Self-concept development of children in institutional care, alternative care types and biological family homes: Testing differential susceptibility

Abstract

The first aim of the study was to examine the differences in self-concept development of children residing in institutions, care villages, group homes, foster care, or with biological families (low socioeconomic status [SES] and middle SES). The second aim was to investigate children’s susceptibility to these environmental variations from a differential susceptibility theory perspective tested by temperamental characteristics. Self-concept in three to five-year-old children was assessed using puppet interviews and parent/caregiver questionnaires. The results indicated that parent/caregiver reported self-concept scores for children residing in institutions significantly differed from that of the foster care and biological family groups. Care village group differed from both biological family groups, and group home differed from the middle-SES family group. Furthermore, the temperamental characteristics of children played a moderator role between care types and self-development. High perceptual sensitivity and high frustration levels were found as a protective factor for children in institutions compared to children in group homes, foster care, and family groups.

Acknowledgments

We want to acknowledge the graduate and undergraduate psychology students who participated in the data gathering process at the Middle East Technical University. We would like to especially thank the parents, directors of institutions, social workers, and caregivers for their efforts in answering the questionnaires who are working in the Ministry of Family and Social Policy of Turkey.

Conflict of interest

Authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The current study was funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu (TÜBİTAK)) as a part of the three-year longitudinal project (Grant Number: 113K222).