Multidimensional Self-Concept Research Articles

Assessment of multidimensional self-concept in the area of physical education: validation of a scale.

Self-concept is a person's perception of him/herself and how he/she performs in different situations. This aspect must be developed during the formative stages and Physical Education is a fundamental area due to its enormous methodological possibilities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the factor structure and reliability of an instrument that allows to analyze the multidimensional self-concept of high school students in the context of Physical Education. The sample consisted of 1,155 secondary school students from public schools in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, Spain. After the exploratory and confirmatory analyses, a structure composed of 30 items divided into 5 factors was. This design showed excellent goodness-of-fit indices as well as good internal reliability indicators (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.76 - 0.88). Therefore, this scale can be considered as a tool to assess the self-concept of high school students in a quick and easy way.

An Ecological Inquiry on Young People's Suicidal Ideation at University: Individual, Relational and Cultural Factors and Their Interactions.

To understand the factors related to suicidal ideation in university students, we examined individual and microsystemic variables with an ecological model organizing bidirectional influences between different dimensions. Suicidal ideation, psychological distress, multidimensional self-concept, loneliness, community social support, life satisfaction, family functioning, bullying victimization, and problematic use of virtual social networks were measured in a sample of 376 Mexican university students (67% women) from 18 to 34 years of age (M = 20.8). Data were collected in March 2020, before mandatory confinement for COVID started in Mexico. Discriminant analyses showed that psychological distress, loneliness, self-concept, life satisfaction, family functioning, internet violence/rejection, and informal social support predicted belonging to high or no suicidal ideation groups with 88% accuracy. Only psychological distress and family self-concept predicted suicidal ideation in multilinear regression analyses. There were differences by gender in multilinear regression, with family self-concept significant for women and physical self-concept, but not family self-concept for boys. Conclusions: Early Suicide prevention in universities should include periodic screening of psychological distress, loneliness, and virtual social media use to identify students that need further evaluation and intervention. University-based strategies of mental health promotion that strengthen family relationships and the sense of community, including gender-sensitive orientation, could enhance the effect of protective factors.

Bullying and Self-Concept, Factors Affecting the Mental Health of School Adolescents.

Bullying is an aggressive and repetitive behavior, where one person or several people physically, socially, or emotionally harm a vulnerable person and provokean imbalance of power in a school setting. Several factors such as age, sex, school performance, psychological factors, and ethnicity have been associated with bullying and more are being sought. Thus, the objectives of this study were as follows: (1) analyze the differences in bullying (victimization and aggression) and self-concept (academic, social, emotional, family, and physical) with respect to sex, school location, and educational level among Spanish adolescents; (2) explore the associations of bullying and self-concept with these sociodemographic dimensions. A cross-sectional study was designed with a total of 1155 participants (between 12 and 18 years old); there were 48.8% boys and 51.2% girls, where 75.9% studied compulsory secondary education (CSE) and 24.1% Baccalaureate, and 31.9% were students from rural schools and 68.1% were from urban schools. Medium and inverse correlations were shown between victimization and self-concept at the general level, for both sexes, both types of school, and both educational stages. For the aggression dimension, the correlations with self-concept were inverse at the general level (low), in girls (low), in rural students (medium), and in compulsory secondary education students (medium). For academic self-concept and family self-concept, the associations were medium and inverse with bullying in all variables. For emotional self-concept the correlation with bullying was direct and medium in all variables; in physical self-concept, the correlations with bullying were inverse in almost all variables except in boys. Self-concept may be a protective factor for bullying and interventions should aim at adolescents building a positive multidimensional self-concept that prevents and protects them from bullying either as aggressor or victim.

Sexting, Self-esteem, and Social Media: A Comparison among Frequent, Occasional, and Non-sexting Italian Adolescent Girls.

The phenomenon of sexting consists of sending and sharing sexual images, videos, or messages using smartphones and social networks. Sexting is spreading dangerously among adolescents who share private and explicit sexual content, ignoring the negative and risky consequences associated with this behavior. According to recent literature, sexting behavior is strongly related to the participants' level of self-esteem and social media's influence on them. Our study was a descriptive community-based study focused on the central-south Italian context, which aimed to investigate sexually risky behavior and the main motivations for sexting, and to compare differences in self-esteem and social media's influence among three groups of Italian girls: non-sexters, occasional sexters, and frequent sexters. Our research involved 569 Italian girls (14-19 years old) who completed the following questionnaires: the Health and Sexual Behavior Questionnaire; the Sexting Behavior Scale; the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale; and the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3. Our results showed that most participants sexted with their partner, and had a responsible attitude toward sexuality and kept sexual risk low. Moreover, frequent sexters had higher scores on social media's influence relative to the internalization of the body image and model for beauty and athleticism, as well as lower levels of global, academic, and competence self-esteem. Our results could promote interventions in the school context in order to: a) improve awareness among youth about social media use, sexting, and safe sexuality; b) reduce the risk associated with sexting and the influence of social networks; and c) stimulate reflections by teachers and parents on adolescents' sense of identity and self-esteem.

SEXTING: NEW INTERACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS? A STUDY ON FREQUENT, OCCASIONAL, AND NON-SEXTERS GIRLS

Sexting consists in sending and sharing sexual images, videos, or messages using smartphones and social networks. According to the literature, sexting is related to the level of self-esteem and social media’s infl uence. This study investigates sexually risky behaviours and the main motivations for sexting and compares differences in self-esteem and social media infl uence, involving a sample of  Italian girls (– years old). The sample is divided into three groups according to their attitude towards sexting behaviour (non-sexters, occasional, and frequent), based on the score of the Sexting Behaviours Scale. The participants fi lled out the Questionnaire on Health and Sexual Behaviour (sexual risky behaviours and main motivations for sexting); the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale (self-esteem) and the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire- (the infl uence of society and the media on body perception and self-image). Our results show that most participants use sexting within the couple and have a responsible attitude towards sexuality and low sexual risks. Moreover, frequent sexters present higher levels of social media infl uence related to the internalization of the body, beauty and athletic model, and a lower level of global, academic, and competence self-esteem. These data could be useful for policy programs on social media use and sexting.

Self-Concept and Academic Achievement in Primary School: A Predictive Study

The study of academic achievement continues to be one of the "star" topics in the field of education today because of its great importance as an indicator for assessing educational quality and has therefore been studied from various perspectives. In this regard, the aim of this study was to study which dimensions of self-concept (behavioral, intellectual, physical, lack of anxiety, social or popularity and subjective happiness-life satisfaction) predict performance in each core subjects (Spanish Language and Literature, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and First Foreign Language (English)). For this purpose, a sample of 116 students from the last cycle of Primary Education (10-12 years) was selected by accessibility and administered a multidimensional Self-Concept Scale. The data were analyzed using the multiple linear regression technique, evaluating the Root Mean Squared Error, statistical power and effect size in all of them. The main results show that intellectual self-concept is the most important predictor of academic achievement. Therefore, schools should be aware of the importance of fostering confidence and expectations of success in students' academic tasks.

Mračna tetrada i domeni self-koncepta

The aim of this research was to examine the relations between the Dark Tetrad traits (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism) and six domains of self-concept (social, competence, affect, academic, family, and physical self-concept). Using a sample comprised of 210 participants (69.5% women), aged between 18 and 78, the Serbian adaptations of the following instruments were applied: the Short Dark Triad (SD3), the Assessment of Sadistic Personality (ASP), and the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale (MSCS). The results indicate that narcissism was positively related to all domains of Self-Concept, especially to social and physical self, while psychopathy was negatively related to Self-Concept domains, especially to social self. Machiavellianism was negatively related to social Self-Concept and competence, while sadism was negatively related to competence and academic self-concept. Although narcissism is considered as the "brightest" dark trait, results could indicate biased evaluations of the self in narcissism, which is in line with its grandiose and superior self-view.

The benefits of need satisfaction depend on their relative importance for people with a unidimensional identity: an idiographic analysis

Self-determination theory proposes that the satisfaction of basic psychological needs is equally beneficial for everyone – the Universal Hypothesis. Equally, there are intra-individual differences in how the satisfaction of differentially important needs might be differentially beneficial, which we term the Intra-individual Hypothesis. We aimed to reconcile these positions. Across four cross-sectional studies (ns = 300 rock climbers, 323 sportspeople, 394 UK and Chinese adults, 320 UK adults), we investigated the needs of individuals with varying dimensions to their identity, and their motivation and self-esteem. In Studies 1, 2, and 4, when individuals strongly related their sense of identity to investment in a specific activity, the association between need satisfaction and self-esteem (and motivation in Studies 1–2) depended on their intra-individual need importance, supporting the Intra-individual Hypothesis. In Studies 3 and 4, for individuals with a multidimensional identity, the association between need satisfaction and self-esteem did not depend on the importance of each need, supporting the Universal Hypothesis. The satisfaction of basic psychological needs is not always uniform in its link with motivation and well-being. The degree to which individuals have a unidimensional or multidimensional self-concept appears fruitful in predicting the relative value of the Universal Hypothesis and the Intra-individual Hypothesis.

Self-Concept Transformation on Senior Secondary School Students' Academic Achievement in Central Zone, Plateau State, Nigeria

Economics is one of the popular subjects in the Senior Secondary School (SSS) curriculum, and it covers the fundamental aspects of human lives concerning scarcity of resources. Proper understanding of the basic concept will enable students to realize the benefit of the subject. This study examined the effects of the self-concept transformation package on senior secondary school student's academic achievement in the quantitative aspect of Economics in Central Zone, Plateau State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental research design, the non-equivalent control- group design, was used for this study. The sample size consisted of 105 economics SS2 students from intact classes of the four sampled schools. There were 50 and 55 students in the experimental and control group, respectively. Multi-Stage Cluster sampling techniques were used for this study. The instruments used for data collection were the Multi-dimensional Self-Concept Scales (MSS) and Quantitative Economics Achievement Test (QEAT). Research questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the t-test of independent sample and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23 was used for the analysis. The results show that the self-concept transformation package positively and significantly affected students' self-concept and academic achievement in quantitative economics. The study recommended that the use of abusive words on students by Parents and guardians should be discouraged to strengthening their student's self-concept.

Videogame Addiction Scale for Children: Psychometric Properties and Gamer Profiles in the Italian Context

Given the few studies examining the evaluation of screening tools for videogame addiction among children aged 12 years and under, the present study analyzed (i) the psychometric properties (factorial structure, reliability indices and criterion validity) of the Italian version of the Videogame Addiction Scale for Children (VASC) and (ii) its construct validity using a person-centered approach. Two studies were carried out. In study 1, 728 participants completed a survey including demographic information, questions concerning the amount of time spent in playing videogames, and the Italian version of the VASC. In study 2, 1008 participants completed a survey comprising demographic information, the Italian version of the VASC, the Big Five Questionnaire for Children, and the social dimension subscale of the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale. Findings supported (i) the four-dimensional first-order factor structure, (ii) full scalar invariance across age groups and partial scalar equivalence across gender, and (iii) reliability and criterion validity of the VASC. The construct validity of the VASC was confirmed by the identification of two distinct profiles (high videogame players vs. low videogame players) and their specific patterns of associations with personality traits and social self-concept. Interaction effects of gender × profiles on personality traits were evidenced. Overall, the findings provided validity for the use of the Italian version of the VASC and extending the body of literature on videogame addiction.

Parenting Warmth and Strictness across Three Generations: Parenting Styles and Psychosocial Adjustment.

Recent emergent research is seriously questioning whether parental strictness contributes to children’s psychosocial adjustment in all cultural contexts. We examined cross-generational differences in parental practices characterized by warmth and practices characterized by strictness, as well as the relationship between parenting styles (authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful) and psychosocial adjustment in adulthood. Parenting practices characterized by warmth (affection, reasoning, indifference, and detachment) and strictness (revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment) were examined. Psychosocial adjustment was captured with multidimensional self-concept and well-being (life satisfaction and happiness). Participants were 871 individuals who were members of three generations of Spanish families: College students (G3), their parents (G2), and their grandparents (G1). Results showed two different cross-generational patterns in parenting practices, with an increased tendency toward parental warmth (parents use more affection and reasoning but less indifference across generations) and a decreased tendency toward parental strictness (parents use revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment less across generations). Interestingly, despite cross-generational differences in parenting practices, a common pattern between parenting styles and psychosocial adjustment was found: indulgent parenting was related to equal or even better self-concept and well-being than authoritative parenting, whereas parenting characterized by non-warmth (authoritarian and neglectful) was related to poor scores.

Self-Concept in China: Validation of the Chinese Version of the Five-Factor Self-Concept (AF5) Questionnaire

The principle of invariance is a mandatory methodological requirement for the psychological measures, even when items such as self-concept measures frequently present asymmetric heavy-tailed distributions. Few validated self-concept instruments can be applied in Eastern–Western cross-cultural studies. The Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5) is one of the few psychometrically sound instruments used to assess multidimensional self-concept in Spanish-speaking samples. The availability of the AF5 in Spanish and Chinese would facilitate cross-cultural research. To validate the Chinese version of the AF5, we used multisample confirmatory factor analysis with transformed dichotomous scales from the median to compare four alternative theoretical models. The sample consisted of 2507 participants (52.3% women) from China (n = 1298) and Spain (n = 1209), ranging in age from 19 to 35. Analyses confirmed the five-factor structure of the Chinese AF5 (i.e., academic, social, emotional, family, and physical) compared to the Spanish sample. Moreover, the Chinese version of the AF5 was found to be invariant in terms of item-factor weights, factor variance, and between-factor covariance, compared to the original Spanish version. The findings from this first validation study indicate that the Chinese version of the AF5 is an acceptable measure for use with Chinese-speaking adolescents and young adults.

Multiple Dimensions of Self-Esteem and Their Relationship with Health in Adolescence.

The aim of the present study was to examine how different domains of self-esteem (social, competence, affect, academic, family, and physical) relate to self-reported physical and mental health, lower back pain (LBP), smoking, and physical exercise in a sample of adolescents. A sample of 326 adolescents 14–19 years old completed several self-report questionnaires collecting epidemiological data, and information on their LBP, smoking, and physical exercise, the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale. Pearson’s correlations were calculated between their self-esteem scores and their physical and mental health scores. Three multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were performed to estimate associations between self-esteem and LBP, smoking, and physical exercise. Self-esteem (total and subcomponent scores) correlated positively with physical and mental health, and with physical exercise, and negatively with smoking. The results also confirm gender-related differences in self-esteem, in favor of boys. This study offers the first findings on the relationship between different domains of self-esteem and a variety of health outcomes in an adolescent population. The results suggest that multidimensional interventions could be devised to improve adolescents’ physical health by promoting their physical exercise, and to prevent their smoking by nurturing their self-esteem.

Multidimensional Self-Concept Depending on Levels of Resilience and the Motivational Climate Directed towards Sport in Schoolchildren.

(1) Background: Motivation towards sports practice is fundamental at an early age, as this can favor the integral development of the student body. (2) Methods: The main objective of this study was to describe and analyze the relationships between the different dimensions of self-concept based on motivational climate, body mass index and resilience in a sample of 203 children from the third cycle of primary education, with an age between 11 and 13 years (M = 11.54). They completed the motivational climate questionnaires (PMCSQ-2), the self-concept questionnaire (AF-5) and the questionnaire that measures resilience levels (the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)). (3) Results: The results showed that boys are more resilient than girls and, in turn, have a greater tendency to task climate compared to them. Regarding self-concept, males presented higher scores in the academic, social and physical dimensions. In the same line as resilience, the motivational climate in males is oriented to the ego climate and the feminine to the task climate. Negative correlations of physical self-concept were found with the ego and task climate. (4) Conclusions: The task climate was identified as a predictor of resilience levels.

Multidimensional Self-Concept and Its Association with Problematic Use of Video Games in Spanish College Students

Background: At present, new technologies provide numerous benefits in their correct use, while the need arises to study the consumption of some technologies, in this case, videogames, due to the negative consequences that they can cause in those subjects who have not yet consolidated their personality due to their excessive use. The study aimed to determine and establish associations between the dimensions of self-concept and the problematic use of videogames and their gender differences. Methods: A total of 525 university students participated in this study, representing 44.7% of the male gender and 55.3% of the female gender, with an average age of M = 20.80 SD = 3.12 years old. The instruments used were the CESR and AF-5 questionnaires. Results: The results reveal the association (p ≤ 0.05) between the problematic use of videogames and the dimensions of self-concept, showing that students with severe or potential problems have lower levels of self-concept. In addition, it has been found that men have more problems associated with the use of video games than women. Men have a greater physical and emotional self-concept, while women have better social self-concept. Conclusions: This study highlights the inverse association between self-concept and problematic use of video games, a fact that shows the need to develop intervention programs aimed at improving self-concept and to reduce the problematic use of video games. Likewise, the levels of self-concept reveal that men have higher scores in the emotional and physical dimension, while women stand out in the social dimension.

Validation of the Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire AF5 in Brazil: Testing Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Language (Brazilian and Spanish), Gender, and Age.

Self-concept is widely conceptualized as multidimensional (Shavelson et al., 1976). The Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire (AF5, García and Musitu, 2009) assesses five specific dimensions (i.e., academic, social, emotional, family, and physical). It is a psychometrically sound questionnaire, developed, and normed in Spain, which is widely used with Spanish-speaking samples. The validation of the AF5 in Brazil would expand its potential, and would facilitate cross-cultural research. To validate the Brazilian version of the AF5, the present study apply confirmatory factor analysis and multi-sample invariance analysis across sex (women vs. men), age (11–18 years old), and language (Brazilian [Portuguese] vs. Spanish). The sample consisted of 4,534 students (54.6%, women, 53.7%, Spanish) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years old (M = 14.61, SD = 2.09). The findings of the present study confirmed that the five-dimensional AF5 factorial structure provided the better fit to the data compared to alternative one-dimensional and orthogonal five-dimensional structures. The 30 items loaded appropriately on the five dimensions. Multi-group analysis for invariance between sex, age, and language groups showed equal loading in the five factors, equal covariation between the five dimensions, and equal error variances of items. Additionally, in order to obtain an external validity index, the five AF5 factors were related to both acceptance/involvement and strictness/imposition parenting dimensions. These results provide an adequate basis for meaningful comparative studies on a highly relevant construct, multidimensional self-concept, between male and female adolescents of different ages, and Brazilian (Portuguese) and Spanish-speaking samples. These results validate the instrument and confirm its suitability in cross-cultural research.

Multidimensional Self-Concept in Elementary Education: Sport Practice and Gender

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relation between the number of hours of organized sports practice and self-concept, considered from a multidimensional approach (physical, emotional, academic, social and family self-concept). The relation between these variables as a function of gender was also investigated. Methods: We used a sample of 840 students from fifth and sixth grade of Elementary Education (494 boys and 346 girls), aged 9 to 12 years, from Spain. To assess the students’ self-concept, we used the AF-5 Self-Concept Form 5 questionnaire. Results: The results show that children who practice organized sport, present a better physical self-concept (0 h a day [h/d]: M = 5.20, SD = 1.82; 1 h/d: M = 5.90, SD = 1.82; 2 h/d: M = 5.99, SD = 1.56; 3 h/d: M = 6.00, SD = 1.42). Boys present a higher emotional self-concept than girls (p < 0.05). Moreover, children’s sports practice is beneficial for the academic and family self-concept but in the case of girls, a high number of hours of daily practice may be decreasing these potential benefits. Conclusions: The findings suggest that organized sports practice could have a positive effect on self-concept. We underline the importance of encourage children to practice sport and paying particular attention to gender differences in the development of the emotional self-concept during elementary education.

Socio-emotional adjustment of adolescents with cochlear implants: Loneliness, emotional autonomy, self-concept, and emotional experience at the hospital.

Recent studies have reported contrasting results in the socio-emotional adjustment of Italian adolescents with cochlear implants (CIs). The aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between the socio-emotional adjustment of adolescents with CIs, the quality of their hospital stay, and their age at CI activation. The participants were 29 adolescents with CIs (CI group) and 29 typically developing adolescents (TD group). The Emotional Autonomy Scale, the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale were administered to each participant. The emotional experience reported during the hospital stay was considered for each participant in the CI group. The adolescents with CIs displayed significantly higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of aversion toward aloneness than the TD group participants. Adolescents who had received the CI in preschool displayed a higher level of physical self-concept than adolescents who had received it later. The adolescents' emotional experiences at the hospital were reported to be quite complex and related to their relationships with parents. In summary, the findings point to a specific type of fragility in socio-emotional adjustment-focused on loneliness/aloneness-rather than a general one.

Changes in domain specific self-perception amongst young people with intellectual disability: a longitudinal study

This study examines the changes that occur in multidimensional self-concept of adolescents with a diagnosis of intellectual disabilities, across gender and category of intellectual disability (borderline, mild, moderate) groups. A sample of 54 young people completed the Harter Self-Perception Profile. Using a three-wave longitudinal study conducted during their first year in a segregated special second-level school, stability and change in multiple domains of self-perception were examined. Findings indicate that gender and level of cognitive function are important variables in changes in self-perception across time, highlighting the heterogeneous nature of the special school population.

Implicación escolar y autoconcepto multidimensional en una muestra de estudiantes de secundaria

La implicación escolar constituye en la actualidad una temática de gran interés en el ámbito de la educación por su relevante papel en el desarrollo positivo y el éxito académico del alumnado de los estudiantes. Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron los siguientes: en primer lugar, analizar las posibles diferencias en función del nivel educativo en el autoconcepto multidimensional y la implicación escolar de los estudiantes; en segundo lugar, explorar la relación entre las variables autoconcepto multidimensional e implicación escolar; en tercer lugar, someter a prueba la predicción del autoconcepto multidimensional sobre la implicación escolar. Participaron en la investigación 1034 estudiantes de 11 a 17 años (M= 13.84; DT = 1.38), de los cuales 537 eran chicas (51.9%) y 497 chicos (48.1 %). Se administraron los siguientes instrumentos de evaluación: el Cuestionario de Autoconcepto Dimensional (AUDIM) de Fernández-Zabala, Goñi, Rodríguez-Fernández y Goñi (2015) y el Cuestionario de Implicación Escolar (SEM) de Fredericks, Blumenfeld, Friedel y Paris (2005). Los resultados confirmaron puntuaciones inferiores en el segundo ciclo escolar con respecto al primer ciclo en la implicación escolar y los dominios físico, general y académico del autoconcepto. Se observó que la implicación escolar tiene correlaciones significativas que muestran un tamaño del efecto medio-alto con la mayoría de las dimensiones del autoconcepto. El autoconcepto académico fue identificado como la variable predictora más importante de la implicación escolar.