Changes in academic and social self-concepts of high-achieving high school juniors in a residential setting

This causal-comparative study investigates changes in academic and social self-concepts of 50 academically high-achieving high school juniors attending a public residential school for academically high-achieving students, the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts (LSMSA). It compares their self-concept changes with changes manifested by 29 juniors attending honors classes in mixed-ability, nonresidential public schools (NRS). This study addresses changes in mathematics, verbal, problem-solving, general academic, same-sex peer, and opposite-sex peer self-concepts as measured by the Self-Description Questionnaire III (SDQIII). Study participants complete the SDQIII during the fall, winter, and spring of their junior year. In addition, LSMSA participants also complete the SDQIII in the spring prior to entry at LSMSA.; Data analysis uses descriptive and inferential measures. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures examine changes over time in individual self-concept domains for LSMSA students alone and for LSMSA students compared to NRS students. Analyses of trends and post hoc tests further examine the changes.; The study reveals that juniors entering LSMSA experience significant declines in all four domains of academic self-concept and in same-sex peer self-concept between acceptance at LSMSA and fall of the junior year. Analysis of opposite-sex peer self-concept changes reveals no significant changes over time. Comparisons of LSMSA and NRS students' self-concept changes reveal similar patterns between sites for all measures except verbal self-concept. Analysis of verbal self-concept changes revealed significant differences over time by site.; This study compares current results to previous research. It extends previous research both by extending the time over which self-concept ratings are gathered and by comparing students in a residential setting to peers in a non-residential setting. The study suggests areas for future research in several areas and suggests the need for qualitative studies to more fully explore the changes detected in the current study. Finally, the study highlights the need to consider potential impacts on self-concept of attendance at a public residential school for high-achieving students and suggests that students, parents, and administrators must all assess the availability of sources of support for students who make this transition.