Date Awarded

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Education

Advisor

Michael F. DiPaola

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact on the self-concept of students when they transitioned into an academically selective independent middle school. The sample consisted of 107 middle school students in an all-boys independent school in the northeast United States. Data on students' general self-concept, academic self-concept and domain specific academic self-concepts were collected using the Academic Self-Description Questionnaire I and II.;Four hypotheses were tested: 1) Newly enrolled students to the all-boys middle school will initially experience significantly more negative domain specific academic self-concepts than students who are returning or have been promoted from within the school; 2) New students to the all-boys middle school will initially experience a significant negative difference in general academic self-concept than students who are returning or have been promoted from within the school; 3) New students to the all-boys middle school will have a general self-concept that does not differ substantially from the students who are returning or have been promoted from within the school; 4) New students to the all-boys middle school will initially experience lower academic achievement than students who are returning or have been promoted from within the school.;The findings of the study do not support the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect; whereas, the students transitioning into the independent middle school were found to have self-concept scores equal to or more positive than current students. Consequently, the findings support the concept of reflected glory and expansion of the Internal/External Frame of Reference Theory.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25774/w4-qw75-3w92

Rights

© The Author

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