Investigating Gender Differences in Adolescent Self-concept: A Look Beneath the Surface

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which construct validity related to four self-concept (SC) traits (general, academic, English, mathematics), as measured by three different measurement scales (Likert, semantic differential, Guttman), was equivalent across gender for adolescent boys (n = 412) and girls (n = 420). Data were analyzed within a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) framework using a confirmatory factor analytic approach. Tests for invariance revealed some gender differences related to convergent validity, discriminant validity, and SC structure. The findings of this study precipitate caveats that bear importance on research involving multigroup comparisons.