This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of counseling to favorably change self-concept; the effectiveness of the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS) in measuring self-concept change; and whether the TSCS is consistent with other self-concept instruments in measuring self-concept change when used in the same research study. The meta-analysis inclusion criteria were: one or more psychotherapy or counseling treatments administered to the subjects; comparison of two groups, including an alternate treatment or control condition; investigated self-concept change; pre-post-test measurements of self-concept dependent variable were reported; sample was randomized and/or matched for equivalence; and sufficient information was reported to calculate or reconstruct an effect size.

People include other people in their self-concept. Research has examined the causes and effects of including liked, but not disliked others into the self-concept. Liked others are included because of a motivation to affiliate and get closer to the other person. The current investigation examined whether disliked others are included as a result of a motivation to differentiate and distinguish oneself from the other person. It also examined how self-concept inclusion of disliked others affects self-concept clarity. First, I tested whether people include disliked others into their self-concepts by showing a memory bias for disliked others similar to that of liked others (Study 1). Liked others, but not disliked others or acquaintances, showed this memory bias. Next, I tested whether people were motivated to differentiate themselves from disliked others by measuring whether they had slower reaction times when characterizing the self with traits similar to those of disliked others (Study 2). I did not find this effect. Finally, neither study showed a mediating effect of self-concept clarity. These results failed to show support for the hypothesis that disliked others are included in the self-concept and that including others in the self affects self-concept clarity.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin-Madison. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-67).

When regarding the history of role theory, one becomes aware of the fact that, although much knowledge is available specifically pertaining to roles in small group settings (e.g. expectations about behaviour, types of roles, flexibility of locus, appropriateness of the role system, dynamic nature of role formation and development as well as typologies dividing roles into categories), not much literature is available specifically pertaining to what the impact of an individual’s self-concept is on his/her propensity to either assume or avoid certain roles in such a setting. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the above-mentioned aspect of role division in small groups. Research was done by means of a case study research design, with a constructivist/interpretevist meta-theoretical paradigm as research approach. This paradigm holds that there are multiple subjective realities involved when studying human interactions and the consequences thereof. The study was furthermore conducted from a psychodynamic and systems theory perspective. Data was collected from a sample of postgraduate students, who participated in a training group as part of their Industrial and Organisational Psychology master’s degree programme at the University of Pretoria, by means of three different methods, namely video and voice recordings, a document study, as well as semi-structured interviews. Data was furthermore analysed by Atlas.ti, a qualitative data analysis programme, according to the principles of constructivist grounded theory. When regarding current literature on the subject, it is implied by some that an individual will only allow roles to be imposed on him/her if he/she is predisposed to assuming such roles, and if he/she can accordingly integrate the responsibility somehow with his/her self-concept. Accordingly, the results obtained showed some connection between an individual’s self-concept and the role(s) that was assumed by the individual in the small group setting. More specifically, the results showed that an individual is more likely to change roles with ease should the alternate role requirements also be in line with elements of the individual’s self-concept. The results further indicated that it might be difficult for an individual to adapt and change to another role should the roles, which are required in the small group setting, be in conflict with the individual’s self-concept. These findings thus imply that an individual’s self-concept might have an impact on an individual’s propensity to either assume or avoid certain roles (role valency) in a small group setting. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Juvenile crime and recidivism continue to be significant, costly issues in American society. Employment contributes to successful reentry and lower recidivism. However, low self concept and problems with exploring careers and identifying options may interfere with juvenile offenders’ abilities to plan for employment and successfully carry out their plan. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the vocational assessment process on enhancing juvenile offender self concept by helping them learn more about themselves, career interests, and options. Participants included 61 juvenile offenders in the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice who were predominantly male (98.4%), African-American (57.4%), and 17 years of age (52.5%); half of the participants (50.8%) had not received a prior vocational assessment. The research design was quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest with data gathered using the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale (MSCS; Bracken, 1992), Self-Directed Search Form R (SDS; Holland, Powell, & Fritzsche, 1997) and focus groups. A 2x1 within-subjects repeated measures ANOVA with pairwise comparisons for pre- and post-tests demonstrated that the process did not improve participants’ global self concept (t=.000, p>.05) but did enhance competence self concept (t[60]=-2.35, p<.05). Although there were MSCS scales significantly correlated to race, it did not significantly affect the statistical outcomes as a covariate (p > .05). Focus group responses were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes, categories, and connections using a five-step procedure. Participants demonstrated overall favorable perceptions with a major theme that the process was helpful and with feelings of enjoyment and fun. Participants liked acquiring self knowledge and career information and exploration and liked least the amount of work and duration of the process. Suggested changes were less writing, making it computer-based, and addressing specific topics concerning offenders (e.g., jobs for offenders). Study limitations include generalizability, no comparison group, testing effects, length of the process, and environmental factors. The results contribute to developing vocational assessment process interventions for youth who have been adjudicated and committed to correctional facilities. Future research will focus on following-up to determine employment status, exploring demographic differences post-intervention, and replicating the study with similar juvenile offender populations. / Ph. D.

Poor academic achievement in Zimbabwe secondary schools prompted the study. Literature has demonstrated the importance of self-concept for achievement. The study investigates the significance of the relationship between learner self-concept and academic achievement in secondary schools in Zimbabwe, and also compares self-concepts and achievements on the basis of gender, age, form, school location, school type and type of attendance, e.g. boarders or day scholars. Data was collected from 1281 adolescent learners in urban and rural government and non-government secondary schools by means of questionnaires and interviews. Results confirmed the positive and reciprocal relationship between learner self-concept and academic achievement. Sport appears to have an influence on the academic achievement of male learners in government schools. Learners believe that sport improves their confidence, discipline, time management skills and social relationships. Non-academic self-concepts correlate highly and significantly with the cognitive self-concept. Males and females appear to be similar regarding their self-concepts and overall academic achievement though girls have better cognitive self-concepts. School location and type, and type of attendance have a significant influence on learner academic achievements and self-concepts. Age may influence academic achievement and self-concepts as well. Junior adolescent learners appear to have better self-concepts than senior learners, though their academic achievement is similar. Learners in Government B schools and those in urban schools seem to have better self-concepts than those in other schools. Day scholars appear to have better physical, emotional and general self-concepts than boarders. The results emphasise the need to pay attention to self-concept as well, when trying to improve the academic achievement of learners. / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Poor academic achievement in Zimbabwe secondary schools prompted the study. Literature has demonstrated the importance of self-concept for achievement. The study investigates the significance of the relationship between learner self-concept and academic achievement in secondary schools in Zimbabwe, and also compares self-concepts and achievements on the basis of gender, age, form, school location, school type and type of attendance, e.g. boarders or day scholars. Data was collected from 1281 adolescent learners in urban and rural government and non-government secondary schools by means of questionnaires and interviews. Results confirmed the positive and reciprocal relationship between learner self-concept and academic achievement. Sport appears to have an influence on the academic achievement of male learners in government schools. Learners believe that sport improves their confidence, discipline, time management skills and social relationships. Non-academic self-concepts correlate highly and significantly with the cognitive self-concept. Males and females appear to be similar regarding their self-concepts and overall academic achievement though girls have better cognitive self-concepts. School location and type, and type of attendance have a significant influence on learner academic achievements and self-concepts. Age may influence academic achievement and self-concepts as well. Junior adolescent learners appear to have better self-concepts than senior learners, though their academic achievement is similar. Learners in Government B schools and those in urban schools seem to have better self-concepts than those in other schools. Day scholars appear to have better physical, emotional and general self-concepts than boarders. The results emphasise the need to pay attention to self-concept as well, when trying to improve the academic achievement of learners. / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Research indicates that Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is associated with a poor self-concept and high levels of anxiety (peens et al., 2004; Piek et al., 2000; Skinner & Piek, 2001). Research also substantiates that participation in a well planned motor intervention programme can enhance the self-concept of a child with DCD (Colchico et al., 2005). Literature further indicates that DCD is associated with neuro-motor problems which may vary in severity (Sigmundsson & Hopkins, 2005). It is further indicated that more boys than girls are diagnosed with DCD and also that, in general, boys have a higher self-concept than girls (Maldonado-Duran, 2002; Stein et al., 1998). The aim of this study was firstly, to determine the influence of DCD on the self-concept and anxiety of 7-9 year old children in the Potchefstroom district. Secondly, the study aimed to determine whether gender and the ethnic group of DCD children have an effect on the success of different intervention programmes. A third aim was to determine whether a motor based intervention programme, a self-concept enhancing programme or a combination of the two (psycho-motor intervention programme) would have the best effect on enhancing children's self-concept and motor proficiency. Lastly, the study attempted to determine whether neuro-motor problems could have a negative influence on an intervention programme for DCD children. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC), Bruininks-Oseretsky Test for Motor Proficiency (BOTMP-SF), Sensory Input Measurement Instrument (SIM) and Quick Neurological Screening Test II (QNST) were used to determine children's motor proficiency as well as possible neuro-motor problems. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (Child Form) (TSCS-CF) and Child Anxiety Scale (CAS) were used to determine the children's self-concept and anxiety respectively. One way variance of analysis, repeated measures analysis, independent t-testing, co-variance of analysis as well as correlational coefficients (r) were conducted, using the Statistica computer package in order to analyze the data according to the above-mentioned aims. A p-value of smaller than or equal to 0.05 was accepted as a significant difference. From the results of the study it seemed that the self-concept and anxiety of randomly selected 7-9 year old children (N=58) diagnosed with DCD are negatively influenced and that girls are more vulnerable to these influences. Repeated measure analyses over a period of one year showed that of the three programmes the motor intervention programme showed the best results at improving the children's motor proficiency while, on the other hand, the psychomotor intervention programme improved their self-concept most. Ethnic group and gender did not have a significant effect on the success of intervention programmes. Lastly, it was found that underlying neuro-motor problems could influence the effect of an intervention programme negatively. It is clear from this study that DCD has a negative effect on children, but that participation in a well planned intervention programme will have positive effects on both their motor proficiency and self-concept. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Recent government policy has identified Speech, Language and Communications (SLCN) as key and essential to each child’s potential to achieve in school. The Bercow Report (Bercow 2008) was commissioned in order to review support for SLCN in the UK. Following a systematic review, Bercow highlighted (amongst other issues) a level of inconsistency associated with SLCN support in UK secondary schools . Despite general agreement that input is required in order to improve “communication” in secondary schools, a productive discussion in number of subsequent publications is limited (see Lindsay 2008 and discussion in literature review section in Appendix K), seemingly due lack of clarity regarding the precise definition of the term and the types of issues that interventions need to address. Furthermore, school based communication interventions to date have only focused on teacher-child communication, therefore, the current research aims to specify and investigate the concept of “communication” in a school setting on two different levels: within individual (self) and perceptions of others (leading to a more systemic perspective). First, on a personal level, a pupil’s own self concept of communicational abilities is assessed (paper 1). Second, on an organisational level, the way in which pupils and teachers as well as senior managerial staff view the quality of communication in the school (paper 2). This research assumes a view of communication which stretches beyond traditional models of language processing e.g. referring to syntax, phonology, morphology and pragmatics and interprets the term more widely to refer to any barrier (cognitive or otherwise) which disrupts the understanding or processing of language. The research presented in this thesis refers to one area in particular (communication self-concept) which falls inside this definition but would not be considered on most language audits and assessments (and is therefore unlikely to be considered in secondary schools). The term “Communication Self Concept” (CSC) refers to a person’s own views of their communicative ability and in this instance was borne initially out of more general work around “academic self-concept” by Marsh (1990) (see section 2.2 for discussion). Academic self-concept has been subdivided into a range of subject specific constructs which have been found to be highly predictive of academic attainment (Valentine et al 2004). Given the principal role of communication across a range of different disciplines it was considered that communication self-concept may have the potential to be highly predictive of academic attainment in school (see section 2.2 for discussion). Paper one therefore was split into two parts, the first part aimed to create a measure of communication self-concept and in the second to look at the extent to which it is able to uniquely predict academic attainment in English (see section 2.4.2 for discussion). Paper one concludes that the Communication Self Concept Questionnaire (CSCQ) is able to significantly predict academic attainment in English and is distinct from other predictors, such as English self-concept and Communication competence. Paper two continues to build on the theme of communication within secondary schools by exploring the views of children in two schools about communication in order to gain a wider perspective on potential barriers to communicating, which may also impact on their levels of communication self-concept. In addition to this, the paper also explores communication from an organisational perspective via interviews with senior management and staff. The aim of conducting interviews with staff was to gain an impression of the general issues surrounding communication from an institutional and inter-staff level. A range of themes were identified on a staff and child level. Themes related centrally to poor mutual (staff to staff, child to staff) awareness of each other’s respective roles and responsibilities at school. Sources of this issue appear to partly relate to time pressure and inconsistent staffing, both of which also contributed independently to poor communication in school. More crucially however, staff generally discussed feeling unable to communicate with their peers (i.e. other members of staff) for similar reasons to the children which was indicative of poor communication self-concept as defined in the previous study. Whilst the work in this thesis is exploratory in nature, it establishes the potentially important role of communication self-concept alongside more traditional communication related constructs (discussed in section 2.2 and appendix K). Furthermore, the thesis highlights the need for communication intervention to encompass an entire institution and questions the value of school based communication interventions which only focus on teacher-child communication. Questions regarding the extent to which communication self-concept on an organisational / staffing level impacts on child communication self-concept are discussed with respect to Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura 1982;1989).

<p>The focus on how one is behaving, feeling, and thinking, provides a powerful source of self-knowledge. How is this self-knowledge utilized in the dynamic reconstruction of autobiographical memories? How, in turn, might autobiographical memories support identity and the self-system? I address these questions through a critical review of the literature on autobiographical memory and the self-system, with a special focus on the self-concept, self-knowledge, and identity. I then outline the methods and results of a prospective longitudinal study examining the effects of an identity change on memory for events related to that identity. Participant-rated memory characteristics, computer-generated ratings of narrative content and structure, and neutral-observer ratings of coherence were examined for changes over time related to an identity-change, as well as for their ability to predict an identity-change. The conclusions from this study are threefold: (1) when the rated centrality of an event decreases, the reported instances of retrieval, as well as the phenomenology associated with retrieval and the number of words used to describe the memory, also decrease; (2) memory accuracy (here, estimating past behaviors) was not influenced by an identity change; and (3) remembering is not unidirectional – characteristics of identity-relevant memories and the life story predict and may help support persistence with an identity (here, an academic trajectory).</p> / Dissertation