; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011588:Psychology, Educational / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods