The Relationship between School-age Children’s Perceptions of Their Self-concept & Self-esteem and Parents’-reported Executive Functioning

ABSTRACT

Self-concept (SC), self-esteem (SE) and executive functioning (EF) are factors that can influence school-aged children’s daily occupational performance particularly at school. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between children’s self-reported SC and SE with their EF (based on parental report). Using a cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental design, 20 typically developing children (40% boys; M age 9.7 years, SD 1.5) were recruited and completed the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale-Third Edition and Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventories-Third Edition. Parents of the children completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Second Edition. The data were analyzed using Spearman rho correlations and linear regressions with bootstrapping. Several positive associations were found between a child’s self-reported SC and SE. Linear regression analysis determined that several statistically significant (p < .05) predictive relationships between SC & EF and SE & EF existed. This study highlights the importance for pediatric occupational therapists and other professionals to be aware of children’s presenting SC and SE, as these variables may be important predictors of a children’s EF.

KEYWORDS:

• self-concept
• self-esteem
• executive functioning
• occupational therapy

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge all participants for their time, and those who assisted in sharing the project information.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors report no potential conflicts of interest related directly or indirectly to this study.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by the Deakin University School of Health and Social Development Honours budget. However, there was no direct funding of the resources used in this study.