The relationship between school type and adolescent self esteem, attribution styles, and affiliation needs: implications for educational outcome.

Abstract

Summary. This paper explores the notion that the type of school attended will affect adolescents' self esteem, locus‐of‐control orientation, and affiliation needs. It proceeds to examine the view that these are in turn linked to success in particular subject areas, assessments of achievement in these same subjects, perceptions of the importance of school life and future career options.A sample of 1,675 school children, 896 males and 779 females from sixteen non‐government schools was employed. The majority (79 per cent) attended single‐sex schools while the remainder attended co‐educational schools. Major results indicated that type of school attended did have consequences in terms of adolescents' stated preferences and rated achievement in subjects. Students attending co‐educational school were found to have more traditional subject preferences and assessments of achievement in those subject areas than students attending single‐sex schools. Students attending co‐educational schools were also found to have lower self esteem, and greater affiliation with peers than students from single‐sex schools. However, these relationships were not simple. Sex differences mediated the major associations reported between type of school attended and adolescent self perceptions.Interpretations of these and other results and suggestions for further exploration of associations are given.