Self-belief does make a difference: a reciprocal effects model of the causal ordering of physical self-concept and gymnastics performance.
A large body of research in support of the reciprocal effects model of causal ordering demonstrates that prior academic self-concept predicts subsequent academic achievement beyond what can be explained in terms of prior achievement. Here we evaluate the generalizability of this support for the reciprocal effects model to a physical activity context in which achievement is reflected in gymnastics skills on a standardized gymnastics performance test evaluated by expert judges. Based on the responses of 376 adolescents collected at the start (T1) and end (T2) of a gymnastics training programme, there is support for a reciprocal effects model in which there are significant paths leading from both T1 gymnastics self-concept to T2 gymnastics skills and from T1 gymnastics skills to T2 self-concept. Although there were gender and age effects (girls and older participants had better gymnastics skills, boys had higher self-concepts), multiple group structural equation models indicated that support for the reciprocal effects model generalized over responses by boys and girls. In summary, self-concept and performance are both determinants and consequences of each other.
Marsh
Herbert W
HW
SELF Research Centre, University of Western Sydney, Penrith South, NSW, Australia. h.marsh@uws.edu.au
Chanal
Julien P
JP
Sarrazin
Philippe G
PG
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis