Search

Introduction: The present investigation examined the stability of the twofold multidimensional structure of academic self-concepts (ASCs) in three domains, namely Chinese, math, and general school using four-wave data collected over 2 years among 552 Chinese secondary school students. Method: Adopting both a within-network and a between-network approach, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and factor correlations were performed in Mplus 8.2. Results: The within-network results showed that CFA models wherein competence and affect dimensions were conflated generated unacceptable fit. In contrast, the CFAs in which competence and affect were modeled as separate latent factors consistently produced superior fit to the data. The between-network results demonstrated that in the Chinese and math domains and across the four-time waves, the competence components were more strongly related to the achievements in matching domains than the affect components were. Furthermore, both the competence and affect components of ASCs and achievements were positively correlated in the non-matching domains, which were somewhat contradictory to the internal/external frame of reference model predicting zero or negative relations. Discussion: Such results seem to suggest more involvement in social comparison than in dimensional comparison of Chinese students, which might be attributed to the collectivistic Chinese culture and the common phenomenon of academic social comparisons among Chinese adolescents in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at exploring the formation mechanism of mathematics self-concept of left-behind children and the influence mechanism of mathematics self-concept on their mathematics achievement. In study 1, the formation mechanism of mathematics self-concept was examined using multilevel analyses of 874 left-behind children. The results showed that (1) the individual mathematics achievement of left-behind children had a significant positive predictive effect on mathematics self-concept, Chinese achievement had a significant negative predictive effect on mathematics self-concept, and the class-average mathematics achievement had no significant effect on mathematics self-concept; and (2) when left-behind children were the majority group, there was an assimilation effect on downward interpersonal social comparison. When left-behind children were the minority group, there was a contrast effect on upward intergroup social comparison. In study 2, the influence mechanism of mathematics self-concept of 585 left-behind children was investigated with a tracking research. The results suggested that (1) Time 1 mathematics self-concept had significant effects on Time 2 mathematics school engagement at between-group and within-group levels; and (2) Time 2 mathematics school engagement played a partial mediating role between Time 1 mathematics self-concept and Time 2 mathematics achievement at the within-group level. These results indicate that the formation and influence mechanism of mathematics self-concept of left-behind children is influenced by contextualized characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the significant role that academic self-concept plays in students' learning, understanding the psychological processes involved in its formation continues to be an important focus of enquiry. There is strong empirical support for two major models of academic self-concept (ASC) formation: the big-fish-little-pond (BFLP) model and the internal/external frame of reference model (I/E model), models which emphasise the roles of social and dimensional comparisons in ASC development. The present study aimed to contribute to an emerging body of evidence on the validity of a model that integrates the predictions of the BFLP and I/E models into a unified framework. Models were tested in the domains of reading and mathematics using data from a nationally representative sample of 4166 grade 6 students in 220 classes in Ireland. Central predictions of the BFLP and I/E models held when tested in combination. Specifically, individual achievement in one domain had a significant positive effect on self-concept in that domain and a negative effect on self-concept in the other domain. Additionally, class-level achievement in a given domain was negatively related to self-concept in that domain, after accounting for the effect of individual achievement. Findings support the hypothesis that social and dimensional comparisons have effects on the academic self-concepts of primary school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic self-concepts are important correlates and predictors of successful scholastic learning. According to the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) framework, self-concepts are based on two comparison processes: social (external) comparison processes that seem to increase during elementary school and cognitively more demanding dimensional (internal) comparison processes that seem to occur from third grade on. This cross-sectional study with elementary school students (N = 858; grades 2–4; supplementary analyses with n = 349 first graders) extended the classic I/E model with competence self-concepts (Marsh in Am Educ Res J 23:129–149, 1986. 10.3102/00028312023001129) to affect self-concepts as outcomes. The magnitude of both comparison processes on the two self-concept components was examined separately for each elementary school grade and subsequently compared between grades. Evidence for social comparison processes of moderate/high magnitude was found in all grades. Relationships between achievements (reported grades) and corresponding competence self-concepts were more pronounced compared with achievement–affect self-concept relations. Only some path coefficients indicating dimensional comparison processes were substantial. The coefficients did not differ between grades. Results regarding the formation of academic self-concepts by comparison processes in different elementary school grades are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Relations between grades, self-concepts, and values in six subjects were examined. • Self-concepts fully mediate the relation between grades and values. • Grades impact self-concept through assimilation and contrast effects. • Subsequently, self-concepts affect values in the same subject. Within the framework of a generalized internal/external frame of reference model, influences of social and dimensional comparisons of academic achievement on the formation of subject-specific values (or related constructs) are empirically well documented for secondary school students. Furthermore, a wide range of theories also hypothesize an effect of subject-specific self-concepts on values. Accordingly, prior studies suggested a mediating effect of self-concepts on the achievement–value relationship. However, these studies have been limited to two school subjects or exclusively math and science subjects. Based on data from N = 1,339 ninth- through twelfth-grade students, we extended prior research by relating students' grades in mathematics, physics, social studies, German, English, and the second foreign language to value scores in these subjects; subject-specific self-concepts were included as mediators. Our results support the hypothesis of a full mediation of the relationship between grades and values through self-concepts. Additional analyses showed a comparable fit between a mediation model with direct paths from grades to values and a mediation model without these direct paths. We discuss which subject-specific self-concepts are the most important mediators for the achievement–value relationship and the importance of self-concepts for forming values above grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]