Appendix


Return to: | Hamachek, D. (1995). Self-concept and school achievement |


Informal Self-Concept Assessment Inventory

Explanation and directions: This inventory is designed to help you estimate the extent to which a student's self-concept is an asset or detriment to doing well in school-related activities. Each of the 14 behaviors and/or experiences has been found to be related to students' self-concept dynamics as these are related to school achievement. Statements on the left reflect behaviors that research has found to be associated with students who have more positive self-concepts and who tend to do well in school, while the behavioral statements on the right are more likely to be found among students with less positive self-concepts and who tend to do less well in school. Check those statements in each instance that you feel most accurately captures the behavior or experiences of the student being assessed. Your examination of the total number of statements checked in each column and the content of those statements may give you an idea about the self-concept status and dynamics of that student.

Behaviors and Experiences Associated With a
Positive Self-Concept and Doing Well Academically

__1. Tends to feel upbeat and positive about talents and abilities.

__2. Is popular with peers, friends made relatively easily.

__3. Seems generally happy and motivated to achieve.

__4. Tends to attribute successes to ability and failures to lack of effort or bad luck.

__5. Is able to be assertive and hold his/her own in interpersonal relationships.

__6. Tends to set realistic, reachable goals, thereby making success more possible.

__7. Has had few, if any, school-related failure experiences.

__8. Is task persistent, usually finishes what is started.

__9. Takes school work seriously, strives to do well.

__10. Is able to work independently on self-chosen activities.

__11. Exhibits a high degree of curiosity about the world around him/her.

__12. Shows a preference for activities or school work that are somewhat more difficult and challenging.

__13. Seems to be intrinsically motivated to do well in school, to be academically competent.

__14. Has parents who are supportive; expectations are reasonable and reachable.

Behaviors and Experiences Associated With a
Negative Self-Concept and Doing Poorly Academically

__1. Tends to be self-disparaging talents and abilities.

__ 2. Not very popular with peers, has trouble making friends.

__3. Seems generally unhappy and unmotivated to achieve.

__4. Tends to attribute successes to good luck and failures to lack of ability.

__5. Gives in fairly easily to the demands of others.

__6. Tends to set unrealistic, unreachable goals, thereby making success more difficult.

__7. Has had numerous school-related failure experiences.

__8. Is not very task persistent, has trouble finishing work.

__9. Does not take school work very seriously, tends to goof off.

__10. Has trouble working independently, needs supervision and direction.

__11. Exhibits little curiosity when it comes to learning about new things.

__12. Tends to lose interest when activities or school work are too difficult or challenging.

__13. Appears to need a lot of extrinsic motivation to do school work, being academically competent does not seem important.

__14. Has parents who are not very supportive; expectations tend to be unrealistic.