Effects Of Academic Self-Esteem

Chapter I

Introduction

An individual’s self-esteem is one of the major factors in self-image or self-concepts and considered to be an important determinant in human behavior. As such self-esteem has been conceptualized and examined in a variety of ways in the educational, sociological and psychological contexts. Self-esteem according to Ferkany (2008) is “how a person feels about him or herself, good or bad, and as manifested in a variety of ways, for example, in pride or shame, but especially in self-confidence”. Possession of high self-esteem has positive behavioral benefits. These include independence, responsibility taking, and toleration of frustration, resistant to peer pressure, willingness to attempt new tasks and challenges, ability

Indeed, a meta-analysis has shown that specific academic self-concepts provide much better prediction of academic achievements than global self-esteem (Hansford & Hattie, 1982). The main goal of this study is to demonstrate a multidimensional character of self-concept by showing reciprocation between general and academic self-esteem in their joint prediction of school achievement. Self-efficacy has been related to persistence, tenacity, and achievement in educational settings (Bandura, 1986; Schunk, 1981; Zimmerman, 1989). A meta-analysis of research in educational settings (Multon, Brown, & Lent, 1991) found that self efficacy was related both to academic performance (r = .38) and to persistence (r = .34). The contribution of self-efficacy to educational achievement is based both on the increased use of specific cognitive activities and strategies and on the positive impact of efficacy beliefs on the broader, more general classes of meta-cognitive skills and coping

Self-efficacy It can be defined as the levels of confidence individuals have in their ability to execute certain courses of action or achieve specific outcomes (Bandura, 1977). Lane (2004)cited that it is said to influence initiating behaviors, and the degree of persistence applied in overcoming difficulties encountered in the pursuit of accomplishing a set of tasks (Bandura, 1997). Self- efficacy will be measured through (General Self-efficacy scale/Motivated Strategies for learning Questionnaire)

Self-esteem It refers to the individual’s value or worth for themselves (Reber & Reber, 2001), or the extent to which an individual thinks well or badly of himself/herself (Baumeister, 1993). Sheykhjan et al,. (2014) cited that Self-esteem is the product of two internal assessments or judgment, the global judgment and one’s self- worth. The key to self-esteem is that amount of discrepancy between what a person desire and what that person believes he/she has achieved and the overall sense of support that person feels from people around him/her (Rosenberg, 1965).

Self-esteem will be measured through Rosenberg’s Self-esteem scale (Rosenberg