Self-concept enhancement programs : issues, challenges, and new perspectives

Educators and researchers attempt to design and implement successful intervention programs to enhance students' academic motivation and self-concept as important non-cognitive determinants of student achievement and long-term gains. Nevertheless, despite the goodwill and effort, such programs are often faced with issues and challenges. In this chapter, we first discuss theories related to such intervention programs. Then we discuss and attempt to address the issues, challenges, and limitations of such programs by illustrating them with examples of evidence-based intervention programs we have conducted in various educational areas including: language, mathematics, cooperative learning, peer support, and anti-bullying. The discussions and illustrations are based on recent advances in self-concept and motivation theory and research. Theory, such as the reciprocal effects model demonstrating the mutually reinforcing relations between academic self-concept and academic achievement, provides the opportunity for designing a dual approach with attention to both self-concept and achievement in the program. The research on internally focused and attributional feedback mechanisms provides the potential of reinforcing self-concept for longterm positive gains. Nevertheless, research findings indicating a general pattern of decrease in self-concept over time constitute a prevalent issue and a challenge to any intervention that attempts to facilitate a significant and noticeable increase. Recent emphasis on the twofold multidimensional structure of academic self-concept implying that intervention programs should target a specific domain and should address both the cognitive and affective components of self-concept further complicates the design and implementation of programs. A further challenge is the occurrence of diffusion effects that might mask the difference between the experimental (target) group and the control group, thus undermining the effectiveness of the intervention. Other issues include: students' cognitive abilities, age, frame of references, and differential gender perceptions. These issues and challenges are illustrated in the light of our previously conducted self-concept enhancement programs in educational settings.