The relationship between students' sex, ability, self concept and their causal attributions of success and failure in Trinidad and Tobago
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1989
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Abstract
This study drew upon the Causal Attribution Theory and two self-concept measures to explore how senior comprehensive school students in Trinidad and Tobago felt about themselves, as they operated in a situation of persistent failure. A questionnaire was administered to 379 fifth form students from four schools in Trinidad and Tobago, and the data were analysed to determine the students' causal attribution patterns and their level of self-concept when compared to the variables--gender, school stream, and school. The analysis showed that all the causal factors, especially task difficulty and ability were significantly related to their success/failure. Their causal attribution patterns were not, however, totally ego-defensive, as they had partially accepted the responsibility for their failure. Their levels of self-concept were impaired in an inverse order to their academic attainment levels. Those who failed all their subjects had the highest level of self-concept. No global gender distinctions occurred, except in the cluster of anxiety. The differences in their academic outcomes and the school streams were insignificant, but many significant relationships were identified with their schools