THE RELATIONSHIP OF PHYSICAL-SELF CONCEPT AND IDENTITY TO ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study was to identify and interpret the relationships between two components of self concept (physical-self concept and identity) and (a) the two affective states of anxiety and depression and (b) academic performance. The research was a correlational study involving black college freshmen in an academic reinforcement program at Howard University. During the first week of classes, all subjects completed the Multiple affect Adjective Check List, the Tennessee Self Concept Scale and a Student Classification Form (for screening purposes) in a classroom setting. The measure for academic performance was subject's first semester grade point average. Multiple regression analyses and correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. Hypothesis One stated that physical-self concept and identity were significant predictors of level of anxiety. Hypothesis Two stated that physical-self concept and identity were significant predictors of level of depression. While physical-self concept and identity accounted for relatively small percentages of the variance in anxiety and depression, both hypotheses were supported. However, Hypothesis Three, which stated that physical-self concept and identity were significant predictors of level of academic performance, was not supported. Related studies in the area of overall self concept support the findings for the first two hypotheses of the present research. Possible explanations for the insignificant findings of the third hypothesis were presented. Further research is indicated in order to more accurately assess the influence of physical-self concept and identity on level of academic performance.