Aspects of motivation, self-concept and coping strategies in boys in Australian independent schools: a contextual comparison

Abstract

This thesis records an empirical study into psychological aspects reported by early adolescent and mid-adolescent boys. The research described in this thesis considered three different psychological characteristics, namely motivation, self-concept, and coping strategies, in 13-15 years old boys in Australian independent schools. These characteristics were considered within the context of two different school types, co-educational or single-sex boys. A total of 330 boys were tested, with samples from two year groups (Year 8 and Year 10) in each of two co-educational schools and two single-sex boys' schools. The four schools surveyed were located in large urban areas in two Australian states, and they were non-Catholic Christian day and boarding schools taking enrolments from pre-Grade 1 (four and a half years old) to the final year of secondary education. Year 12 (seventeen years old).The psychological tests used were the School Motivation Analysis Test (motivation), the Self- Description Questionnaire-ll (self-concept), and the Adolescent Coping Scale (coping strategies). Additionally, a demographic questionnaire obtained details of family background, socioeconomic status of children in the school, ethnic origin, occupation of parents, number of years spent in co-educational schools and single-sex schools, number of brothers, number of sisters, whether a day boy or a boarder, and date of birth. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in each of the three psychological characteristics studied; multiple regression analysis showed that these differences were indicated by school type more frequently than any other independent variable. Finally, suggestions for future work in this area are made.