Global and Domain-Specific Self-Concepts in Academically Talented Asian American and White Adolescents

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that ethnic groups may not only differ on self-concept, but that self-concept variables may be of different importance to different ethnic groups. This study examined these questions in a sample of academically talented White and Asian American students. White students obtained significantly higher scores than Asian Armericans on scholastic and job self-concepts, but the effect sizes were small. No domain-specific self-concept was a strong predictor of global self-concept for Asian American students, whereas self-concept related to appearance was a strong predictor of global self-concept for White students.