The Effects of Single Gender Versus Coeducational Environments on the Self-Esteem Development and Academic Competence of High School Females

Dissertation
the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the decline of self-esteem and perceived academic competence among 15-year-old high school females in the Bay Area. This study looked at the relationship between adolescent males and females in a coeducational classroom setting and investigated how the male presence may affect female self-esteem development. In addition, this study explored how the lack of male presence at an all-female institution may affect female self-esteem development. This study employed a mixed methodology approach. A survey design was used with follow-up face-to-face interviews to add richness to the researcher's findings. The results showed that girls from single gender schools were more academically focused while the girls attending the coeducational schools were more socially focused. All the girls in the study felt they could do better academically and claimed having low to moderate levels of self-esteem, yet they maintain strong GPAs. The results presented indicate clearly that self-esteem perception among 15-year-old girls is low regardless of school type.