Effects Of Chronological Age On Middle Level Students Academic Achievement Self Esteem Satisfaction With School And Activity Participation

Purpose of the study . The effects of early entry of a child into first grade is an issue that has raised concern with both parents and educators. Studies show conflicting views regarding the optimal age for school entrance. At issue are the large differences which exist in cognitive, social, and emotional development among children who are up to one year apart in chronological age on entering the formal educational system. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between chronological age and academic success in the middle grades. Specifically, the study investigated the differences in students' academic success as measured by grade point average and the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test, students' ratings of self-esteem, students' attitude toward school, and students' participation in school activities for chronologically "younger" and "older" students in grades five through nine. Procedures . Four hundred fifty-eight public school students in grades five through nine were surveyed. Students were asked to complete the Student Questionnaire to obtain demographic information, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory to measure self-esteem, the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Student Self-Satisfaction Survey to determine attitude toward school, and the Student Survey of School Activity Participation to provide data regarding the number and type of activities in which students participate. Grade point average and Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test scores were used to determine academic success. Pearson Product Moment correlation analysis was used to test for significant relationships among the age, achievement, self-esteem, attitude toward school and school activity participation variables. To test for differences in the criterion variables between younger and older students, data were subjected to analysis of variance. Findings . Statistical analysis of the data included descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment correlation and analysis of variance. Significant correlational relationships were found between relative chronological age of sixth grade students and perceptions of student discipline and decision-making opportunities. A significant relationship also was found between seventh grade students and perceptions of student activities. Analysis of variance tests revealed no significant differences between younger and older students in grades five, six, eight, and nine on any of the criterion variables. For grade level seven, older students had more positive perceptions of self and peers, attitude toward school and greater activity participation than younger students.

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When and how is the self acquired and what characterizes its development and change over the life span? What are the implications of using different methodologies to study the self with different age groups? This book addresses these and related questions. The authors offer research on early and middle childhood, late childhood and adolescence, and adulthood and old age. Among the issues considered are the relationship between cognitive complexity and self-evaluation in childhood, the pivotal socio-emotional tasks that confront the adolescent, and effects of situational and structural factors on the self-esteem of adolescents and adults, and age and gender differences in the ideal and undesired selves of young and older adults. These contributions illustrate the different theoretical and methodological issues that are associated with differing stages of the life span and provide a summary of the current knowledge base of the self across the life span. Unlike previous books on study of the self, this one provides a systematic analysis of the theoretical and methodological issues and a selection of several alternative methodologies for studying the self across the life span.