Relation of Self-Concepts to Beginning Achievement in Reading

Based on the reported association between poor self-concepts and reading disabilities, this exploratory study was an effort to determine which was the antecedent phenomenon. Measures of mental ability and self-concept were obtained for children in their first semester of kindergarten in two Detroit elementary schools. Two and one-half years later, measures were obtained of their progress in reading and the self-concept measures repeated. The measures of self-concept taken in kindergarten proved significantly predictive of progress in reading but not significantly related to mental test scores. Two aspects of self-concept, (a) feelings of competence and (b) feelings of personal worth, were noted.