Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
In 1982, the National Middle School Association published This We Believe, which outlines the general characteristics of developmentally responsive middle schools. The characteristics include interdisciplinary teaching teams, advisory programs, exploratory courses, and expanded extracurricular programs (NMSA, 1982). These middle school components that address affective characteristics were developed, in part, to ensure that adolescents attending middle school are provided with the opportunity to have positive interpersonal relations with an adult advisor, a smaller learning community within the larger school, and opportunities to develop positive peer relations. While developmentally responsive middle schools have an emphasis on the affective characteristics of adolescent development, few studies have shown a positive correlation between these characteristics and academic achievement. This study attempted to add to the body of knowledge on the relationship between affective development and academic achievement of middle school students. This study investigated whether there are gender and socio-economic status differences in the self-perception of competence of seventh grade students attending four middle school in Tippecanoe School Corporation in north central Indiana. This study also determined if there is a correlation between middle school students' self-perception of competence and academic achievement. An index score of self-to-self perception of competence, self-to-others perception of competence, and self-to-task perception of competence were determined and correlated with a measure of the students' academic achievement. A significant difference was found in the total self-perception of competence, the self-to-others perception of competence, and the self-to-task perception of competence between male and female students. Female students scored significantly higher on each of these measures of self-perception. A significant difference was also found in the total self-perception of competence, the self-to-others perception of competence, and the self-to-self perception of competence between low SES students and students who do not qualify for financial assistance. A standard multiple regression was conducted to determine if the self-to-self, self-to-others, and self-to-task perception of competence were related to academic achievement. Analysis revealed no significant relationship between self-to-self, self-to-others, and self-to-task perceptions of competence and academic achievement.
Recommended Citation
Cavallo, Louis Jr., "Self -Perception Of Competence And Its Relationship To The Academic Achievement Of Students Attending Middle School" (2002). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1057.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1057