PUPILS' PHYSICAL SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-ESTEEM: GENDER DIFFERENCES

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of perceived sport competence, physical appearance and self-esteem in pupils and to study the differences between genders. The experimental group comprised 480 primary school children (256 boys and 224 girls) aged 12,5 years on average (SD = 1, 1 year). Physical self-concept and self-esteem were assessed with the help of Self-Perception Profile for Children. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse the data. The results indicate that there are gender effects favouring boys according to all three variables: they see themselves significantly more athletically competent than girls, consider themselves to be better looking and have a higher self-esteem than girls. Since physical-self concept is an important part of global self-concept, it has to be given special attention.