Measurement of self-concept among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian students

Abstract

The construct of self-concept has been well documented in Western cultures, but self-concept research is limited in Indigenous communities. This study assessed the equivalence for Australian Indigenous and non Indigenous students of six dimensions of self-concept: Family, Self-Acceptance, General School, Academic Achievement, Peer, and Career. Primary and high school students (N=625) completed a survey providing data on the six self-concept dimensions, and self-rating of academic achievement. Results provide strong support for the factorial equivalence of the six dimensions of self. Scores on all dimensions increased with age for the Indigenous students but decreased for the non-Indigenous students. Family self-concept contributed significantly more to the prediction of academic achievement for the non-Indigenous students than for the Indigenous students.