Testing the internal and external frames of reference for academic self-concept among Chinese vocational students

Based on a sample of Year 1 vocational students (N = 962) in China, the study presented in this chapter aimed to (1) test the generalizability of the classic internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model of academic self-concept (Marsh, 1986) to vocational students and (2) extend the classic I/E model by incorporating recent developments of the twofold multidimensional structure of academic self-concept (i.e., its domain-specific structure and a further separation between competence-affect components within each domain). Structural equation modeling analyses for testing the I/E model show that paths from math and Chinese achievements to corresponding domains of self-concept were positive and significant, whereas cross-paths to nonmatching self-concept domains were negatively significant. A further analysis by separating competence and affect components within math and Chinese self-concepts reveals that paths from math and Chinese achievements to matching affect components were stronger than those to competence components. This interesting finding is discussed in light of the Chinese cultural model of learning. Implications of our findings for the I/E model, self-concept research, and practice are also discussed. Copyright © 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore.