AIULTIPLE PREDICTORS OF SELF-CONCEPT
IN
CHILDREN’
WALTER
G.
IICINTIRE
AND
ROBERT
J.
DRUMVOND
Utiicersity
of
Maine
This study was designed to assess the relative contributions
of
selected per-
sonality characteristics, school achievement, intelligence, sex, and ethnic
background to self-concept
in
a fourth-grade sample. Fifty-two percent
of
the
variance
WIW:
accounted for with ten variables contributing at statistically
significant levels. Personality variables were found to be more predictive than
achievement ability or demographic factors.
Recently there has been an increased interest on the part of educators in
the personal growth
of
students in the elementary school (Shavelson, Hubner,
&
Stanton, 1976; Silberman, 1970). Many school systems have included affective
based programs in curriculum (Drummond, Rlclntire,
&
Minctons, 1976; Iiarre,
1976), and the structure
of
the school environment in many districts has been
modified to more open systems. The development
of
self-awareness has become
one
of
the goals of many schools, and much attention has been given to the self-
concept of students (Coller, 1971; Yamanioto, 1972; Zirkel, 1971).
Wylie (1974) has pointed out that self-concept constructs need to be studied
and improved. She has called
for studies examining the predictiveness
of
types
of self-concept measures and the need to study the internal consistency
of
self-
concept theory. Self-concept and its relationship to other specific personality and
social factors has been extensively examined.
It
has been related to such diverse
variables as academic achievement (l’urkey, 1970), cognitive style (McIntire
&
Drummond, 1976), ethnicity (Zirkel
RC
Moses,
1971), and numerous other per-
sonality characteristics. Few studies, however, have examined the relative con-
tributions of these many predictors of self-concept.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative contribution
of
a
variety
of
variables to self-concept. Specifically, the contributions
of
demographic,
achievement, and global personality measures were assessed.
~L~ETHOD
Subjects
The subjects were 144 fourth graders (72 boys and 72 girls) from a suburban
Rlaine school district. In each group, half came from bilingual families
of Franco-
American origin where at least one of the parents spoke French in the home.
Test Instruments
The Piers-Harris Children’s Self-concept Scale (1969) was used as the criterion
instrument. This test is a self-report inventory which has been used with children
from fourth grade to high school.
It
consists of
80
first person statements to which
the respondent checks “yes”
or “no.” The authors report Ihder-Richardson
‘This research was partially supported by funds made available through the Maine Life Sciences
and Agricultural Experiment Station.
Requests fcr reprints should be sent
to
Walter
G.
McIntire, School of Human Development,
hlerrill Hall, University
of
Maine at Orono, Orono,
ME
04473.
295