Todays self-esteem as one of the influential factor which affect student’s academic

achievement has received increasing attention. It has been declared that high self -esteem

can lead to high academic achievement. The Self-esteem can be refered as person's global

judgments of competency regarding one's self-worth (Harter, 1988). This construct

emerges when children compare their self-evaluation with actual performance on a

variety of tasks. Moreover, this comparison between the perceived self and the ideal self

is very crucial specially during adolescence because adolescents en counter with

diversified job of developing and challenges of their own age. Hence, development of

self-esteem is considered as one of the most important developmental processes of

adolescence (Sirin and Rogers-Sirin, 2004).

In general, high self-esteem help individuals to view themselves as active and capable

persons to promote changes through effort and set higher goals which cause learning new

things. Intresestingly, numerous researchers have demonstrated that the best way to

improve student achievement is to increase their self-esteem (Rubie et al., 2004).

Research has also documented that high self- esteem plays an important role in academic

achievement, social and personal responsibility (Redenbach, 1991). Those who have

higher academic achievement tend to feel more confident in contrast those who lack

confidence in themselves achieve less.

Additionally, gender is the important factor which influence on the growth, emerges and

demonstration of self-esteem. Numerous differences have been found between males and

females in their level of self-esteem during adolescence because they tend to adopt to

gender stereotypes. Specifically, male self-esteem are thought to be more impressed by

goals characterized by independence and autonomy, while self-esteem in female is more

influenced by goals related to interdependence and sensitivity (Cross and Slater, 1995).

The difference in self-esteem can lead to difference in academic achievement between

boys and girls. It has been reaveled that girls do better in school, get higher grades and

can graduate from high school at a higher level than boys (Jacob, 2002). Previous study

showed the other influential factors in academic achievement ( Kara and Kahraman,

2008). However, the present study revealed the important role of self-esteem in academic

achievement. In other words, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship

between self-esteem and academic achievement as well as gain insight into the

differences in self-esteem and academic achievement between boys and girls. This study

endeavored to provide information for educators, counselors and teachers to apply

strategies to prevent imbalance in academic achievement and self -esteem between male

and female students in the classroom.

Based on Alam (2013), students who reported to have

higher self-esteem had higher academic performance com-

pared with students who had lower self-esteem, and there

was a negative relationship between test anxiety and self-

esteem of students (Alam, 2013). Moreover, according to

Arshad et al. (2015), there is a strong positive correlation

between self-esteem and academic achievement among uni-

versity students (Arshad et al., 2015: 161). However, there

is controversial evidence regarding the role of self-esteem

Based on Alam (2013), students who reported to have

higher self-esteem had higher academic performance com-

pared with students who had lower self-esteem, and there

was a negative relationship between test anxiety and self-

esteem of students (Alam, 2013). Moreover, according to

Arshad et al. (2015), there is a strong positive correlation

between self-esteem and academic achievement among uni-

versity students (Arshad et al., 2015: 161). However, there

is controversial evidence regarding the role of self-esteem

Based on Alam (2013), students who reported to have higher self-esteem had higher academic

performance com-pared with students who had lower self-esteem, and there was a negative

relationship between test anxiety and self-esteem of students (Alam, 2013). Moreover, according

to Arshad et al. (2015), there is a strong positive correlation between self-esteem and academic

achievement among uni-versity students (Arshad et al., 2015: 161). However, there is

controversial evidence regarding the role of self-esteem of high school students, especially

related to academic achievement; Booth and Gerard (2011) found that when societal expectations

do not match with their actual perfor-mance, self-esteem may be affected. Therefore, culture and

social context have also been found to be factors that inter-fere with interpretations of self-

esteem (Tashakkori, 1993 cited in Booth and Gerard, 2011)

Academic achievement is used as a standard to the quality of education which isone of the prime

indicators to evaluate the education (Chapman & Adams, 2002).It is the degree of academic

learning outcomes by students that indicates the extent to which one has accomplished the
desired goals those are the focus of activities in instructional environments. It is used to measure

the stated goals of students, teachers, or institutions. It is not only indicator to the effectiveness

of the program but also a major determinant for the future of students and a nation also.

Academic achievement covers wide range of educational outcomes, so definition depends on the

indicators which are used to measure it. All criteria of academic achievement represent the

intellectual capacity of a person. A common criterion for academic achievement is performance

on educational achievement tests or grades. This performance or grade is generally used to

determine how well one is able to assimilate, retain, recall, and communicate one’s knowledge

that has learnt (Audu,Jekwu, & Pur, 2016). Academic achievement has become a phenomenon of

interest to all because excellent grade of students is always expected. Over the years,

psychologists, researchers, teachers, administrators have tried to reveal the non-cognitive factors

those influence students’ academic achievement. The non-cognitive factors are included self-

esteem of the students, their study habit etc. The self-esteem, one of the influential factors those

have effect on students’ academic achievement, has received increasing attention in education

research in present days (Aryana, 2010). It can be referred as one’s subjective judgment of

competency regarding one’s self-worth. It is a set of attitudes and beliefs through which we

positively or negatively evaluate ourselves. On a long term, such evaluation may influence the

development of cognitive and affective traits (Anastasi& Urbina, 1997). It is internal belief that

every person possesses to make of his ability to face, understand, and solve challenges of life to

achieve happiness which is the sum of self-confidence and self-concept. In academic level, self-

esteem can be defined as evaluative appraisal of experience of being capable to meet academic

challenges (Olanrewaju & Joseph, 2014). It is a student’s view about how he compares his

academic ability with other students. Past studies suggested significant relationship between
students’ self-esteem and their academic achievement (Aryana,2010; Colquhoun & Bourne,

2012; Das, & Pattanaik, 2013; Diseth, Meland, &Breidablik, 2014; Olanrewaju & Joseph, 2014;

Arshad, Zaidi, & Mahmood, 2015;Audu et al., 2016). In their study Alves-Martins, Peixoto,

Gouveia-Pereira, Amaral,and Pedro (2010) found significant differences between the successful

and unsuccessful seventh grade students’ self-esteem. They also found that students with low

levels of academic achievement attribute less importance to school-related areas and reveal less

favorable attitudes towards school. Giofrè, Borella, and Mammarella(2017) found that self-

esteem mediated by intelligence to influence the academic achievement. However, very few

studies have conducted to examine the direct effect of self-esteem while controlling other

variables (Giofrè et al., 2017).Some studies suggested self-esteem not significantly influences

academic achievement (Demo &Parker, 1987; Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, &Vohs, 2003).

Studies also suggested gender differences in self-esteem as boys have higher self-esteem

(Brutsaert, 1990;Kling, Hyde, Showers, & Bruswell, 1999; Quatman & Watson, 2001, Diseth et

al.,2014; Arshad et al., 2015).

Tertiary education is the third level of education, degree or diploma, that follows schooland high

school education (Bania & Kvernmo,2016). Researchers have measured tertiaryacademic

success in terms of GPA (Honicke & Broadbent,2016;Junco,2015), grades (Glass&

Westmont,2014;Smith,2016), percentages (Bailey & Phillips,2016;Gaˇsevi´c, Dawson,Rogers, &

Gasevic,2016), retention in course (Kruzicevic et al.,2012), degree completionwithin time

(Gaˇsevi´c et al.,2016) and by using academic success scales (Ainin, Naqsh-bandi, Moghavvemi,

& Jaafar,2015).Several factors related to tertiary academic success have been identified in studies

in-cluding gender (Anderton et al.,2016), self efficacy (Trigwell, Ashwin, & Millan,2013),high

school success (Smith & White,2015), and less use of internet (Mishra, Draus, Goreva,Leone, &
Caputo,2014). This review paper analyzes these factors within the ecologicalmodel presented by

Dalton et al. (2007). The original Ecological Model was outlined byBronfenbrenner (1979) in

which environment is described as interconnected layers of sys-tems in human development

context. To study the dynamics of community, Dalton et al.(2007) have made some advancement

in Bronfenbrenner’s model. Their advanced modelexplains environment as nested proximal and

distal systems which comprise five ecolog-ical levels of analysis:1. individuals,2. microsystem

(where one directly and personally interacts, e.g. family, peers),3. organizations (which are

formally structured and larger than microsystems, e.g. in-stitutions),4. localities (geographical

locations, e.g. rural or urban areas), and 5. macrosystem (cultural environment within which one

is raised, e.g. religion, ethnic-ity).

Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger & Vohs, (2003), investigated that Self-esteem has become a household

word. Teachers, parents, therapists, and others have focused efforts on boosting self-esteem, on the

assumption that high self-esteem will cause many positive outcomes and benefits—an assumption that

is critically evaluated in this review. Appraisal of the effects of self-esteem is complicated by several

factors. Because many people with high self-esteem exaggerate their successes and good traits, we

emphasize objective measures of outcomes. High self-esteem is also a heterogeneous category,

encompassing people who frankly accept their good qualities along with narcissistic, defensive, and

conceited individuals. The modest correlations between self-esteem and school performance do not

indicate that high self-esteem leads to good performance. Instead, high self-esteem is partly the result

of good school performance. Efforts to boost the self-esteem of pupils have not been shown to improve

academic performance and may sometimes be counterproductive. Job performance in adults is

sometimes related to self-esteem, although the correlations vary widely, and the direction of causality

has not been established. Occupational success may boost self-esteem rather than the reverse.
Alternatively, self-esteem may be helpful only in some job contexts. Laboratory studies have generally

failed to find that self-esteem causes good task performance, with the important exception that high

self-esteem facilitates persistence after failure. People high in self-esteem claim to be more likable and

attractive, to have better relationships, and to make better impressions on others than people with low

self-esteem, but objective measures disconfirm most of these beliefs. Narcissists are charming at first

but tend to alienate others eventually. Self-esteem has not been shown to predict the quality or

duration of relationships. High self-esteem makes people more willing to speak up in groups and to

criticize the group's approach. High self-esteem does not prevent children from smoking, drinking,

taking drugs, or engaging in early sex. If anything, high self-esteem fosters experimentation, which may

increase early sexual activity or drinking, but in general effects of self-esteem are negligible. One

important exception is that high self-esteem reduces the chances of bulimia in females. Overall, the

benefits of high self-esteem fall into two categories: enhanced initiative and pleasant feelings. We have

not found evidence that boosting self-esteem (by therapeutic interventions or school programs) causes

benefits. Our findings do not support continued widespread efforts to boost self-esteem in the hope

that it will by itself foster improved outcomes. In view of the heterogeneity of high self-esteem,

indiscriminate praise might just as easily promote narcissism, with its less desirable consequences.

Instead, we recommend using praise to boost self-esteem as a reward for socially desirable behavior

and selfimprovement (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger & Vohs, 2003). Lane, Lane & Kyprianou (2004),

investigated relationships between self-efficacy, self-esteem, previous performance accomplishments,

and academic performance among a sample of 205 postgraduate students. Participants completed

measures of past performance accomplishments, self-esteem, and self-efficacy at the start of a 15-week

course. Each student's average grade from modules studied was used as the performance measure.

Correlation results indicated significant relationships between self-efficacy and self-esteem. Multiple

regression results indicated that self-efficacy mediated the relationship between performance
accomplishments and academic performance. Findings lend support to the predictive effectiveness of

self-efficacy measures in academic settings.