Effects of Selected Activities on the Self-Concept of Middle School Students (Self-Esteem).

Abstract

The basic research question underlying this study was whether a program of activities designed to enhance the self-concept of middle school students would, in fact, improve self-concept. The subjects were black children and from a large urban setting. The study established a protocol which compared a treatment group (N = 35) and a control group (N = 35) with respect to mean score gains between pre-test and post-test on the adapted Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale. A less direct measurement of self-concept was attempted through comparison of the groups' reading and mathematics mean score on the California Achievement Test. Further, the study investigated treatment impact on student behavior as demonstrated by absences, tardiness, discipline referrals, and suspensions throughout the treatment period. The treatment group received weekly sessions of self-concept building activities during the 1983-84 school year. Hypotheses were formulated to compare the performance of the treatment and control groups on each of the above criterion measures and sub-hypotheses provided for comparisons by gender. Each hypothesis was examined by applying the T-test to determine significance of difference at the .05 level. The results of this investigation indicated greater improvement in self-concept for the treatment group than for the control group as measured by the adapted Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale. The treatment males (as well as the total treatment group) showed greater improvement than their control counterparts at a statistically significant level, while the treatment females' margin over control females was substantial, but not statistically significant. The findings with respect to the other criterion measures were quite mixed. The only statistically significant results showed treatment females with greater gains in reading than control females and control males with greater gains in mathematics than treatment males. The researcher discussed implications of the findings and provided recommendations both for further study and for program improvements in the school.