4,090
Views
79
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Articles

Relationships with mother, teacher, and peers: unique and joint effects on young children's self-concept

, &
Pages 233-248 | Published online: 27 Apr 2012
 

Abstract

This study tested the unique and joint effects of three significant relationships in young children's social lives, namely their relationships with mother, teacher, and peers, on three dimensions of self-concept (general, academic, and social). A sample of 113 children participated. Mother–child attachment quality was observed in preschool. In first grade, teacher ratings of teacher–child relationship quality, peer ratings of peer acceptance, and child reports of self-concept were administered. The results revealed domain-specific links between social relationships and self-concept dimensions. Specifically, academic self-concept related to teacher–child relationship quality, social self-concept to peer acceptance, and general self-concept to the quality of attachment to mother. Moreover, an indirect effect was revealed of earlier mother–child attachment quality on the academic dimension of self through its effect on current adult–child relationships in school. This way, the study uncovered the pathways through which significant social relationships shape the formation of young children's self-concept.

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant for the Fund for Scientific Research – Flanders (G.0555.09) to Karine Verschueren.

Notes

1. For an additional small group of seven children who changed schools between preschool and first grade, teacher and child measures were administered, but peer nominations were not conducted because of practical considerations.

2. Cognitive ability was also measured at the beginning of kindergarten, using the Coloured Progressive Matrices test (Raven, 1956). Because it was not related to any of the study variables, it was not further included in the analyses.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karine Verschueren

#Joint first authors.

Sarah Doumen

#Joint first authors.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.