An assessment of self-concept changes during first term attendance of students in a rural, Appalachian community college

Abstract

The amount of change in self-concept during the first term of attendance of 267 students in a rural, Appalachian community college was explored. Sixteen subscales of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) were employed, in a pre-test/post-test design, as the indicator of change in self-concept. Students were stratified by assignment to one of two groups within 11 demographic variables: Curricula, Age, Sex, Marital Status, Employment Status, Fathers I Education Level, Fathers' Occupation Level, Student Financial Aid, Special Services Program for the Disadvantaged, Level of Choice of the Community College, and Enrollment Status.

The null hypotheses were tested by multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and calculation of simultaneous confidence intervals. Adjusted mean scores of variable groups were compared through these statistical procedures, in order to discover if there were significant differences in self-concept change at an alpha level of .05. Significant differences were not noted at the .05 level, dictating a failure to reject the null hypotheses which stated that there would be no significant differences in the level of self-concept between the groups comprising the demographic variables.

It was noted, however., that there were trends toward significant differences (p less than .10). The Total Positive Score subscale revealed significant differences at this level between 14 variable groups. The subscales of Self-Satisfaction, Physical Self, Distribution Scores, Identity, Personal Self, Social Self, Total Variability, and Self Criticism also yielded significant differences at this level., although between a lesser number of variable groups.

Trends toward significant differences (p less than .10) were most evident on the variables of Age, Sex, Employment Status, Student Financial Aid, and on the comparison of the variable group combinations of Curricula/Fathers' Education Level.

Exploration of self-concept change of the total sample., on each TSCS subscale, revealed a minor change, in a positive directio., on each subscale.

Although self-concept is believed by many to be a major determinant of behavior and performance., findings of this study implied that self-concept development was not a principal classroom objective. It was also believed that since all subjects were commuting students., the environment which was external to the campus could have served as a counter-influence on individual self-concepts.

Further investigation of this problem. using the TSCS and other self-report instruments. was recommended.