Self-Concept and Personality Factors of Slovak Adolescents as Predictors of Their School Engagement

The aim of the study is to examine self-concept sensu Piers-Harris and personality traits sensu Big Five in the role of predictors of the construct of Slovak adolescents’ school engagement (N = 575, 15–20 years old, 52% women). Research tools: Student Engagement in School - Four Dimensional Scale/SES4DS, Adolescent Self-Concept Short Scale/ASCSS, The Mini International Item Pool/Mini IPIP. The resulting regression model explains 34% of the variability of adolescent school engagement by means of these variables (except neuroticism and extraversion), with adolescents’ self-concept sensu Piers-Harris confirmed as the strongest predictor. Since self-concept can be modified during adolescence, the result may be relevant to intervention programmes for underachieving students and students with poor school engagement.