Cross-sectional study of self-concept and postsecondary aspirations of students enrolled in grades 9-12

This cross-sectional study compared the overall mean scores of high school students who completed the Person-In-The-Mirror Questionnaire III (PIMQ-III) with their post-secondary aspirations and their primary source of influence on those aspirations. The two null hypotheses tested were: (1) No difference will exist between the students\u27 overall mean scores and their post secondary plans, and (2) No differences will exist between the students\u27 overall mean scores and their source of influence on those aspirations. Two hundred forty-six high school students (ages 14-19), enrolled in grades 9-12, from a midwestern public school system, volunteered to participate in this study. The students completed a questionnaire which contained 28 forced-response items and six sections that required open responses. Data analysis led to rejection of the first null hypothesis, which stated there would be no statistically significant differences in the PIMQ-III scores on the basis of post-secondary aspirations. The second null hypothesis was partially rejected as it related to family-related sources of influence and partially accepted as it pertained to nonfamily-related sources of influence. The findings were discussed as they related to the independent variables of gender, age, grade level, and race