What They Think of Me and What I Think of Myself: Social Influences on Academic Self-Concept in Adolescence

During adolescence, academic self-concept may be influenced by key social factors such as functional support and social reputation. Understanding how these factors interact, particularly to gender, is essential for promoting school well-being. This study delves into the intricate relationships between functional social support, social reputation, and academic self-concept among Spanish adolescents. It places particular emphasis on exploring potential gender differences. The sample comprised 160 adolescents (aged 14 to 17, Mage=15.06, 54.4% girls) from two public high schools in Tarragona, Spain. The instruments used were the Self-Concept Questionnaire (AUDIM), the Functional Social Support Questionnaire (DUKE-UNC), and the Reputation Enhancement Scale. Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analyses. Our findings showed that academic self-concept was positively associated with functional social support across the general sample and within gender-specific groups. Gender differences emerged regarding the influence of social reputation on academic self-concept: girls displayed significant positive relationships with conforming self-perception and reputational self-perception, but boys displayed a significant relationship only with non-conforming self-perception. These findings highlight the key role of functional social support in shaping academic self-concept. They also reveal gender-specific effects of social reputation, highlighting the influence of gender norms on adolescents’ self-perceptions.