Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T12:28:51.763Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Gender Self-concept Profiles of Adolescents Suspended from High School

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2000

Ian Hay
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Get access

Abstract

The gender self-concept profiles of 128 adolescents (107 males) whose persistent behaviour problems led to suspension from school were investigated. Establishing the students' percentile ratings in the 11 subscales of the Self-Description Questionnaire overcame previous methodological weaknesses. For boys and girls Physical Appearance, Opposite-sex Relationships, and Honesty and Trustworthiness were in the average range, but Parent Relationships, General Self, and General School self-concepts were low. Only girls were low for Same-sex Relationships and Emotional Stability. The profiles suggest that boys' antisocial behaviours are associated with striving for a masculine self-image, but girls' antisocial behaviours are associated with greater social marginalisation. The issues of multi-focused interventions, prosocial role models, the particular needs of girls, and the relationship between self-control, self-enhancement, and reputation enhancement theories are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)