The relationship between academic self-concept of Grade VIII girls in an urban setting and each of the following variables: parent-child relationship, teacher-child relationship, peer relationship, intelligence, social class

Jones, Virginia (1972) The relationship between academic self-concept of Grade VIII girls in an urban setting and each of the following variables: parent-child relationship, teacher-child relationship, peer relationship, intelligence, social class. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a relationship existed between academic self-concept and each of the following variables: parent-child relationship, teacher-child relationship, peer relationship, intelligence and the social class of the child's family. The order of importance of those relationships found to be moderately high was also determined. -- The study involved Grade VIII girls in the city of St. John's. Information was obtained from pupils, teachers and parents. The academic self-concept score was determined by combining the score on Brookover's Self-Concept of Ability Scale with the score on the academic self-concept questionnaire devised by the writer. Information on parent-child relationship, teacher-child relationship and peer relationship was determined by the use of questionnaires also devised by the writer. Intelligence quotients for all pupils was determined by use of the Lorge-Thorndike Intelligence Test. Social class of the child's family was determined by use of the Blishen Occupational Class Scale. -- Two samples were utilized in this study. The first consisted of Grade VIII pupils who completed all of the questionnaires as well as the intelligence test. Only three variables, teacher-child relationship, peer relationship and intelligence and their relation to academic self-concept, were studied in this sample. The second sample was randomly selected from academic self-concept scores. Nine were chosen from scores above one standard deviation of the mean and nine were chosen from scores below one standard deviation of the mean. This sample consisted of nine girls with low academic self-concept and nine girls with high academic self-concept. This sample of eighteen is referred to throughout the thesis as the extremes. Five variables, parent-child relationship, teacher-child relationship, peer relationship, intelligence, social class and their relationship to academic self-concept, were studied in this sample. -- Moderately high relationships were found to exist between academic self-concept and teacher-child relationship, peer relationship and intelligence. Although a relationship existed between academic self-concept and social class, it was very low. No relationship seemed to exist between academic self-concept and parent-child relationship. -- With the larger sample it was found that intelligence was the best predictor of the academic self-concept. However, with the extremes, although intelligence was still the best predictor of academic self-concept, it seems that peer relationship and teacher-child relationship are also good predictors of academic self-concept. -- The children involved in this study were grouped, based on high, low or average intelligence. This grouping could be one explanation as to why intelligence was found to be the best predictor of academic self-concept for the group as a whole. -- For the group as a whole the implication would seem to be that intelligence, as measured by an intelligence test, must be increased in order for academic self-concept to increase. Perhaps then it would be worthwhile for a preschool program to be established for children attending this school in future years. Continued evaluation of such a program would show whether or not functional intelligence can be increased by such a program and would also show if this increase is maintained throughout the child's school years. -- With the extremes, particularly those with low academic self-concept, it would seem that teachers, by working closely with the child and through classmates, could be very influential in changing the academic self-concept the child holds.

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