Graduate Program

School Psychology

Degree Name

Specialist in School Psychology

Semester of Degree Completion

1995

Thesis Director

J. Michael Havey

Abstract

This study investigated characteristics of underachieving adolescents. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS; Hieronymous, et al., 1990) and grade point averages provided the basis for selection of 83 eighth grade students into achiever and underachiever groups. Results indicated that underachievement was significantly related to males, number of absences, and number of discipline referrals, but not to race and notice of special education records. Overall self-esteem, as measured by the Self-Esteem Index (SEI; Brown & Alexander, 1991), and the subscale measure of perceptions of weak academic competence were positively related to level of underachievement/overachievement. Composite measure of behavioral/emotional problems, as measured by the Youth Self-Report (YSR; Achenbach, 1991) and the subscale measure of thought problems were positively related to levels of underachievement/overachievement.

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