Testing the twofold multidimensionality of academic self-concept: a study with Chinese vocational students

Abstract

In order to extend previous research on the twofold multidimensionality of academic self-concept (i.e. its domain-specific structure and separation into competence and affect components), the present study tests its generalisability among vocational students from mainland China. A Chinese version of self-description questionnaire I was administered to Year 1 secondary vocational students in three academic years (2006, 2007, 2008; N = 1053) measuring the self-concepts in Chinese (native language), English (non-native language), math and general school. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that models separating competence and affect components within each domain fitted better than pure domain-specific models. This pattern was consistent across the subsamples of students studying in the three academic years. Thus, the present findings support the generalisability of the twofold multidimensionality of academic self-concept to Chinese vocational students and to students’ native and non-native languages. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for self-concept research and practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• academic self-concept
• Chinese vocational students
• competence perceptions
• affect
• construct validity

Acknowledgements

This paper was based on the first author’s doctoral research under the supervision of the third author. The authors thank Professor Herbert Marsh for his great support to this research. Special thanks also go to Professor Kenneth Sin Kuen Fung, for his great support to the first author’s research development. We also thank the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments on the early draft of this paper.