Character education specialists seem to know it when they see it, but what it means to call something a character education program remains unclear. One possible source for this uncertainty is the manner in which character education has been defined. By identifying certain features as necessary, existing definitions fail to encompass the universe…

The addition of the arts to STEM education, now known as STEAM, adds a new dimension to problem-solving within those fields, offering students tools such as imagination and resourcefulness to incorporate into their designs. However, the shift from STEM to STEAM has changed what it means for students to learn within and across these disciplines.…

Background: The relation between academic self-concept and achievement has been examined in a large number of studies. The majority of these studies have found evidence for a reciprocal effects model. However, there is an ongoing debate on how students' achievement should be measured and whether the type of achievement indicator (grades, tests,…

The aim of this study was to develop a model of identity formation comprising three structural dimensions: commitment, in-depth exploration and reconsideration of commitment. A new tool, the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale, was designed to assess these processes. Early and middle adolescents (N = 1952) participated in this study.…

Explores the reciprocal relationships between self-esteem and the following three problems of youth: (1) juvenile delinquency; (2) poor school performance; and (3) psychological depression. Findings include the following: (1) low self-esteem fosters delinquency, which may enhance self-esteem; (2) school performance affects self-esteem; and (3)…

This paper describes the Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model of social behavior which consists of three variables: the psychological closeness of another, the relative performance of that other, and the relevance of the performance dimension to one's self-definition. The SEM model is described as involving two processes, the reflection process…

The structure of academic self-concept of university students in Hong Kong (n=274) was examined using the English, math, school, and general self-concept scales of Marsh's Academic Self Description Questionnaire and an additional Chinese self-concept scale. Confirmatory factor analysis clearly defined the a priori factors, even when both verbal…

Over 600 White females between 10.5 and 18.5 years of age were studied to test construct comparability across adolescence. Assessed were emotional functioning, eating problems, self-reflection, self-image, and mastery/adjustment to examine meaning equivalence in self-concepts and developmental psychopathology. Results suggest that the five factors…

Although the Tension Reduction Hypothesis (TRH) of alcoholism has been the most popular explanation for alcohol abuse to date, the research addressing this model has provided tenuous support at best. In light of this contradictory support, a coping model of alcohol consumption is proposed. This model is based on the low self-image of…

In a study examining attachments to celebrity figures, 79 male and female fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders and college sophomores described themselves and their favorite celebrities. It was found that such attachments are equally important to males and females, and that gender and age affect the nature of the attachment. (DM)

This study examined the internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model of self-concept (Marsh, 1986) with higher education students in Hong Kong (n=274). Structural equation models relating English and math achievement (both requirements for university entrance) to English and math self-concepts replicated the I/E model in that paths leading…

Bulimia is an eating disorder prevalent among young women, characterized by binge eating episodes followed by purging with subsequent depressive moods and self-deprecating thoughts. To determine whether bulimic women exhibit a greater discrepancy between their perceived and ideal selves than do nonbulimics, three samples of women were assessed.…

A sample of 467 college freshmen attending a comprehensive, medium size, public institution on the mid-Atlantic coast was studied to examine the relationship between the development of identity and the development of cognition in traditional college freshmen. The sample was predominantly white (88.3%) and of the total number, 51 percent were male…

Both the career model and the decision model have been proposed to explain patterns of contraceptive use in teenagers. The career model views contraceptive use as a symbol of a woman's sexuality and implies a clear decision to be sexually active. The decision model is based on the subjective expected utility (SEU) theory which holds that people…

Research focusing on the construct validation of self-concept (SC) within an educational framework is reviewed. Studies are categorized as within-network research and between-network research and further classified by methodological procedures. Although relationships among self-concept facets and academic achievement have been found, an overall SC…