Poster #169 - Exploring the Link Between Academic Self-Concept and Identity Development in Black Adolescents

• In Event: 3-159 - Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

Academic self-concept, an individual’s perception about themselves in academic setting, has been linked to academic achievement among adolescents (Prince & Nurius, 2014). Research has shown that individuals with greater academic self-concept are more likely to obtain higher education, have higher grade point averages, and are less likely to devalue education (Cokely & Chapman, 2008). Researchers have investigated the outcomes associated with academic self-concept (Prince & Nurius, 2014) and have identified academic self-concept as a predictor for academic achievement (Gerardi, 2005; Choi, 2005). Identity development has been identified as a precursor to competency beliefs (Perez, Cromley, & Kaplan, 2013), thus, identity is a hypothesized supposed predicator of academic self-concept. Given that identity represents a critical milestone in normative development (Erikson, 1980; Byrd & Chavous, 2009) and ethnic/racial identity (ERI) is most salient for minority youths (Umana-Taylor, 2014), these domains may facilitate the development of a positive academic self-concept. This study examines academic self-concept as an outcome of personal and ethnic identity in non-Hispanic Black youth.

The sample consisted of 298 self-identifying non-Hispanic Black adolescents (56.40% girls; Mage=13.71 years; SD=1.61 years) in the 6th (n=77), 8th (n=109), and 10th (n=112) grades from South Florida and the D.C. area. To explore the effects of personal and ERI on academic self-concept, we evaluated a path model in Mplus v8.0 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998-2017) using a Robust Maximum Likelihood Estimator. The evaluated model is presented in Figure 1. Missing data were handled using full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimation. We controlled for gender and age within the model. The specified model provided good fit to the data: χ2(1)=1.937, p=.164; CFI=.996; RMSEA=.062; SRMR=.011. As shown in Table 1, personal identity confusion at Time 1 negatively predicted academic self-concept at Time 2 (β=-.110, p=.028), controlling for academic self-concept at Time 1, age, and gender. In addition, and consistent with our hypothesis, academic self-concept at Time 2 positively predicted self-reported grades at Time 3 (β=.194, p=.003), controlling for grades at Time 1, age, and gender. Ethnic affirmation and personal identity coherence at Time 1 did not significantly predict academic self-concept at Time 2 or self-reported grades at Time 3.

As a whole, consistent with prior findings on academic motivations (Perez et al., 2013), our findings emphasize the importance of identity development in academic performance. Indeed, our findings highlight that; without the development of a coherent personal identity providing a sense of direction and stability, youth are likely to experience a sense of aimlessness, anomie, and distress (Côté & Levine, 2002) that impairs their capacity to establish an academic self-concept. In essence, although it may be wise for interventions to target both personal and cultural identity, it is worth noting that confusion emerged as the only significant predictor of academic self-concept. With that said, it is important to note that identity development is likely a complex process and entirely possible that ERI may influence academic self-concept in other ways. Nonetheless, findings highlight need for future studies exploring the links between identity and academic performance.

Authors

• Rachel Davis, Old Dominion University
  Presenting Author

• Julie Rodil, Old Dominion University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tedra Ballard, Old Dominion University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alan Meca, Old Dominion University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jonathan G. Tubman, American University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Seth J. Schwartz, University of Miami
  Non-Presenting Author