Assimilation and Contrast Effects of Dimensional Comparisons in Self-Concepts, Interests & Anxieties

Research on the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model has frequently found contrast effects of dimensional comparisons (i.e. a negative relationship between achievement and self-concept across domains) between math and verbal domains. The generalised internal/external frame of reference (GI/E) model extends the I/E model to multiple domains including multiple languages and to other academic self-beliefs and attitudes. When considering multiple languages, achievement-self-concept relations across languages have been found to be either negative (i.e. contrast effect), positive (i.e. assimilation effect), or non-significant. The present study contributes to the ongoing debate concerning the effect of dimensional comparisons among languages by (1) examining dimensional comparisons across two languages and (2) extending the examination to interest and anxiety as outcome variables beyond self-concept. We analysed domain-specific self-concepts, interest, anxieties, and achievement regarding French, German and math in a representative sample (N=5,789) of Luxembourgish ninth-graders. Findings indicated (1) clear contrast effects in the formation of self-concept and interest in German, French and math, and (2) a combination of contrast, assimilation and/or no effects in the formation of anxiety in math, German, and French. With regard to the latter, contrast effects were found for achievement-anxiety paths from German to French, French to German, and French to math. Achievement-anxiety paths from math to French and German to math were non-significant, while the path from math achievement to German anxiety showed a small, yet significant assimilation effect. Results are contextualised within the multilingual Luxembourgish educational system and implications for research on dimensional comparisons are discussed.