Multilevel Causal Ordering of Academic Self-Concept and Achievement: Influence of Language of Instruction (English Compared With Chinese) for Hong Kong Students

Based on a large, representative, 6-year longitudinal sample of Hong Kong students (7,802 students in 56 high schools), we examined relations among academic self-concept, academic achievement, and language of instruction (Chinese as compared with English). In support of the cross-cultural generalizability of the reciprocal effects model, prior self-concept had significant effects on subsequent achievement beyond the effects of prior achievement; and prior achievement had effects on subsequent self-concept as well. Support for the reciprocal effects model was not influenced by language of instruction, and the strength of that support did not differ in English and Chinese language high schools. Particularly in the early high school years, however, instruction in a second language (English rather than Chinese) had substantial negative effects on both academic self-concept and academic achievement.