Volume 13 Number 3
May 1974

Previous research concerned with the comparison of self-concepts or self-perceptions between Anglo and Indian children has produced conflicting results. Information from Coleman’s (1966) report indicated that Indians tend to view themselves as being inferior to whites on measures of self-concept while Lammers (1970) and Withycombe (1970) claimed no significant differences between the two ethnic groups. One particular study, Hathhorn (1971), indicated that the Indian’s low self-concept or self-perception was reinforced as a result of the number of years enrolled in school.

If one accepts this conclusion then perhaps research should turn its attention toward the examination of self-concept, and related aspects such as self-confidence, among primary and junior high Indian students. The present study was conducted to determine if selected primary and junior high Indian students’ self-confidence was related to grade level and to the number of years enrolled in a particular Bureau of Indian Affairs’ boarding school.

The Sample. The sample consisted of 144 elementary and junior high Indian students from a BIA boarding school located in Oklahoma. The study included only Indian students enrolled in the third through eighth grades. Within the sample there were 13 third-grade students, 21 fourth-grade students, 19 fifth-grade students, 22 sixth-grade students, 30 seventh-grade students, and 39 eighth-grade students.

The Instrument. The instrument used was the Barclay Classroom Climate Inventory (1972), a multiple-needs assessment system which utilized multiple inputs from self-report, peer judgments, and teacher expectations. The instrument had within its dimensions four self-report scales which measured the student’s perception of his own interpersonal relationship skill competencies. The four self scales served as the self-confidence measure and are defined as follows:

The subjects responded to the self-report scales by placing a check mark next to the particular skill item believed to be possessed. A total self score was determined by summing up all the checked skill items for all four self scales.

Collection of Data. The BCCI was administered by each classroom teacher to the third through eighth grades on one school day during the 1973 fall term. All teachers took part in a short orientation to the test before the administration. All students received a BCCI test booklet and answer sheet on which they directly recorded their responses. The BCCI was scored by computer and the results were recorded in individual classroom printouts.

Treatment of Data. The first analysis consisted of a 2 by 5 chisquare test for independence: two levels of self-confidence and five of grade level. The two levels of self-confidence were defined as high and low and were determined by median splits of the sample’s total self score distribution. The second analysis was a 2 by 4 chi-square: two levels of self-confidence and four of number of years attending the boarding school.

In summary, it can be concluded that a relationship between an organismic variable, such as grade level, and a dependent variable, such as self-confidence, must be interpreted with caution. Although the present study found a significant negative association between grade level and self-confidence, the inadequacy of using grade level as a measure of extent of schooling with one particular Indian boarding school was pointed out. The number of years enrolled in school was offered as a variable which would give a better indication of a proposed relationship between a school-related variable and self-confidence. The results from a second analysis indicated that an increase in the number of years enrolled in school was not accompanied by a decrease in a measure of self-confidence. Finally, while it is recognized that previous Indian-related research has investigated several organismic variables such as grade level and sex, perhaps future research should concern itself with variables which can be directly controlled or manipulated within the classroom or dormitory. One proposed variable would be teacher-student or dormitory supervisorstudent interaction.

Barclay, J. R. The Barclay Classroom Climate Inventory. Lexington, Kentucky: Educational Skills Development, 1972.

Coleman, J. S. Equality of Educational Opportunity. Washington, DC: Office of Education, 1966.

Hathhorn, J. R. "A Comparative Study of Factors Related to Post High School Educational Pursuits of Selected American Indians." Dissertation Abstracts, 1971, 31, 4461A.

Lammers, D. M. "Self-concepts of American Indian Adolescents Having Segregated and Desegregated Elementary Backgrounds." Dissertation Abstracts, 1970, 31, 930A.

Withycombe, J. S. "An Analysis of the Difference by Sex, Grade Level, and Paiute Indian Matriculation of Self-concept, Social Status (other perceived) and Social Status (self-perceived) of Paiute Indian and White Elementary School Children in Nevada." Dissertation Abstracts, 1970, 31, 6420A.