Longitudinal relations between school self-concept and academic achievement

[English]
In self-concept research, there is a dearth of longitudinal studies which examine whether the structure of the two-factor self-concept consisting of competence and affect is stable across time. Using data collected among 608 (male = 294, females = 313, 1 missing gender information). Chinese secondary students from 7th grade (M age = 13.41, SD = 1.35) to 9th grade, the study used confirmatory factor analyses to compare the internal structure of separating and conflating competence and affect of the general school self-concept. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was then applied to examine longitudinal relations between competence, affect, and academic achievement. Consistently across the three time points, the two-factor self-concept structure was favored. However, SEM showed that the reciprocal effects were obtained only between competence and achievement from grade 7 to 8 but not from grade 8 to 9 and not between affect and achievement. Such inconsistency could be attributed to the transition from pre-puberty to adolescence.

[Español]
En la investigación del autoconcepto son pocos los estudios longitudinales que examinan si la estructura del autoconcepto de dos factores relacionados con competencia y afecto es estable a lo largo del tiempo. En base de los datos recopilados entre 608 (294 hombres, 313 mujeres, 1 sin información de género) informantes chinos de secundaria desde 7.° grado (M edad = 13.41, DT = 1.35) hasta 9.° grado, el estudio utiliza análisis factoriales confirmatorios para comparar la estructura interna de separar y combinar competencia y afecto del autoconcepto general de la escuela. El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) se aplica luego para examinar las relaciones longitudinales entre competencia, afecto y rendimiento académico. Consistentemente, en las tres medidas temporales se favorece la estructura de autoconcepto de dos factores. Sin embargo, el SEM muestra que los efectos recíprocos se obtienen solo entre la competencia y el logro del grado 7 al 8, pero no del grado 8 al 9 y no entre el efecto y el logro. Dicha inconsistencia se puede atribuir a la transición de la pubertad a la adolescencia.