If I value myself, I value school: the protective effect of self-esteem among abused females.

Children who have been severely maltreated tend to perform significantly below their non-maltreated peers in standardized tests, earn lower grades and have the most discipline issues in the school setting. There is evidence that self-esteem (SE) may be a protective factor for youth with regard to negative emotional outcomes. The role of self-esteem needs to be explored further in more collectivistic cultures. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between physical abuse, SE and school attitudes. Participants included 14 females rescued from a city landfill in Nicaragua (ages 7-17 years, M=12.44), half of whom had reported being beaten. SE and attitude toward school (ATS) were assessed using the Spanish Behavior Assessment System for Children. Grade point average (GPA) was obtained from their schools. Females who were beaten had significantly lower SE and a more negative ATS. Their GPA was lower, but not significantly. When SE and abuse were considered together, the effect of abuse on school attitudes was non-significant, suggesting that SE is a protective factor for the effects of abuse on ATS.

The poverty puzzle: the surprising difference between wealthy and poor students for self-efficacy and academic achievement.

This study explored the relationship between intellectual ability, socioeconomic status (SES), academic achievement and self-efficacy in a cross-cultural sample. Data from 90 students (63 students from Central America and 27 from the US) showed that regardless of culture or IQ, students from low SES families had significantly lower grade point averages than students from medium- or high-SES families. Unexpectedly, data showed that regardless of culture or IQ, students from high-SES families had the lowest self-efficacy, but the highest academic performance. Results suggest that self-efficacy is likely to be related to expectations and self-perception beyond IQ or culture.

I am smart, therefore I can: examining the relationship between IQ and self-efficacy across cultures.

The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between intelligence (IQ) and self-efficacy in children and adolescents living in the United States and Nicaragua. The sample consisted of 90 (46 male, 44 female) students (mean age = 11.57 years, SD = 3.0 years) referred by school administrators and faculty. United States (US) participants (n = 27) resided in rural counties in the Northwest. The other group consisted of 63 students from Central America. A comparison between groups revealed that in the US, sample higher grades and IQ scores are typically associated with higher levels of self-efficacy. However in the Nicaraguan sample, both IQ scores and grades were not associated with self-efficacy, although age was correlated with self-efficacy. Results suggest that the construct of self-efficacy might change depending on whether one belongs to an individualistic or collectivistic society. Additionally, the effects of socioeconomic factors might influence perceived ability even more than intellectual abilities.