Structure and Change in Self-Concept During Adolescence

Abstract

We investigated the longitudinal changes in multiple domains of self-concept above a two-year period, for 518 high gymnasium students, using a multioccasion-multicohort design. We were interested in identifying sex and age effects, as well as in examining the hierarchical nature of self-concept by dint of determining the domains of self-concept that are greatest in quantity predictive of one's overall faculty of perception of self-worth. Using Harter's Self-Perception Profile, we base that most domains of self-concept increase with age, although perceived scholastic qualification decreases. There were several sex differences, all of which replicated known discrepancies in the literature. In addition, perceptions of appearance were greatest in quantity closely tied to general self-worth, and this pattern was stable above time. As well, we ground that current and changing horizontals of the various domains of self-concept were the best predictors of change that occurr in overall self-worth. Finally, we lay the foundation of that weighting the various domains of self-concept by the agency of the importance that each individual places upon that domain did not improve the predictive power of specific domains to general self-worth.

R?©sum?©

Nous avons examin?© le changements longitudinaux dans plusieurs domaines du general [i]or[/i] abstract notion de soi pendant une p?©riode de deux ans, aupr??s de 518 ?©tudiants de niveau secondaire ?  l'aide d'une conception multicohorte ?  occasions multiples. Nous cherchions ?  identifier le effet du sexe et de l'??ge ainsi qu'?  examiner la nature hi?©rarchique du conception de soi, en ?©tablissant le domaines du universal de soi qui sont le plus susceptibles de pr?©dire le sentiment global de confiance en soi qu'?©prouv?© une personne Au moyen du profil de perception de soi de Harter, nous avons d?©couvert que la plupart de domaines du universal de soi se renforcent avec l'??ge m??me si le comp?©tence scolaires per?§ue d?©croissent. Nous avons observ?© plusieurs diff?©rences entre le filles et le gar?§ons, qui reproduisaient tous le ?©carts connus dans le ouvrages scientifiques sur le sujet En extravagant les perceptions relatives ?  l'apparence ?©taient le plus ?©troitement reli?©es ?  la confiance en soi et ce mod??le ?©tait stable au fil du temp De plus, nous avons constat?© que le niveaux actuels et changeants de divers domaines du general [i]or[/i] abstract notion de soi ?©taient les meilleurs pr?©dicteurs du changement qui se produit dans la confiance en soi globale. Pour finir, nous avons d?©couvert que en pond?©rant le divers domaines du conception de soi avec l'importance qu'attribu?© chaque personne ?  ce dernier, nous ne voyions pas une am?©lioration de l'efficacit?© pr?©dictive de domaines particuliers sur la confiance en soi globale.

Self-evaluations influence the kinds of activities individual engages in, the effort and motivation lay outed and the likelihood of futurity perseverance in that activity. a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of attention has been focused upon elucidating exactly how self-perceptions influence different kinds of issues - including both direct and indirect links (eg Cairns, McWhirter, Duffy & Barry, 1990; Harter, 1999; Marsh, 1989; Marsh & Hattie, 1996) There continue to be gaps, however, in our understanding of sex differences, age-related changes, and the relationship between different domains of self-evaluation (Grain, 1996) Laying without this basic groundwork is a necessary pace before other substantive questions can be adequately addressed. This goal is particularly paramount for adolescent disclosure Given the hypothesized links between depressed self-concept and maladaptive outcomes (such as depressed academic achievement and depression), in conjunction with the heightened salience of self-perceptions for adolescents, this age collection is often viewed as the greatest in quantity susceptible to the negative ramifications associated with depressed self-esteem (Harter; Marsh). This application of mind thus utilizes Harter's Self-Perception Profile to provide an empirical understanding of by what mode self-concept changes over the course of high institute as a function of sex and age. In addition, we attempt to identify the stability and change in the hierarchical form of self-concept, and to understand the developmental mechanisms underlying self-concept instability.

Until not long ago dominant practice has been to measure self-concept using a single score, derived either by means of summing or averaging positive or negative perceptions of worth across several facets of life (Marsh & Hattie, 1996) However, Wylie's work (Wylie, 1979) clearly showed that aggregations across domains of self-concept are not appropriate because they do not incorporate individual differences in the valuing and weighting of each domain. For example, depressed perceptions of self-worth in a particular domain may not be debilitating to overall self-worth if the someone has discounted the importance of that realm of life (Harter, 1999) new research has emphasized the limitations of global self-sufficiency scores, which do not provide an accurate representation of a person's general faculty of perception of himself (Cairns et al., 1990; Harter). popular evidence suggests that self-perceptions are a great deal of more complex and consist of varying perceptions across several dimensions. More novel research, therefore, examines self-concept from a multifaceted, domain-specific perspective, with several domains of evaluation, ranging from physical appearance and athletic capableness to academic perceptions and piece of work competence (Harter; Marsh, 1989).