Self Concept and Socio-Economic Status in Elementary School Children

Abstract

In an earlier study which was part of a four year longitudinal investigation conducted under a large, federally funded Title III project,' it was found that children of low socio-economic status scored significantly higher than children of middle socio-economic status (Clark and Trowbridge, 1971; Trowbridge 1969, 1970a, 1970b) on a self concept instrument known as the Self Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1967). The number of investigations of the relationship between self concept and socio-economic status (SES) has been increasing, but the relationship remains undetermined. Findings appear to be in conflict. A number of persons have postulated that children of low socio-economic status do actually reflect the negative image society holds of them (Ausubel and Ausubel, 1963; Erickson, 1963; Witty, 1967). Some investigations appear to support this thesis (Deutsch, 1960; Long and Henderson, 1968; Wylie, 1963), while others suggest no significant differences in self concept of children of different SES (Coleman, 1966; McDaniel, 1967; Scott, 1969). Studies by Clark and Trowbridge, 1971; Green and Rohwer, 1971; Soares and Soares, 1969, 1970; Trowbridge, 1969, 1970a, 1970b and Zirkel and Moses, 1971, indicate that by some criteria the self concept of low SES children may be even more positive than that of middle class children.