Fear of Success

The purpose of the researcher was to study fear of success in high school students. The sample consisted of 127 of which 64 were female and 63 were male. The total sample consisted of 43 freshmen, 28 sophomores, 37 juniors, and 19 seniors. The independent variables were age, gender, family structure, self-esteem, BEM, and employment status. The dependent variable was fear of success scores. Three composite null hypotheses were tested using three-way analysis of variance (general linear model). A total of 17 comparisons were made plus 4 recurring. Of the 17 comparisons 6 were for main effects and 1 I for interactions. Of the 6 main effect s 2 were statistically significant at the .05 level. The following main effects were statistically significant: 1. the independent variable self-esteem and the dependent variable fear of success, and 2. the independent variable BEM and the dependent variable fear of success. The results indicated the following for main effects: 1. high school students with an intermediate level of self-esteem had greater fear of success than those with high and low self-esteem, and 2. high school students classified by the BEM as androgynous had statistically greater fear of success than those classified as undifferentiated. Of the 11 interactions 1 was statistically significant at the .05 level. The following interaction was statistically significant: the independent variables gender and age for the dependent variable fear of success. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. high school students with an intermediate level of self-esteem have greater fear of success than those with high and low levels, 2. high school students with BEM classifications of androgynous have greater fear of success than those with undifferentiated, 3. gender and age should be interpreted concurrently for fear of success, 4. the family structure in which high school students are living is not associated with fear of success, 5. employment status of high school students is not associated with fear of success, and 6. high school students have above average fear of success.