THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEX-ROLE IDENTITY AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BLACK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

<p>A critical factor in the current and future status of blacks in America is the level of educational attainment of the group. In spite of various tutorial techniques and counseling services available to the black high school student, academic achievement remains a major concern. There is a critical need to identify specific variables that might contribute to higher academic achievement among this group. The purpose of this study was to determine if the sex-role identity of black high school students is significantly related to their academic achievement. Four hypotheses were established for the study. They are: (1) Androgynous students have significantly higher quantitative and verbal achievement scores than masculine, feminine or undifferentiated students. (2) Masculine students have significantly higher quantitative achievement scores than feminine or undifferentiated students. (3) Feminine students have significantly higher verbal achievement scores than masculine or undifferentiated students. (4) Undifferentiated students have significantly lower quantitative and verbal achievement scores than androgynous, masculine or feminine students. The study population was selected from students that attended Spingarn S.T.A.Y. School, an alternative high school in the District of Columbia. Two hundred seventy-six students participated, 149 males and 127 females. The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) was used to characterize students as either androgynous, masculine, feminine or undifferentiated. Academic achievement was assessed by the School and College Ability Tests (SCAT) Series III, which measures basic verbal and quantitative skills grades 3-12. A statistical analysis of the data fully supported only hypothesis two (2), that masculine students have significantly higher quantitative achievement scores than feminine and undifferentiated students. For hypothesis four (4), analyses revealed that the average achievement scores for undifferentiated students were significantly lower than those of masculine and feminine students. However, there was no significant difference in scores of androgynous students and undifferentiated students. Since androgynous students in this group did not score significantly higher on achievement tests than masculine, feminine or undifferentiated students, we may conclude that there is no apparent academic basis for promoting androgyny in black youth.</p>