| dc.description.abstract | This study is a subdivision of an inter-university research project to investigate the
psychological resilience of children in the late middle childhood years. The title of the
umbrella project is Psychological resilience in children in the South African context. The
aim of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between social support
and self-concept, as well as to establish whether gender differences occur with regard
to the experience of social support and the evaluation of self-concept.
Schools in different regions were identified in order to make the sample as large and
the study as representative as possible of the different provinces, racial and language
groups in South Africa. The children in the samples were randomly selected from class
lists. The complete test battery was subsequently administered to these children. For
the purpose of this study only the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, the
Social Support Appraisal Scale and the Biographical Questionnaire were used. Due
to practical problems, the final figures of the samples varied between 549 and 918
participants.
The processing of the data was done by the Statistical Consultation Service of the
North West University Potchefstroom Campus. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient
was used as an effect size to determine the relationship between social support and
self-concept. T-tests and Cohen's effect sizes were used to determine whether gender
differences occur with regard to social support and self-concept.
The statistical processing of the results revealed that a positive correlation exists
between social support and self-concept. These results are corresponding with the
literature (Collins, 2000; Kirkcaldy, Shephard & Stiefen, 2002; Malecki 8 Demaray,
2002; Marjoribanks & Mboya, 2001; Van Tassel-Baska & Olszewski-Kubilius, 1994). Further, the results showed that no gender differences that were both statistically
significant and practically meaningful occurred with regards to social support and self-concept.
These results were repeatedly inconsistent with the literature (Bee, 1992;
Dubow & Ullman, 1989; Harris, Rosenthal & Snodgrass, 1986; Hirsch & Rapkin, 1987;
Piers, 1984; Werner & Smith, 1982).
Finally, the last section of this investigation provides recommendations for further
studies in this area, as well as practical suggestions for the implementation of the
findings. | |
