SELF-CONCEPT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR EMOTIONALLY TROUBLED ADOLESCENTS ENROLLED IN REGULAR AND SPECIAL EDUCATION AND NORMAL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN REGULAR EDUCATIO

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between self-concept and academic achievement for emotionally troubled students enrolled in regular and special education, and normal students enrolled in regular education. Samples of students ranged in age from 11-16, were enrolled in grades 6-11, and were enrolled in public schools. Differences between these groups in academic and nonacademic self-concept, in the correlation between self-concept and academic achievement, and in the unique contribution of self-concept in predicting achievement beyond the variables of IQ and SES were examined through three different sets of research hypotheses.;It was found that normal regular education students have more favorable academic and nonacademic self-concepts than emotionally troubled special education students. In addition, it was found that both groups of emotionally troubled students have equally poor academic self-concepts. It was also observed that there was a trend for nonacademic self-concept to decrease for those students receiving special education services.;For this sample moderate correlations of as much as.56 exist between academic self-concept and academic achievement for normal regular education students. Insignificant correlations were found between academic and nonacademic self-concept and academic achievement for emotionally troubled special education students and for emotionally troubled regular education students.;It was further found that the unique contribution of academic self-concept accounted for as much as 23% of the achievement variance beyond the variables of IQ and SES for the normal regular education students. Neither academic nor nonacademic self-concept were found to significantly increase the achievement variance beyond the variables of IQ and SES for the emotionally troubled regular or special education students. However, nonacademic self-concept was found to account for as much of the achievement variance as the variables of IQ and SES for the emotionally troubled special education students. These findings suggest that academic self concept significantly adds to the prediction of academic achievement for the normal regular education students but adds little to the prediction of academic achievement for either group of emotionally troubled students. The findings also suggest that emotionally troubled special education students may benefit from being exposed to a variety of successful social as well as academic experiences. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).