Reducing the negative frame-of-reference effects on academic self-concept in academically selective schools

Research in diversified settings and cultures showed that academic selective schools might have negative effects on students academic self-concept. The big-fish-little-pond-effect (BFLPE) posits that the same student will have a lower academic self-concept in an academically selective school than in a nonselective school. Using two large data sets (the international PISA study with 103,558 students and 1950 Chinese students in Hong Kong), we examined a wide range of motivational (e.g., goals, interest, self-regulated learning) and individual background (e.g., socio-economic status, familial support) to see whether they would moderate the BFLPE. Though not very consistent and strong, we found some supports that students self concept would be less negatively affected if they had stronger mastery goal and lower avoidance goals.published_or_final_versio

Psychometric precision in phenotype definition is a useful step in molecular genetic investigation of psychiatric disorders

Affective disorders are highly heritable, but few genetic risk variants have been consistently replicated in molecular genetic association studies. The common method of defining psychiatric phenotypes in molecular genetic research is either a summation of symptom scores or binary threshold score representing the risk of diagnosis. Psychometric latent variable methods can improve the precision of psychiatric phenotypes, especially when the data structure is not straightforward. Using data from the British 1946 birth cohort, we compared summary scores with psychometric modeling based on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) scale for affective symptoms in an association analysis of 27 candidate genes (249 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)). The psychometric method utilized a bi-factor model that partitioned the phenotype variances into five orthogonal latent variable factors, in accordance with the multidimensional data structure of the GHQ-28 involving somatic, social, anxiety and depression domains. Results showed that, compared with the summation approach, the affective symptoms defined by the bi-factor psychometric model had a higher number of associated SNPs of larger effect sizes. These results suggest that psychometrically defined mental health phenotypes can reflect the dimensions of complex phenotypes better than summation scores, and therefore offer a useful approach in genetic association investigations

Regression Towards the Mean Artifacts and Matthew Effects in multilevel analyses of value-added of individual schools

League tables are a problematic approach to inferring school effectiveness, but traditional value-added approaches are fraught with statistical complexities. According to the Regression Towards the Mean Artifacts (RTMA), students with initially high or low scores tend to regress towards the mean in subsequent testing, resulting in biased estimates of school growth (Marsh & Hau, 2002). The Matthews Effect is an apparently counter-balancing artifact in growth in achievement gains is systematically larger for students who are initially more able. (i.e., the rich becomes richer). Mathematical proof shows that although the Matthew and the RTMA artifacts work in opposite direction and tend to cancel each other, they share a similar mechanism and can be rectified. In this study, mathematical derivations and Monte Carlo simulated data are used to compare four models, namely: (i) without any remedy, (ii) with remedy for Matthew effect only, (iii) with remedy for RTMA only, (iv) remedies for both Matthew and RTMA effects. The conditional strategy with individual assignment test scores (used in assigning students to different schools) as covariate remedies artifacts, consistent with Marsh & Hau's (2002) conclusion for RTMA. The associated problems with the two effects in estimating school value-added information are discussed.published_or_final_versio

A comprehensive multilevel model meta-analysis of self-concept interventions

The efficacy of self-concept interventions has previously been examined through traditional meta-analytic methods, and a host of moderators of intervention outcomes have been identified (O’Mara, Marsh, & Craven, 2004; Haney & Durlak, 1998; Hattie, 1992). However, traditional meta-analytic models have increasingly been criticized because they fail to account for the nested structure of effect sizes within studies, thereby violating statistical assumptions of independence. The multilevel model approach to meta-analysis takes into account the hierarchical structure of meta-analytic data, thus providing findings that are more statistically sound. Consequently, the present study applies the multilevel model technique to the analysis of the self-concept intervention literature. The overall mean effect size of .47 suggests a moderate impact of interventions on self-concept at post-test, and analyses show that intervention effects are maintained at follow-up. Other moderators examined include the construct validity approach to the multidimensionality of self-concept; the focus of the intervention on self-concept; the use of random assignment to treatment and control groups; the control group type; treatment type; and the treatment administrator. Intraclass correlations and the variance explained by each moderator model are presented to emphasise the importance of using a multilevel model approach to meta-analytic research. It is concluded that multilevel models provide a more accurate understanding of the self-concept intervention literature than traditional meta-analytic models. Suggestions for future self-concept intervention design and evaluation are provided

Unmasking the true effects of self-concept interventions and suggested guidelines for rectification

Over recent decades, traditional literature reviews have intimated that self-concept interventions have produced inconsistent or disappointing results (e.g., Marsh & Craven, 1997). It is put forth here that existing research practices, ranging from insufficient theoretical grounding to the use of inappropriate evaluation measures, have generally undermined the effectiveness of self-concept interventions to date. A brief rationale for the necessity of self-concept interventions for children and adolescents will be provided, followed by a review of self-concept enhancement research. This review will focus on the theoretical and methodological weaknesses that have typically resulted in an underestimation of the true effects of such interventions, as revealed by sophisticated meta-analytic techniques. A particular emphasis will be placed on the need for multidimensional approaches to intervention design and evaluation. Following from this, suggestions for improving self-concept intervention research will be posited, with the aim of increasing the consistency and effectiveness of such interventions, and thus unmasking the true effects of such interventions

How Valid Are Measures of Children’s Self-Concept/ Self-Esteem? Factors and Content Validity in Three Widely Used Scales

Children’s self-esteem/self-concept, a core psychological construct, has been measured in an overwhelming number of studies, and the widespread use of such measures should indicate they have well-established content validity, internal consistency and factor structures. This study, sampling a demographically representative cohort in late childhood/early adolescence in Dublin, Ireland (total n = 651), examined three major self-esteem/self-concept scales designed for late childhood/early adolescence: Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale for Children 2 (Piers et al. 2002), Self-Description Questionnaire I (Marsh 1992) and Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter 1985). It also examined findings in light of the salient self factors identified by participants in a linked mixed-methods study. The factor structure of Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale was not replicated. The Self-Description Questionnaire I and Self-Perception Profile for Children were replicated only in part although in similar ways. In all three scales, a global/ appearance self evaluation factor accounted for the largest variance in factor analyses. Sport/athletic ability, school ability, school enjoyment, maths and reading ability/enjoyment, behaviour, peer popularity, and parent factors were also identified but did not always reflect existing scale structures. Notably, the factors extracted, or items present in these scales, often did not reflect young people’s priorities, such as friendship over popularity, the importance of family and extended family members, and the significance of incremental personal mastery in activities rather than assessing oneself as comparatively good at preferred activities. The findings raise questions about how self-esteem/self-concept scales are used and interpreted in research with children and young people

Validation of a social cohesion theoretical framework: a multiple group SEM strategy

Social cohesion dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. Back then, society experienced epochal transformations, as are also happening nowadays. Whenever there are epochal changes, a social order (cohesion) matter arises. The paper provides a conceptual scheme of social cohesion identifying its constituent dimensions subdivided by three spheres (macro, meso, micro) and two perspectives (objective and subjective). The overarching aim is to test the validity of the operationalization of the social cohesion model provided. Firstly, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis introducing an approach implemented in Mplus named exploratory structural equation modeling that shows several useful characteristics. Afterward, through a structural equation modeling approach, we performed several confirmatory factor analyses adopting a multiple group SEM strategy in order to cross-validate the social cohesion model

Examining the Relationships among the Coaching Climate, Life Skills Development and Well-Being in Sport

Using Benson and Saito's framework for positive youth development, we investigated the relationships between the coaching climate, young people's perceived life skills development within sport, and their psychological well-being. British youth sport participants (N=326, Mage=13.81, range=11–18 years) completed a survey assessing the coaching climate, participants' perceived life skills development (teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, interpersonal communication, social skills, leadership, and problem solving and decision making) and psychological well-being (self-esteem, positive affect, and satisfaction with life). In all analyses, the coaching climate was positively related to young peoples' perceived development of life skills within sport and their psychological well-being. Total life skills development (a summative score of all eight life skills scores) was positively related to all three psychological well-being indicators – providing support for the "pile-up" effect – and partially mediated the relationships between the coaching climate and participants' psychological well-being. Interpretation of the results indicated that coaches should foster the development of multiple life skills in youth sport participants, as they are associated with participants' psychological well-being. One way this can be achieved is through autonomy-supportive coaching behaviours