Literacy,self‐esteem and locus of control

In this article, Alison Galbraith and Joy Alexander use case studies of a group of primary school pupils to examine the efficacy of an integrated, eclectic approach to the teaching of literacy, including whether constructs such as self‐concept and self‐esteem have a bearing on academic achievement. Circle Time activities, interactive teaching methods and discussion based on the principles of Solution Focused Brief Therapy aim to improve self‐esteem and internalise locus of control in children. Significant improvements in the reading scores of the target children are concurrently achieved with improved self‐esteem and locus of control scores, suggesting the usefulness of the teacher acting simultaneously as instructor, scaffolder and iconoclast.     

Labelling and self‐esteem: the impact of using specific vs. generic labels

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between being labelled either as having dyslexia or as having general special educational needs (SEN) and a child's self‐esteem. Seventy‐five children aged between 8 and 15 years categorised as having dyslexia (N = 26), as having general SEN (N = 26) or as having no learning difficulties (N = 23), completed an age‐appropriate version of the Culture‐Free Self‐Esteem Inventory and a standard test of reading ability. When the self‐esteem scores of the groups were compared (with the discrepancy between reading and chronological age being partialled out), it was found that the self‐esteem scores of those in the ‘general SEN’ group had significantly lower self‐esteem scores than those in both the ‘dyslexia’ group and the ‘control’ group. There was no significant difference between the self‐esteem scores of the ‘dyslexia’ and the ‘control’ group. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that being labelled as having a general SEN may negatively affect children's self‐esteem because, unlike the label dyslexia, this label offers very little in the way of an explanation for the child's academic difficulties and because targeted interventions are not as available for those with a less specific label.     

RESEARCH SECTION: The self‐esteem of pupils in schools for pupils with social,emotional and behavioural difficulties: myth and reality

The self‐esteem of pupils has long been regarded as a key variable affecting both pupils' learning and behaviour, although the relationship between the two may not be as strong as many in education have always assumed. In this article, Jeremy Swinson, an educational psychologist and honorary lecturer in educational psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, reports the findings from a study in two parts. Firstly, an examination was made of 35 Statements written by officers from seven different education authorities in the north‐west of England for pupils attending two independent schools that specialise in working with pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). It was found that, of the 35 Statements examined, 34 included self‐esteem as one area of special need. The second phase of the study examined the self‐esteem of 60 pupils in four specialist schools for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The results showed that the average scores for self‐esteem for both the primary and secondary sample were very similar to the scores obtained by previous researchers in mainstream schools. However, it was apparent that more pupils than expected appeared to have either very low or very high self‐esteem. In terms of locus of control, it was found that a large number of secondary pupils had a high score although this was not found to be the case for the primary pupils in the sample. Jeremy Swinson discusses these results and presents his analysis of their implications for teachers, educational psychologists and education officers.     

Externally Contingent and Unstable Self‐Worth as Predictors of Depression in College Women: A 3‐Month Study

Undergraduate women completed measures of externally contingent self‐worth, self‐esteem instability, and depression at the beginning (Time 1) and again 3 months later near the end (Time 2) of an academic semester. Findings indicated that when Time 1 depression scores were controlled for, each Time 1 facet of self‐esteem made significant contributions to Time 2 depression scores. Implications of these findings for the counseling of depressed college students are discussed.     

The impact of dyslexia on pupils' self‐esteem

This study investigates the factors that affect the self‐esteem of learners with dyslexia. It provides a brief overview of some of the key literature in this area and then describes a small‐scale study conducted in two mainstream secondary schools in the north of England. Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews with secondary‐aged pupils who had received an official diagnosis of dyslexia. Nine pupils volunteered to be interviewed. The study considers the impact of factors such as comparisons made against other students and the impact of teachers, peers and family on pupils' self‐esteem. The results of the study indicate that these factors contribute significantly to self‐esteem for pupils with dyslexia. However, the study found that the most significant factor that contributed to students' self‐esteem was a positive diagnosis of ‘dyslexia’ and ownership of the label. The study concludes that an early diagnosis of dyslexia is essential for creating a positive self‐image and recommends that further research is necessary into the significance of the diagnosis for these learners.     

Self‐stigma and domains of well‐being in high school youth: Associations with self‐efficacy,self‐esteem,and self‐criticism

Self‐stigma is a phenomenon in which negative public stereotypes about mental illness are internalized and can undermine help‐seeking. Unfortunately, little is known about how self‐stigmatization relates to positive well‐being indicators among youth. A sample of 134 high school students completed established measures of self‐stigma, well‐being, self‐esteem, self‐efficacy, and self‐criticism. Analyses confirmed that self‐stigma was associated with overall well‐being and five well‐being subscales (autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, and self‐acceptance); the strongest associations were with autonomy and positive relations with others. The majority of these associations still held when simultaneously controlling for self‐esteem, self‐efficacy, and self‐criticism. Taken together, findings point to the need for greater awareness of self‐stigma along with an explicit focus on the promotion of protective well‐being in prevention work and interventions designed to alleviate the tendency for young people to internalize stigma. Additionally, findings have theoretical implications for the “why try” model of self‐stigma.     

Students’ academic performance and various cognitive processes of learning: an integrative framework and empirical analysis

The main aim of this study is to test a conceptualised framework that involved the integration of achievement goals, self‐efficacy and self‐esteem beliefs, and study‐processing strategies. Two hundred and ninety (178 females, 112 males) first‐year university students were administered a number of Likert‐scale inventories in tutorial classes. Data were analysed through structural equation modelling procedures. The results provided support, in part, for the hypothesised relationships; for example, both self‐efficacy and self‐esteem exerted positive effects on deep processing, and academic performance was influenced positively by mastery goals and deep processing. Similarly, surface processing exerted a negative effect on academic performance. One key finding was the positive effect that self‐esteem exerted on self‐efficacy. Finally, a one‐way MANOVA indicated statistically significant differences between men and women in their self‐esteem; women reported higher self‐esteem than men. This study provides support for the amalgamation of key motivational and learning theories and accentuates the importance of achievement goals, self‐efficacy and study‐processing strategies as possible mediators of students’ academic performance.     

Stories from school: dyslexia and learners' voices on factors impacting on achievement

Students with dyslexia often experience low self‐esteem and, linked with this, low academic achievement. Our research, commissioned by the Higher Education Academy, was carried out by academics in two universities, one in the south‐west of England and one in the north‐west, over 2009–2010. It set out to address ‘transitions and questions of “access” to higher education for students with identified disabilities’. While we accessed interesting material in this area we were also impressed by the wealth of material provided by our respondents with dyslexia on their school experiences, in particular factors that had impacted on their self‐esteem and academic achievement. Thus this article, while not an intended outcome from our work on matters of transition to higher education, emerges as a story telling a rich and illuminating tale of student success and failure and lifting the curtain on factors impacting on self‐esteem and academic achievement for students with dyslexia at school.     

Interpersonal and psychological predictors of parasocial interaction with different television performers

The study examined the relationship of interpersonal homophily and self‐esteem with the development of parasocial interaction. “Attitude”; homophily was found to be the strongest predictor, among the independent variables, of parasocial interaction for all three groups of television performers. The results also indicated that certain dimensions of a person's self‐esteem helped to predict and to explain parasocial interaction. The study showed how an integration of interpersonal and mass communication theories contributes to our knowledge of parasocial interaction.     

Intrinsic and extrinsic future goals: Their differential effects on students’ self‐control and distal learning outcomes

Research on intrinsic and extrinsic future goals has mostly focused on their impact on wellbeing with relatively lesser attention being focused on key learning outcomes. This study investigates how the pursuit of different future goals (i.e., society‐, family‐, career‐, wealth‐, and fame‐oriented goals) affects students’ self‐control, and whether self‐control mediates the relationship between future goals and distal learning outcomes (i.e., students’ affect to school and academic achievement 1 year later). The study adopted a longitudinal design involving 8,354 secondary students from 16 schools in Hong Kong. Students had to complete English and Mathematics achievement tests and answer questionnaires measuring the key variables. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated intrinsic future goals were more adaptive compared to extrinsic ones. In particular, results revealed the importance of society‐oriented goal on self‐control and distal learning outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Theory and practice in self‐esteem enhancement: Circle‐Time and efficacy‐based approaches—a controlled evaluation

There are differences of opinion about self‐esteem enhancement in the classroom; these differences exist at both conceptual and practical levels. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether techniques employed by primary school teachers as a day‐to‐day part of their teaching can have measurable effects on the self‐esteem of their pupils. Two different approaches to self‐esteem enhancement in primary classes were evaluated. The participants were 519 primary school children and their teachers (n = 21). Circle‐Time and efficacy‐based approaches were compared with a control condition over a four‐month period. On two self‐report measures of self‐esteem, gains were found for both experimental conditions, but not for the controls. Significant sub‐scale differences suggested that the two approaches achieved their effects in different ways, consistent with a two‐dimensional model of self‐esteem. Circle‐Time methodology, focusing on the creation of a climate in which individuals are respected and valued, is more likely to help children to develop a sense of self‐worth. On the other hand, an efficacy‐based approach tends to focus on the achievement of performance goals, and is thus more likely to develop the self‐competence dimension. It is argued that we should now reconsider how we think about self‐esteem enhancement in primary classrooms.     

Do Human‐Figure Drawings of Children and Adolescents Mirror their Cognitive Style and Self‐Esteem?

The investigation probed relationships among human‐figure drawing, field‐dependent‐independent cognitive style and self‐esteem of 10–15 year olds. It also attempted to predict human‐figure drawing scores of participants based on their field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem. Area, stratified and multi‐stage random sampling were used to select a sample of 600 10–15 year olds residing in Kolkata city, India. The sample comprised three age‐based strata: 10 and 11 year olds; 12 and 13 year olds; and 14 and 15 year olds. Each stratum comprised 100 girls and 100 boys. Participants’ actual age‐ranges were 10 years 1 month – 11 years 10 months (first stratum); 12 years 4 months – 13 years 10 months (second stratum); and 14 years 3 months – 15 years 9 months (third stratum). Goodenough‐Harris Drawing Test, Group Embedded Figures Test and Coopersmith Inventory were administered for assessing participants’ human‐figure drawing, field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem respectively. Results revealed significant positive relations among pertinent variables. Participants’ human‐figure drawing scores could be significantly predicted by their field‐dependence‐independence and self‐esteem.     

Assessing the psychometric properties of a scenario‐based measure of achievement guilt and shame

In this study, the psychometric properties of the scenario‐based Achievement Guilt and Shame Scale (AGSS) were established. The AGSS and scales assessing interpersonal guilt and shame, high standards, overgeneralization, self‐criticism, self‐esteem, academic self‐concept, fear of failure, and tendency to respond in a socially desirable manner were completed by 322 undergraduate students. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a 12‐scenario model had an acceptable fit to the data, with guilt and shame items forming separate, weakly correlated subscales. Each of the guilt and shame subscales of the AGSS demonstrated good internal and test–retest reliability. Good construct validity was also evident, with each subscale uniquely correlating with constructs in ways that were consistent with predictions. Acceptable discriminant validity was also evident. These outcomes provide support for the utility of the AGSS in assessing guilt and shame reactions in achievement situations.     

How does future focus promote study engagement? A moderated mediation model of self‐esteem and dispositional awe

Sufficient engagement in studying promotes students' academic performance and ability to compete in the job market. In this study, we explore the role of future focus and dispositional awe in stimulating college students' study engagement. To examine our hypotheses, we conducted a questionnaire survey with 237 students from a national college in China. The results indicate that future focus is positively related to study engagement and that self‐esteem mediates this relationship. Moreover, the mediating effect of self‐esteem is moderated by dispositional awe such that the mediation relationship is weaker when the level of awe is higher. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Trainee teachers with dyslexia: personal narratives of resilience

This paper tells the stories of two trainee teachers and their personal experiences of dyslexia. Both informants were English and training to be primary school teachers in England. Through drawing on their own experiences of education, the stories illustrate how dyslexia has shaped the self‐concept, self‐esteem and resilience of each informant. The narratives presented in this paper illustrate powerfully the ways in which teachers can have a positive or negative impact on the self‐concepts of students with dyslexia. Both had been inspired by teachers they had met, and these positive role models had given them the confidence to pursue their own ambitions. However, both had encountered teachers who lacked empathy and patience, and these teachers had a detrimental impact on their self‐concepts. For both of these trainee teachers, personal experiences of dyslexia also shaped their professional identities as teachers. Both trainees described themselves as caring and empathic teachers, suggesting that personal experiences of dyslexia had a positive impact on teacher professional identity.     

Assessing the self‐esteem of female undergraduate students: an issue of methodology

For many students, embarking on higher education can pose particular threats and challenges, not only to academic identity, but also to fundamental, personal aspects of the self. This paper reports a methodological study that employed quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore the impact on the sense of self and self‐esteem of a group of female first‐year undergraduates. Results from a Self‐esteem inventory, a variation on Q Methodology, an Ideal‐self inventory and a semi‐structured interview revealed different but complementary aspects of the self and indicated that participants’ self‐esteem increased over the duration of the study, as recorded on all four measures. It is suggested that the most appropriate way of uncovering and understanding mediators of self‐esteem may be through a mixed‐method approach.     

Considering the role of traditional and specialist schools: do school experiences impact the emotional well‐being and self‐esteem of adults with dyslexia?

While increasing attention is being paid to the influence of specialist and traditional school settings on the emotional well‐being and self‐esteem of children with dyslexia, there appears to be a need for more attention to how different educational settings may impact adulthood. To respond to this gap, this study by assistant professors Blace A. Nalavany and Lena W. Carawan, and graduate student Lashaunda J. Brown, all at East Carolina University, explores how the role of traditional and specialist school settings may have long‐term effects in adulthood. The findings reveal that educational experiences have a compelling impact on the emotional health and self‐esteem of adults with dyslexia. Implications reveal that there are important lessons to learn from specialist schools that can benefit traditional school settings.     

William Maclay

This study investigates the role of self‐disclosure and reciprocity in simulated interactions between friends and acquaintances. Subjects made evaluations and attributions of a second speaker when he reciprocated or failed to reciprocate intimacy levels of an acquaintance or a friend. Results indicate that evaluations of communicative competence are related to reciprocity, while evaluations of personality traits are not. Evaluations of predictability and attributions of trust are related to the speaker's level of intimacy. Attributions of typical disclosure behavior are affected by both the relationship and the speaker's level of intimacy. These results indicate that norms regulating self‐disclosure per se may be more salient than the general norm of reciprocity.     

Parents' involvement in adolescents' schooling: a multidimensional conceptualisation and mediational model

This study examined the impact of parental involvement on adolescents' academic achievement in Korean families. The major strengths of the current research are the study of multiple dimensions of parental involvement, the longitudinal design and the consideration of mediating variables. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of parental involvement on students' academic achievement using data from a nationally representative sample of middle school students from the Korea Youth Panel Survey. Results indicated: (1) parental involvement dimensions positively influenced achievement through its effects on student self‐concept and locus of control; and (2) parents' increased participation in involvement practices (monitoring, educational expectation and affection) increases students' self‐concept and locus of control.