Lindsay, Geoff, Dockrell, Julie E. and Palikara, Olympia (2010) Self-esteem of adolescents with specific language impairment as they move from compulsory education. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, Vol.45 (No.5). pp. 561-571. doi:10.3109/13682820903324910

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Abstract

Background: Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are at risk of low self-esteem during their school years. However, there is a lack of evidence of the self-esteem of young people with a history of SLI during adolescence, as they transfer from compulsory schooling to post-compulsory education, employment or training.

Aims: To examine the self-esteem of young people with a history of SLI at the transition from compulsory education (16 years) to the first year of post-compulsory education, employment and training (17 years) in England.

Methods & Procedures:A total of 54 young people identified as having SLI at 8 years were followed up at 16 and at 17 years. The young people completed two measures of self-esteem: the Self-perception Profile for Adolescents (16 years) and the Self-perception Profile for College Students (17 years). Assessments of language, literacy and nonverbal ability were also conducted.

Outcomes & Results: Perceptions of scholastic competence were significantly lower than the norm at 16 years; the female students also had lower self-esteem in the social and physical appearance domains and global self-worth. However, at 17 years there were no significant differences from the norm for these self-esteem domains. There was evidence of stability within self-esteem domains over this period but also an improvement in self-perceptions of scholastic and job competence, physical appearance and athletic competence, and also global self-worth, but not the three social domains. Non-verbal cognitive ability was not correlated with any measures of self-esteem, at 16 or 17 years. Language and literacy ability, especially spelling, were correlated with scholastic and job competence at 16 years but only spelling correlated at 17 years.

Conclusions & Implications: This study has provided evidence for improvements in self-esteem for young people with SLI after they leave school and enter the world of non-compulsory education (typically at a college), employment and training. The study has also indicated the importance of addressing self-esteem as a multi-dimensional construct and the consequent necessity to use instruments that assess different domains of self-esteem.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology L Education > LC Special aspects of education
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute of Education ( -2013)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Self-esteem in adolescence, Specific language impairment in children, Language disorders in adolescence, Post-compulsory education, School-to-work transition
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders
Publisher:	John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ISSN:	1368-2822
Official Date:	September 2010
Dates:	Date Event September 2010 Published
Volume:	Vol.45
Number:	No.5
Number of Pages:	11
Page Range:	pp. 561-571
DOI:	10.3109/13682820903324910
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Great Britain. Dept. for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)

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