A review of research literature on whether Spanish bilingual, bicultural programs enhance self-concept and whether any relationship exists between enhanced self-concept and improved academic achievement also describes research problems and potential solutions. Theories of importance of self-concept as a determinant of achievement, particularly with minority/bilingual students, are briefly covered. Research findings are presented on whether self-concept improvements lead to improved achievement (result: self-concept and achievement appear so interdependent that precise relationships are difficult to distinguish) and whether bilingual programs enhance self-concept of Mexican Americans, as well as whether Mexican American students need to have their self-concepts enhanced (results: effects of bilingual programs in improving self-concept have been mixed; Mexican Americans do not have poor self-concept). Problems contributing to the mixed results are listed: lack of agreement on appropriate measures of student affect; varying definitions and measures of self-concept; differing definitions of bilingual education and lack of equivalence between bilingual programs being compared; researchers' attempts to prove qualitative affective changes by using data from short-term quantitative studies; and schools' use of a meritocracy ideology to validate maintenance of social inequality. Potential solutions are given: rediscovery of the validity and importance of qualitative research, and redirection of evaluation by recognizing differing cognitive styles. (MH)