LEAIND-01160; No of Pages 8

Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Learning and Individual Differences

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/lindif

Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school

self-concept matter? Results of a qualitative study
Olga Bakadorova, Diana Raufelder
Free University of Berlin, Germany

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: A subsample of 36 adolescents with high (n = 18) and low (n = 18) school self-concepts (MAge = 16.4, SD = .54)
Received 2 December 2014 was selected from a previous longitudinal study (N = 1088) to participate in semi-structured interviews
Received in revised form 2 May 2015 addressing their motivation and social relationships at school. A comparative thematic analysis was run induc-
Accepted 25 August 2015
tively and revealed two themes (peer relations and teacher relations) and nine subthemes. The qualitative
Available online xxxx
approach provided evidence for both similarities (e.g. classroom climate, motivation) and differences (e.g. emotional
Keywords:
vs. learning support, high vs. low competition, acceptance vs. acknowledgement) among the subthemes.
Low school self-concept The results suggest the importance of acknowledging students' self-concept in the teaching process, as stu-
High school self-concept dents' perception of social relationships at school may vary according to their level of self-concept: while
Social relationships students with a high school self-concept attribute equal importance to the emotional support provided
Support by peers and teachers in their aspiration to win the race, students with a low school self-concept prioritize
Adolescence the learning support provided by peers and teachers and express a desire to be like the rest in terms of
Thematic analysis classwork and grades.
2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction Self-concept plays a special role in this respect (Brinthaupt & Lipka,
2002). There is evidence that, particularly during early adolescence
Students proceeding through their educational journeys experience (Seiffge-Krenke, 1990), self-concept (Shavelson et al., 1976) undergoes
a natural development from childhood to adolescence. This is a complex structural changes by becoming more abstract, differentiated and orga-
process when a growing child develops the learning skills necessary to nized (Harter, Whitesell, & Junkin, 1998). Concerning the stability of
maximize their academic performance and develops a sense of self self-concept during adolescence, ndings from previous research are
by acquiring important social skills. The transition from primary to sec- contradictory indicating either a slight rise (Harter, 1998) or a relative
ondary school is a crucial moment in this development. This time of fall (Eccles et al., 1983). The dissonance of these results might be
storm and stress (Arnett, 1999) is generally characterized by physical explained by the interchangeable use of self-related terms in earlier
and psychical changes in adolescents (Rosenberg, 1979) as well as shifts research (Hattie, 1992) therefore a clear and consistent denition
in their social environment: after four to six years of primary school1 must be established.
students entering secondary school encounter new peers and teachers In its broadest sense, self-concept can be dened as a person's
who may uphold new or different expectations (Harter, 1996). Malad- perception of him- or herself (Shavelson et al., 1976). More recent
justment to these new surroundings and their academic and social research makes a further distinction between the cognitive component
requirements might result in academic failure or school dropout (Ellis, (self-concept) and the affective component (self-esteem) of the term
Marsh, & Craven, 2005). Although there is a general downward trend (e.g., Schne et al., 2003). Following this logic, self-concept might be de-
associated with adolescence (Dohn 1991; Ladd et al., 2009), not all ned as the sum of cognitive representations that a person maintains
students are equally affected by it: while some experience changes as about him- or herself (cf. Maier & Pekrun, 2004). Self-concept is an im-
threatening, others take the opportunity for their own personal devel- portant research area, especially for educational research, seen as it is
opment (Ellis, Marsh, & Craven, 2005). considered to be both a condition for, and a major outcome of learning
situations (Burns, 1979; Marsh et al., 2005).
Corresponding author at: Department of Educational Science and Psychology AB Several studies have found evidence that a high self-concept (which
Methods and Evaluation Project SELF - Schumpeter Fellowship Volkswagen Foundation indicates a person's positive cognitive representation of him- or herself)
Freie Universitt Berlin Habelschwerdter Allee 45 14195 Berlin, Germany. contributes to the general psychological well-being of an individual
E-mail address: diana.raufelder@fu-berlin.de (D. Raufelder).
(Craven & Marsh, 2008). Therefore, a high self-concept might be con-
URL: http://www.self-projekt.de (D. Raufelder).
1
Primary education in Germany typically lasts between four and six years, depending sidered an important protective factor (Gilman & Huebner, 2006;
on the federal state. Steinhausen & Winkler-Metzke, 2001) throughout the whole period of

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
1041-6080/ 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
2 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx

scholastic transitions and adjustments. Meanwhile, a low self-concept (Brophy & Good, 1974; Roeser & Eccles, 1998; Ryan & Deci, 2000;
might put students at risk by negatively affecting their social compe- Skinner & Belmont, 1993).
tence and inducing problematic behavior (Marsh et al., 2004). In sum, the current state of the literature provides evidence for
The relationship between self-concept and academic achievement the positive effects of a high self-concept in general, and a high school
has been discussed at length throughout several decades of research self-concept in particular. It also indicates a positive association
(Wylie et al., 1979) producing a variety of theories. Covington's self- between social support and self-concept, especially during adolescence.
worth theory of achievement motivation (Covington & Berry, 1976; At the same time, empirical research combined with practical observa-
Covington, 1984), for instance, views a person's self-concept of ability tions suggests the challenges of designing appropriate educational prac-
as an important element of his or her self-denition because it moti- tices that assist students in the transition to secondary school which
vates them to strive for academic achievement and seek social approval requires adapting to new social environments (Eccles & Midgley, 1989)
which, in turn, strengthens self-concept in the school setting. According whilst compromising close relationships with new teachers (Eccles
to Shavelson's multidimensional model (Shavelson et al., 1976), self- et al., 1993) and potentially inducing adjustment-related problems.
concept in school is a constituent of general self-concept and can be Most research on school self-concept employs quantitative methods,
dened as the set of beliefs that an individual has about his or her own yet qualitative literature, which holds the potential of generating a deep
study-related abilities, attributes and activities in school (Schne et al., understanding of real experiences by exploring individuals' subjective
2003). Moreover, Covington's theory argues that developing and main- viewpoints, feelings, thoughts, interpretations, and perceptions (Smith
taining a positive school self-concept (a sense of academic competence) & Osborn, 2003), is lacking. Only few studies address the issue of school
is important for the development of an individual's sense of self-worth self-concept and social relations at school among adolescent students.
(cf., McGrew, 2008). To our knowledge, there are no studies that consider differences in
Further research on the association between school self-concept and high and low school self-concept and students' perception of social
achievement also produced the reciprocal effects model (Marsh, 1990) relationships.
which postulates that school self-concept and academic achievement
are mutually dependent and cyclically reinforce one another. These
1.1. Current study
theories have inspired further research that explores the mediating
role of achievement motivation in this association (Areepattammannil,
Hence, the current qualitative study investigates potential differ-
2012; Guay et al., 2010).
ences in the perception of teachers and peers among students with
There is evidence that self-concept not only becomes more complex
high and low school self-concepts in an attempt to determine the specic
and differentiated during adolescence, but it also becomes increasingly
inuence of these social actors on motivational, learning and educational
dependent on others' perception of oneself (Fuhrer et al., 2000). As
processes. In particular, the results should lead to (a) a deeper under-
the focus of attention shifts from the family to the social environment
standing of possible differences in the social competence and sources
(Fend, 1998; Harter, 2012; Steinberg & Morris 2001), relationships
of academic motivation between students with a high and low school
with both peers and teachers gain importance. This produces another
self-concept, and (b) the advancement of a differentiated, student-
disjunction between adolescents' individual needs and the implications
centered approach to developing prevention and intervention strategies
of undergoing a major transition at school: new (academic and social)
in secondary schools that aim to support motivational, learning and
demands, multiple teachers, larger classes and often a new or altered
educational processes during the transition from primary into secondary
peer groups (Rosenberg, 1979).
school.
In adolescence, students' peers and friends adopt some of the social
functions that are otherwise performed by their family members:
they provide emotional comfort and attachment (Rubin et al., 2009; 2. Method
Steinberg & Morris, 2001), emotional support (Azmitia, Cooper &
Brown, 2009), as well as learning support (Seiffge-Krenke, 1990), 2.1. Participants and procedure
which positively affects students' academic motivation and achieve-
ment (Achermann et al., 2006; Birch & Ladd, 1996; Kindermann et al., A subsample of 36 German-speaking adolescents was selected from
1996; Ladd & Kochenderfer, 1996) and helps resolve related problems a prior longitudinal quantitative study (N = 1088), conducted in
(Seiffge-Krenke, 1990). However, a new peer group simultaneously secondary schools (n = 23) in Brandenburg and based on self-report
challenges the coordination of old and new friendships (Azmitia et al., data. Out of 36 participants, 18 had a high school self-concept (HSSC),
1998), which might result in feelings of exclusion or jealousy (Azmitia whilst the other 18 had a low school self-concept (LSSC), as determined
et al., 2009). Moreover studying in a new and larger peer group might by result interpretation tables from the SESSKO2 manual. The SESSKO
result in peer pressure (Steinberg et al., 1996) and increased competi- scales were developed by Schne et al. (2002) to measure school self-
tiveness (Harter, 1996). concept in German-speaking countries. The subdivision was based on
In the event of maladjustment to a new peer group, a student must the raw values, percentage, T-value and T-value Band. The scale we
rely on alternative sources of support. Unsurprisingly, the transition to used consisted of 5 items (see Table 1) addressing an individual's general
secondary school is also a time when students' need for social and emo- perception of his or her current scholastic abilities, without implying any
tional connectedness with their teachers increases (Yeung & type of comparison.
Leadbeater, 2010). This presents yet another challenge for the teach- The participants' school self-concept level remained stable over
erstudent relationship: as teachers become responsible for a growing the two years (data was collected in 2011 (8th grade) and 2013 (9th
number of students, their ability to develop supportive relationships grade)). In both groups, boys and girls were represented: HSSC: 7 boys,
with each individual student is compromised (Eccles et al., 1993; 11 girls (MAge = 16.3, SD = .53); LSSC: 10 boys, 8 girls (MAge = 16.5,
Wang et al., 2013). At the same time, emotional support from teachers SD = .55).
is positively associated with students' school self-concept (Skaalvik & The informants were invited to participate in qualitative interviews
Skaalvik, 2013), commitment to learning (Becker & Luthar, 2002), and through letters addressed to their parents or guardians. Interviews
higher achievement (Goodenow, 1993), especially during adolescence.
Such positive effects promote better school adjustment and reduce
the risks of peer victimization (Yeung & Leadbeater, 2010). In contrast,
troubled relations with teachers result in reduced intrinsic motivation, 2
SESSKO-Skalen zur Erfassung des schulischen Selbstkonzepts [Scales to access the
impoverished engagement at school and potential school dropout school self-concept]

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx 3

Table 1 3.1. Theme 1: Peer Relations

Absolute school self-concept subscale.

I am not very talented in studying at school. This theme addressed students' relations with their classmates/
It is difcult easy for me to learn new things. friends and the roles they played in motivational, learning and educational
I am not . very intelligent. processes at school. Subthemes include: Social Climate, Motivation,
At school I can do little a lot.
Competition, Support and Acknowledgement/Acceptance. The
At school the tasks are difcult easy for me.
absolute majority of students stated that the primary motivation
Note. Adapted from: Schne et al. (2012). Skalen zur Erfassung des schulischen
for attending school was to see their friends, whereas educational/
Selbstkonzepts - SESSKO. (2nd rev. Ed.) [Scales to assess school self-concept] (p. 14).
Gttingen, Germany: Hogrefe. Reprinted with permission of C. Schne. The original professional aspirations were secondary. Further similarities and
items are in German, translated for the current work to provide examples for international differences between the groups will be discussed in the following
readers. APA is not responsible for the accuracy of translation. passages.

3.1.1. Subtheme 1: Social Climate

All students emphasized the role of peers in maintaining a positive
classroom climate. Positive relations with peers were important for mu-
were held at the Free University of Berlin, and were conducted in German
tual understanding, help and support within a class. Students noted that
and recorded with an audio recorder. Each interview lasted between 20
the presence of one or two friends in the classroom contributed to their
and 30 min. In the transcriptions, all informants were given pseudonyms.
well-being by providing an opportunity to share important concerns.
We chose to conduct semi-structured interviews following an inter-
On the contrary, troubled relations with peers resulted in poor concen-
view guideline (Smith & Osborn, 2003) so as to obtain reliable and
tration and could lead to reduced achievement levels as well as generally
comparable data (Bernard, 1988). The guiding questions addressed
reduce students' desire to attend classes. Overall, all interviews highlight
attitudes towards school, organization of the learning process, motiva-
the importance of maintaining positive social relations with peers
tion and social relationships (see Appendix A). Two pilot interviews
irrespective of the self-concept level in order to foster a better social
tested and conrmed the suitability of the initial interview guideline.
climate at school, improve concentration and enhance the general desire
The strengths and limitations of this approach will be discussed in the
to attend school. Social relationships with peers were also found to be
Strengths, limitations and future directions section.
important sources of academic motivation.

2.2. Data analysis 3.1.2. Subtheme 2: Motivation

All interviewees identied their peers as a primary source of motiva-
Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to interpret the tion. For example, when asked whether her behavior in class was affected
data in order to enrich the prior quantitative study and provide a pro- by friends, Lara (16 years, HSSC) responded: A friend of mine, she sits next
found analysis of possible differences between the groups. A review of to me; when she is active in the lesson, I also try to participate more. David
the literature found no research that explores potential differences in (17 years, HSSC) admitted: When my best friends study more, I think: if
adolescents' level of self-concept whilst accounting for social relations they can do it, you can do it too. While friends motivate students by setting
at school. Hence, the data was analyzed inductively. a good example, peers directly affect motivation through positive feed-
In the data analysis process we rst became acquainted with the back (e.g., Peter (17 years, HSSC): Fellow students motivate me, too. They
data through a) manual transcriptions of interviews and b) repeatedly say: well done, go on! if I get a three.4) or encouragement for greater
reading the transcripts. Next, initial codes for the data were constructed participation.
and mapped onto potential themes that were revised and rened. In In contrast, the LSSC group students highlighted that encourage-
the last stage, the nal themes were dened and split into subthemes. ment from both peers and friends helped them overcome fear of failure.
The analyses were based on a coding process of the whole sample Moreover, peers' comments (e.g., You could have done it better!)
(N = 36) with a good inter-rater agreement in both groups ( .89). empowered them for future participation. In sum, students from both
groups perceived their peers as motivators. However, the issue of en-
couragement/empowerment was mostly observed in the LSSC group
3. Results while students from the HSSC group were more motivated by direct
comparisons, which resulted in greater competition.
During the interviews all students spoke openly about their school
life, relationships with teachers and peers and their motivation patterns, 3.1.3. Subtheme 3: Competition
which proved an appropriate choice of setting and interviewees. Two Although friendly relationships with peers were important for the
major themes emerged from the data: (1) peer relations and (2) teacher HSSC group, competition through comparison was one of the key as-
relations. The peer relations theme included six subthemes; the teacher pects. Students reported feeling in constant competition with others
relations theme consisted of three subthemes. Based on the ndings, (in terms of academic effort and grades), which motivated them to im-
two models (Figs. 1 and 2) were conceptualized to illustrate the indicat- prove their own results. Academic results were mostly shared with
ed similarities and differences between the groups with regard to social friends, who were perceived as trustworthy sources of comfort and con-
relationships. solation in the event of unsatisfying grades. At the same time, if they
The dotted line subdivides each model into two elds: the left eld were outperformed by their friends, HSSC students felt sad and disap-
represents the HSSC group, whereas the right eld is devoted to the pointed, albeit willing to improve the next time.
LSSC group. The common subthemes are listed in the middle, whilst as- In contrast, the LSSC group avoided competition and emphasized
pects that are specic to a single group are noted in the following eld. the desire to be like the rest to integrate. Marcel (17 years, LSSC) men-
The following passages present the details; quotations3 provide tioned that he would raise his hand if everybody else did and felt
illustrations. relieved when his friends were all on the same level as him. The LSSC
student group used class average as a point of reference for comparisons

3
Originally quotations were stated in German. They were translated for the current pa-
4
per so as to provide examples for international readers. In German schools 6-grade system is used, 6 being the worst and 1 the best grade

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
4 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx

Fig. 1. A model of differences in the perception of peers among students with high and low school self-concept.

and tried to keep the pace of the majority. They also perceived friends' In sum, HSSC students expressed the desire to compete, excel and
success more apathetically, although they mentioned it motivated win the race, comparing themselves to friends. In contrast, LSSC
them to do better in subsequent tests to keep up with their friends. students compared themselves with the class average and expressed a

Fig. 2. A model of differences in the perception of teachers among students with high and low school self-concept.

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx 5

desire to integrate. Therefore the feeling of being on par with others Qualities such as understanding, inclusiveness, and evaluating students
provided them with sufcient support. based on their work and not their personality were mentioned. LSSC
students also stressed the importance that teachers create opportunities
3.1.4. Subtheme 4: Support to compensate for bad results: some [teachers] are very understanding,
Interviews with students from the HSSC group highlighted the when one does something wrong, they listen and then they give you a
importance of emotional support from peers and friends. Peers were chance to compensate for the grade (Sandro, 17 years, LSSC). Interest-
described as persons one can address when in trouble. Moreover, ingly, the possibility of having another shot at a task was often
friends were expected to provide emotional comfort in the event that interpreted as equal opportunities.
teachers treated students unfairly. Learning support was not often In sum, positive relations with teachers help create a better class-
addressed and most students claimed that they studied better individu- room atmosphere, provide emotional comfort, and promote better
ally. Their individual learning, in turn, boosted competitiveness. How- interactions with others resulting in a functioning class. Another impor-
ever, some students claimed that they were prepared to provide tant aspect was learning support.
learning support for those students who performed worse than them.
Thus, students with a HSSC were both in need of emotional support 3.2.2. Subtheme 2: Learning Support
from peers and ready to support peers as long as they would not outper- A recurring theme in HSSC students' interviews was the belief that
form them. positive relations with teacher would enhance students' efforts, allow
In contrast, LSSC students concentrated on learning aspects. The them to achieve better results in the case of uncertainty between two
majority expressed a clear preference for learning in a group (or with grades, and improve their chances for academic support. Moreover
friends). Friends were expected to show understanding as well as mutual understanding was emphasized.
provide learning support. Study assistance and chances to obtain further help were also put
Overall, students pertaining to different self-concept groups ex- forward by the LSSC group: however, while HSSC students viewed
pressed the need for different kinds of support. While HSSC students themselves as active and independent learners, LSSC students were
turned to their friends and peers mostly for emotional support, LSSC more dependent on the teacher's help.
students expressed the need for mutual support in all aspects of learn- In sum, good interpersonal relations with teachers provided stu-
ing. Moreover, while LSSC students preferred group activities, most dents from both groups with learning support and task management
HSSC students were individual learners. These ndings correspond skills; the latter was especially important for the LSSC group.
with issues of acceptance and acknowledgment which represent the
most apparent difference between the groups. 3.2.3. Subtheme 3: Motivation
Motivation was another important aspect of teacherstudent rela-
3.1.5. Subtheme 5: Acknowledgement tions. HSSC students were most motivated when they felt that teachers
This subtheme only emerged in the HSSC group. The majority of saw potential in them and provided positive feedback. Surprisingly,
students implicitly or explicitly indicated the desire to have their efforts critique was perceived as a source of motivation and encouragement
acknowledged by peers, which induced feelings of inner satisfaction, to improve efforts.
positive feelings about the work done and a general good feeling: Students from the LSSC group also highlighted the importance of
Well, it is slightly important. Perhaps it sounds stupid, but a bit of acknowl- feedback for their motivation. However, the type of feedback that they
edgement feels quite good. (Andrea, 16 years, HSSC). mentioned was aimed at boosting students' participation and effort,
but not necessarily assessing them as persons. Another motivation
3.1.6. Subtheme 6: Acceptance strategy was to compare results with family members or close friends.
In contrast, the reections of LSSC students focused largely on the Overall, teachers' feedback played a signicant role in motivation
acceptance of peers and friends, regardless of their achievement behavior processes. However, while HSSC students were focused on direct moti-
or other factors. Monica, (16 years, LSSC) commented: My friends should vation from teachers (i.e., feedback, critique), LSSC students beneted
know me like I am and when I do not willingly take part in the lesson or more from indirect motivation strategies (i.e., encouragement to partic-
cannot do anything, that's just the way it is. My friends should like me just ipate in class; comparison to signicant others such as siblings, friends).
like that, for the way I am. All in all, both students with HSSC and LSSC emphasized that a part-
icular teacher with whom they felt an emotional connection had a
3.2. Theme 2: Teacher Relations greater impact on motivation.
In sum, though all students proted from positive interpersonal rela-
This theme addressed students' relations with their teachers and tions with teachers, the students from different groups emphasized dif-
emerged in all interviews. Although subthemes (Emotional Support, ferent aspects of these relations. While HSSC students suggested that a
Learning Support and Motivation) were similar for both groups, good relationship with the teacher might be advantageous for improv-
there was a difference in the aspects emphasized by students from the ing grades, students with a LSSC appreciated additional learning support
HSSC or LSSC group. While HSSC students stressed the feeling of belong- and the possibility to get another chance.
ing to a group, which a teacher helped them develop, the LSSC group put
greater emphasis on fairness and equal opportunities. Furthermore, 4. Discussion
HSSC students generally assessed their teachers more critically.
The aim of present study was to examine whether and in what way
3.2.1. Subtheme 1: Emotional Support adolescent students with a high and low school self-concept differ in
Both groups saw teachers as providers of emotional support. Good their perception of peers and teachers. Thematic analysis of face-to-
teachers were described by the HSSC group as fostering a positive class- face interviews was used in order to produce detailed results and inves-
room climate and maintaining a feeling of belonging to the group. Their tigate the issue in depth (Smith & Osborn, 2003). The results are in line
personality was described as caring and interested, which was stressed with existing research: peers are an important source of motivation
in relation to professional competence: She is a little bit like my mother, (Harter, 1996; Raufelder et al., 2013; Wentzel, 2009a, 2009b; Wentzel
she is interested in me, and she explains well. (Claudia, 17 years, HSSC). et al., 2010) for high and low school self-concept students alike. More-
For the LSSC group the teacher also played an important role in over, peers, particularly friends, largely contribute to a positive social
maintaining a positive classroom climate and providing emotional climate in school (Wilson, 2004) and fulll important psychological
comfort. However fairness and equal opportunities were emphasized. and emotional needs (Harter, 1996; Rubin et al., 2009; Rubin et al.,

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
6 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx

2006). However, signicant differences were found between the high harming that of others who do not belong to the same group (Preckel
and low school self-concept groups: while the former felt more moti- & Brll, 2010; Trautwein, Ldtke, Marsh, & Nagy, 2009)). In addition,
vated through comparison to others, the latter were more motivated self-concept level must be considered when tailoring and moderating
by support and empowerment. Unsurprisingly, then, competiveness group discussions in respect of fear of failure, especially among LSSC
was stronger in the HSSC group. students.
For all students peer support played an important role, which Furthermore, teachers should be aware of their own role in pro-
is in line with the work of Stanton-Salazar and Spina (2005) and viding academic and emotional support for their students. Only a teach-
Goodenow (1993). However our research suggests that, whilst students er can make students feel respected and fairly treated. Our ndings
with a HSSC valued emotional support as well as acknowledgement suggest that feedback should be adjusted to the student's self-concept
from their peers, students with a LSSC prioritized learning support and level: while HSSC students interpret criticism as a sign of teachers' inter-
acceptance. This might be explained by the association between self- est, LSSC students are particularly sensitive to critique. Moreover, feed-
concept and achievement (Marsh & Martin, 2011; Marsh & Kller, back should address students' ability and effort, not their personality
2004; Marsh & Craven, 2005), which suggests that students with a (Eccles & Wigeld, 2002).
LSSC tend to be underachievers (Schunk, 1998). In sum, HSSC not only supports better adjustment but also
Close relations with teachers provided emotional support for both makes a positive contribution to a student's behavior and emotions
groups. This nding is in line with previous research that identied (e.g., maintains self-worth; reduces anxiety levels) (Marsh & Martin,
teachers' emotional support as essential for students' motivation 2011). To help improve students' school self-concept and maintain
(Colarossi & Eccles, 2003; Federici & Skaalvik, 2014; Hamre & Pianta, a high and stable level throughout the school years, we recommend
2006). However, we discovered that for students with a HSSC, master- that teachers adjust their feedback to individual students' self-
ing feelings of belonging to the group and creating a better classroom concept and develop student-centered strategies to promote inter-
atmosphere were important well-being factors. In contrast, students action in class.
with a LSSC felt that good relations with teachers not only provided
them with emotional comfort, but also contributed to feelings of fairness.
Prior research found teacher feedback to have a direct effect on 4.2. Strength, limitations and future directions
students' motivation and learning process (Hamre & Pianta 2006;
Kluger & DeNisi, 1996; Parson, 2001). However, our research empha- A clear strength of the study is its qualitative approach to the re-
sized the necessity of providing specic feedback and accustoming search questions, which helps gain a deeper understanding (Mayring,
teaching methods for both groups: in particular, students of the HSSC 2002) of adolescents' perception of peers and teachers in the school
group were more motivated by direct feedback including critique, context. The prior quantitative longitudinal study allowed us to identify
whereas students of the LSSC group proted from a more indirect high and low school self-concepts in students. At the same time, a high
involvement on the teacher's part (encouragement in participation at selectivity of informants (students with a stable school self-concept
the lesson and involvement of important others). from 8th to 9th grades) might be regarded as a limitation of the study.
The results stand in line with the self-worth theory (Covington, Future research should account for the possible instability of school
1984; Covington and Berry, 1976). High self-concept students ex- self-concept over time, and include additional actors (e.g., teachers,
pressed the need for their progress to be acknowledged, which would parents, school personnel) to introduce diverse perspectives.
boost their perception of their own ability, increase their self-worth, Another limitation is the sample size (36 students from one federal
and motivate them for further success. In contrast, low self-concept state). Although we rened the data until no further themes and sub-
students expressed a greater need for acceptance irrespective of their themes emerged (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Mayring, 2002), the small
ability, perhaps as a strategy to maintain their feeling of self-worth. sample size might account for a limited number of themes. Therefore
Moreover, these students were prepared to invest greater efforts if the results cannot be generalized for all students and should be
given a second chance to improve their academic results. Finally, this interpreted with caution. Furthermore we focused on school self-
group especially emphasized the importance of receiving feedback for concept and did not consider potentially relevant differences in gender,
their efforts, albeit not for personal characteristics, which is in line though several studies suggest gender differences in perceptions of
with existing research (Eccles & Wigeld, 2002). social relations (Colarossi & Eccles, 2003; Hay & Ashman, 2003;
Overall, the most important conclusion to draw from the present Ryan & Shim, 2012). Hence, future studies are warranted that differ-
ndings is that groups of students with a high and low school self- entiate relational self-worth (Harter, Waters, & Whitesell, 1998)
concept differ in their needs and perceptions of peers and teachers, from contingent self-worth (Park et al., 2006), which might be a
which validates our previous assumptions (Bakadorova & Raufelder, in valuable theoretical and empirical approach to research students'
press). school self-concept and the role of social relations with peers and
teachers. Finally, it is important to note that no follow-up interviews
4.1. Practical implications were conducted.
In conclusion, the ndings underline the necessity to raise aware-
Considering our ndings, we strongly advise teachers to become ness among teachers of the specic needs of high and low school
aware of the importance of differing levels of school self-concept self-concept students, and adjust their support accordingly: while
among students. This also implies that teaching methods and feed- HSSC students need emotional support and can critically evaluate learn-
back should be adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, it is important ing support, LSSC students are in need of a combination of both
to establish positive relations within the class as this contributes to emotional and academic support, which might be challenging to imple-
students' sense of belonging and emotional well-being, and creates ment in modern secondary school settings.
a positive social climate that benets all students, regardless of Further studies should develop practical strategies to measure
their self-concept. school self-concept, which would allow teachers to identify the in-
The interview analysis proved that one-directional teaching dividual needs of their students and tailor their classroom manage-
methods (e.g., individual work according to the classication of ment accordingly. In general, teachers should be aware of the
Winkel (1991)) are especially appropriate for HSSC students, while necessity of making students feel treated fairly, accepted and valued
LSSC students prot more from collaborative teaching practices (project in order to create a favorable classroom environment (Battistich
work, group tasks in non-homogenous self-concept groups, as social et al., 1995; Goodenow & Grady, 1993; Roeser et al., 1998; Wentzel,
comparison may strengthen the self-concept of some students, whilst 1997, 2002).

Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035
 O. Bakadorova, D. Raufelder / Learning and Individual Differences xxx (2015) xxxxxx 7

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Please cite this article as: Bakadorova, O., & Raufelder, D., Perception of teachers and peers during adolescence: Does school self-concept matter?
Results of a qualitative study, Learning and Individual Differences (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.035