Self-concept Of Young People Research Articles

To perform or not to perform, that is the question: Drama activities and psychological wellbeing in adolescence

There is a substantial body of evidence on how important it is for adolescents’ wellbeing to engage in meaningful activities such as drama classes. The aim of this study is to assess whether the wellbeing and self-concept of young people who choose to take part in drama activities are significantly different from those adolescents who do not. A group of 198 subjects between the ages of 14 and 20 years participated in the study. The results showed some significant differences in certain wellbeing components – environmental mastery and personal growth – in favour of drama students. One of the most relevant results was the finding of important gender differences in the impact of drama experience on adolescents’ psychological wellbeing and self-concept. Drama girls showed higher levels of self-acceptance, environmental mastery and global wellbeing than non-drama girls. The study also revealed better academic, social and physical self-concepts. These results are discussed in terms of their educational implications in adolescence.

Self-Concept of Young People with Different Types of Attachment

The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between the Self-concept and various types of attachment in young people. The authors performed a theoretical review of available sources and established that the Self-concept and types of attachment are formed by the social environment from birth. In Russia, Self-concept studies in connection with the types of attachment are only gaining momentum. The empirical study involved a questionnaire developed by the authors. The results obtained were processed and analyzed using Excel, mathematical statistics methods, and SPSS Statistics v. 23. The correlation analysis established a two-way significant relationship in fourteen parameters between the characteristics of the Self-concept and unreliable-anxious, unreliable-avoidant, and unreliable-disorganized types of attachment. The reliable type of attachment proved to be an exception with no significant connections. Thus, three attachment types correlated with the Self-concept. The revealed interrelations confirmed the hypothesis about a relationship between the Self-concept and the type of attachment in young people. The absence of a relationship between the Self-concept and the reliable attachment type allowed the authors to outline plans for further research.

Development and validity evidence of the multidimensional scale of sexual self-concept in a Spanish-speaking context

Background/objectiveSTIs and HIV/AIDS are an important public health problem, transmitted by risky sex behaviours. In this context, it is necessary to identify protective factors, of those behaviours, as sexual self-concept. Sexual self-concept is a multidimensional trait (i.e. sexual self-esteem; sexual self-efficacy; and sexual assertiveness), but, in an extensive review, we did not find any measure to assess this multidimensional construct in a Spanish-speaking context. The objective of this research is development a scale to assess sexual self-concept in young people and adults.MethodTime-space sampling with a total size of 792 participants, coming from the two Chilean cities (i.e. Arica and Iquique) with the highest HIV rates, aged between 17 and 53 years old (ME = 23.42; SD = 6.33), with 66.2% women (N = 500), 33.6% men (N = 258).ResultsFinal scale has 16 items and 4 dimensions: sexual self-esteem, sexual self-efficacy, assertive sexual communication, and assertive sexual behaviour. The identified structure provides satisfactory levels of reliability (ω > .8) and presents robust evidence of validity, based on the internal structure of the test, using ESEM (RMSEA = .060; CFI = .99; TLI = .98), evidence of validity based on relationship to other variables (i.e. risky sexual behaviour) and measurement invariance between men and women.ConclusionsThe multidimensional scale of sexual self-concept has adequate psychometric properties to assess sexual self-concept in equivalent samples.

Self-Perceived Scholastic Competence, Athletic Competence, and Physical Appearance Are Enhanced in Children and Young Adults with Physical Disabilities Following a Community-Based Running Program

Children and young adults with physical disabilities consistently report low self-concept across multiple domains. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if a community-based running program working to improve physical activity patterns in children and young adults with physical disabilities also affected self-concept, and (2) identify specific self-concept domains affected by the community-based running program. Twenty children and young adults (17 males, 3 females, 7–24 years) participated in a community-based running program. The 10-week community-based program occurred twice weekly with a time-based progression of total run time each week. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) was used to assess self-concept at baseline and following the program. Data were analyzed for 19 participants using mixed analysis of variance models. Mean improvements were noted in each subscale of the SPPC. Significant main effects (p < .05) were found in the specific domains of scholastic competence, athletic competence, and physical appearance. Among elementary aged children, the greatest improvements were found for scholastic competence (0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.87); the greatest improvements were found for athletic competence among high school aged children and young adults (0.42, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.84). The community-based running program described in this study may have the ability to improve self-concept in young people with physical disabilities, particularly in the domains of scholastic competence, athletic competence, and physical appearance. The ability of a program to improve components of health beyond physical well-being has important implications for future implementation of community-based interventions.

Jaunų žmonių, leidžiančių laiką gatvėje, savivoka

Šio straipsnio tikslas – atskleisti jaunų žmonių, leidžiančių laiką gatvėje, savivoką. Pirmoje straipsnio dalyje aprašomi pagrindiniai savivokos aspektai, aptariant Carl R. Rogers’o savęs suvokimo koncepciją. Kitose dalyse pristatomi kokybinio tyrimo rezultatai. Tyrimas atskleidė, kad jauni žmonės, laiką leidžiantys Vilniaus miesto Viršuliškių ir Pašilaičių mikrorajonuose, susiduria su skirtingais sunkumais, kurie daro tiesioginę neigiamą įtaką savęs vertinimui. Jaunuoliai mato save „blogus“ ar atskirtyje esančius žmones. Dėl patirtų sunkumų vaikystėje, problemų šeimoje, mokykloje ar bendraamžių tarpe jie dažnai jaučiasi vieniši, kamuojami slogių, depresyvių minčių. Dauguma jų jaučia bendrą nepasitenkinimą gyvenimu, o rizikingo elgesio priežastimis įvardija prasmės trūkumą. Nors jaunuoliams trūksta pasitikėjimo savimi, vis dėlto jie žino ir savo stiprybes.

The measurement of self-concept in children with complex needs

This article offers a brief definition of self-concept and explores the difficulties of finding an instrument to measure the selfconcept of young people who have complex needs. The article focuses on the use of the Piers-Harris 2 instrument, exploring its strengths and weaknesses for this client group.

Self-Concept of Young People with Physical Disabilities: Does integration play a role?

Different countries have approached the education of students with a disability in different ways. Some have advocated for maximum integration, while others have maintained separate schools for those with special needs. The impact of the different educational settings on the self-concept of young people with a physical disability so far has received very little empirical attention. This study compared four groups of students with a physical disability who differed in their level of school integration: (a) US integrated students ( n = 53), (b) Czech integrated students ( n = 14), (c) Czech students educated at special schools on a daily basis ( n = 51), and (d) Czech students attending special schools on a residential basis ( n = 66). In addition, these young people with a disability were compared to a normative sample of Czech students without a disability. The comparisons were made on self-reported self-perceptions, aggression/emotional instability, view of the world, and dependency using the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (Rohner, 1991). Significant between group differences favouring integration were found. More integrated students reported lower levels of aggression, more positive views of themselves, and more positive views of the world. Discussion addressed implications for educational policies for children with special needs.

Depressive symptoms and self-concept in young people with spina bifida.

Examined self-reported depressive symptoms in 72 young people with spina bifida, ages 9 to 18:11, and matched able-bodied comparison subjects, using the Dimensions of Depression Profile for Children and Adolescents (Harter & Nowakowski, 1987). Independent variables included gender, self-perceptions (including physical appearance), and perceived social support. Young people with spina bifida were at greater risk of depressive mood, low self-worth, and suicidal ideation. Girls, independent of disability, were at greater risk of depressive mood, low self-worth, and self-blame. Multiple regression analyses suggest that global self-worth serves as a mediating variable for the effect of physical appearance self-concept on depressed mood (particularly in young people with spina bifida), and that perceived parental social support has a direct effect on depressed mood (particularly in girls).

The Self-Esteem of Children with Physical Disabilities—Problems and Dilemmas of Research

It is the purpose of this paper to examine attempts to measure the self-concept of children with physical disabilities using psychometric measures. It is argued that the use of measures of the self-concept as they relate to disability have not previously received careful scrutiny in the literature and the implications of their use as well as their disadvantages will be discussed. The study of the self-concept is still very much at the forefront of modem day disability research, and psychologists have attempted to establish clear links between a person's sense of self and his/her adaptation to the social world. Caution is advised when using psychometric instruments for measuring the self-concept of young people with physical disabilities and it should not be assumed that the presence of a physical disability by itself is an overriding factor in determining the psychological development of children with physical disabilities. Studies of the self-concept and disability are producing spurious findings and it is argued that this may be a phenonomenom of the way data are collected. However, this can have far reaching consequences for young people with physical disabilities as the way the self-concept of this particular group is then portrayed may be negative, destructive, and oppressive. This research paradigm serves none of the young people well, as questions such as whether it is possible to measure the self-concept of young people with physical disabilities or indeed whether or not it is a useful exercise to do so have largely been ignored in previous research studies with this particular group. In conclusion, further research implications for use with this particular subject group will be discussed.

Stress and self-concept in 10- to 15-years-old school students

The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between stress and self-concept in young people between the ages of 10 and 15 years. Previous research has found an inverse relationship between stress (as measured by the number of stressful events occurring) and self-concept. This study examined events deemed to have a negative effect on young people that occurred during the previous month. The events were determined through a focus group discussion methodology and the results of the discussion amalgamated into a questionnaire that tapped stress as well self-concept and other areas of mental and physical health. Both major events and minor hassles were included in the final list of stressful events. The number and the relative effect of these events were correlated with overall self-concept as measured by the Press-Harris Self-Concept Scale.The results indicated that there is a small negative relationship between overall self-concept and the frequency and effect of stressful events, suggesting that as stress increases there is a decrease in self-concept. Although the inclusion of stressful events that relate specifically to the 10- to 15-year-old age group increase the validity of the scale for use with this age group, it is recognized that the inclusion of daily hassles, identified as stressful by the adolescents, may have weakened the relationship between concepts of self and life events.Relationships between self-concept, stress, and age and gender are explored, and confirm that females experience more stress and express it as having a greater impact than boys, while age, within the 10- to 15-year-olds sampled, does not reliably predict frequency of experience and effect of stress. Levels of self-concept however, remain the strongest predictor of which young people will indicate experiencing stress and its negative effects.

Impact of functional severity on self concept in young people with spina bifida.

This study examines the relationship between medical and functional severity of disability and levels of self esteem and self concept in 79 young people with spina bifida. Greater feelings of global self worth and of self esteem in physical appearance were associated with greater severity of disability. This was only in part an effect of lower IQ among the most disabled young people. Many of the least disabled had marked impairment of self esteem. Analysis of the impact of individual aspects of disability confirmed the association between increased self esteem in physical appearance and global self worth, and diminished functional ability. Academic self ratings, however, were higher in the less disabled. Hydrocephalus and continence appeared to have minimal effect on self esteem. The relationship between severity of disability in spina bifida and self concept is complex and mediated by a range of factors. It is incorrect to assume that the psychological impact is less in the mildly disabled young person.