The major purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility that individualized instruction could improve the self-image of children with reading problems. Subjects for the experimental and control groups were selected from five classes of fifth grade students from a predominantly rural, isolated area in Mississippi. The Sears Self-Concept Scale was administered in a pre-post test design. Initial differences in scores were partitioned out of the pretest measures. After nine months of individualized reading instruction, the self-image of the experimental group was examined again to determine if a significant difference existed. Under the conditions of the experiment no significant changes on the Sears Self-Concept Scale were observed. The three null hypotheses predicting no significant differences between experimental and control groups and between boys and girls subgroups, respectively, were supported. The absence of significant differences might be ascribed to the possibility that more than one year of reading success might be required before differences in self-concept are noted. Further study is recommended using individualized instruction with children who have reading problems. (Author/LL)