Metacognitive Self-Confidence in School-Aged Children

• Prior research within the area of metacognition indicates that a self-confidence construct exists among both adults and primary school children aged 9–12. In this chapter, we review findings from several recent studies that demonstrate good predictive validity of the self-confidence construct and examine the predictors of this construct. In these studies, the students’ academic, non-academic and metacognitive self-concepts were assessed. We also assessed students’ perceptions of their key environments: classroom and family. The results from these studies demonstrate stable individual differences in confidence ratings. Higher levels of self-confidence predicted greater school achievement, irrespective of a student’s cognitive ability, age and gender. Metacognitive and academic self-concept acted as both important predictors of the students’ levels of confidence and mediators of the predictions that other variables had on self-confidence. Classroom factors (goal orientation) were linked to metacognitive and academic self-concepts, which in turn positively predicted academic outcomes and self-confidence. Such results support the claim for the existence of a broad self-confidence construct, signifying its pertinence for school achievement. The results also suggest that a student’s perception of classroom and family dynamics has an important influence on both confidence and achievement. We discuss the implications of our findings for both parents and teachers, and we consider ways to improve academic outcomes for students.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Metacognition

confidence children

self-confidence

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kap (subject category)