Date of Award

4-1976

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Education

First Advisor

Craig Eisendrath

Second Advisor

Boyd Morris

Third Advisor

James Bimes

Abstract

A Classroom Experience with Self-Image Enhancement as a Factor in Academic Achievement, by Katherine Kellems Moore, investigates the connection between self-image enhancement and academic achievement in junior high students. The study was conducted with 131 randomly selected English I students in a suburban St. Louis school. Moore hypothesized that students who experienced an improvement in self-image would show corresponding gains in academic performance. Over the course of the 20-week study, students participated in personal growth activities designed to enhance self-awareness and clarify values.

The research utilized both formal academic pre/post-tests and self-reporting tools, including the Perception of Values Inventory, to measure changes in students' self-image and academic skills in areas such as grammar and literature. While academic test results indicated improvement, self-reported data on self-image were less conclusive, with some discrepancies between observed behaviors and formal data. Despite these challenges, Moore observed positive personal growth among students, which supports the hypothesis that self-image enhancement can influence academic achievement.

The study underscores the importance of a classroom environment that fosters emotional as well as cognitive development and advocates for integrating personal-growth activities into the curriculum to support students’ holistic success. Limitations of the study included the difficulty of accurately measuring self-concept and the lack of a control group.

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