MEASURING SELF-PERCEIVED ROLE COMPETENCE AMONG 1ST NATIONS AND NONNATIVE CHILDREN

The objective of this research is to develop and test measures of self -perceived academic and social competence among First Nations and non native children. The method used is the analysis of psychometric prope rties of scales derived from questionnaires administered to First Nati ons children four culture areas of North America, as well as compariso n samples of non native children. The results consist of the reliabili ty coefficients, which fall into a satisfactory range; an internal con sistency which increases with age; an agreement between self- and teac her-rated competence which is higher for non native than for native ch ildren. In the second grade, the competence scores of the native and n on native children were equal. Thereafter, the scores of the native ch ildren either declined or remained static, while the non native scores tended to increase. In conclusion, the Flower of Two Soils scales are suitable for children from elementary schools, from First Nations and the majority culture. As children mature, the assessments of competen ce become an increasingly stable part of their repertoire of self-perc epts; asynchronous socialization may adversely affect self-perceived c ompetence.