Gender and Achievement Differences in Secondary Students’ Verbal Self-Concepts: A Closer Look beyond Bivariate Comparison

Abstract

Introduction. Against the background of contradictory research findings in the field the present study aimed at unraveling the structural complexities of gender differences in secondary students’ verbal self-concepts and, thus, analyzing possible gender × achievement interaction effects in the L1 German and L2 English language subject. According to an internal distress perspective significantly depressed self-concept scores for the female learners, in particular, at the low achievement level were assumed.Method. Data were gathered in a sample of 256 ninth grade students from German inner-city grammar schools. For measuring students’ L1 and L2 self-concept two subject-specific scales were administered. For measuring their achievement in each language subject teacher competence ratings as well as (self-reported) marks were used.Results. With respect to the L1 German language subject, only a significant main effect of the achievement variable was found. Neither a gender effect nor an achievement × gender interaction could be demonstrated. Therefore, interindividually existing self-concept differences in favor of the female learners appeared to largely reflect their better achievement in the native language subject. With respect to the L2 language subject, likewise a significant main effect of the achievement variable but also a significant gender × achievement interaction effect occurred. Within the low achieving sub-group the female learners displayed substantially lower self-concept scores than their male counter-parts – at least concerning the latest mark criterion. Hence, they more strongly suffered from internal distress.Discussion. Especially, in the L2 English language subject a gender × achievement interaction effect could significantly explain differences in the learners’ self-concept. Consequently, these differences cannot merely ascribed to a gendered view of language subjects – which commonly favors the female learners. Gender stereotyping effects will operate in a more complex manner. In particular, they appear to affect the students’ self-concept not primarily as a matter of subject rather as a matter of cognitive-motivational processing in the case of individually cumulated failure experiences – thus evidently unfavoring the female learners. However, the findings considerably differed across both the L1 and the L2 language subject and, thus, still need further clarification.