Chapter 6 – 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.