GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SELF-CONCEPT OF GIFTED PUPILS

Abstract

The self-concept is the utmost frequently studied area of gifted pupils. The emotional and social issues of highly gifted pupils often stem from inadequate self-concept. The structure of self-concept is being formed by traditional variables such as age, gender and culture. The centers of our focus are gifted pupils and differences in self-concept between gifted boys and gifted girls. The self-concept model created by Marsh and Shavelson in 1985 has a hierarchic structure. The highest level of the self-concept is known as the general self-concept. It is divided into academic self-concept and non-academic self-concept. The Self-description Questionnaire - short form (SDQ-II-S) was the research tool used to measure pupil‘s self-concept. The grades in math and their mother tongue language (Slovak) as well as their GPA (Grade Point Average) were examined and compared. The research sample consisted of 56 gifted pupils at secondary school. In order to better understand the academic self-concept, we also examined the preferences of inner motivation for learning. The biggest motivator that prevailed in the group of boys was positive social motivation, but in the group of girls it was the feeling of good work done. The most significant difference we have remarked was in the area of verbal academic self-concept. The girls had an average score of 23.44 while the boys only 13.94. The development of self-concept and the possibilities of its improvement are important, because self-concept affects school performance and the overall behavior of pupils.