Behavioral and relational correlates of low self-perceived competence in young children

Keywords

Self-perceptions, Withdrawal, Peer acceptance

Abstract

It is developmentally normative for preschoolers (aged four to five years) to have self-perceptions that are typically positive and even over-inflated. However, because not all children have positive self-perceptions in early childhood it is important to understand factors that influence the development of self-perceptions, especially low self-perceptions, in early childhood. Therefore, this study examined the associations between self-perceptions and teacher ratings of social behaviors, subtypes of withdrawal, and peer ratings of acceptance/rejection in preschoolers. Participants included 199 children (107 males, 92 females) attending two early childhood programs in a midsized community in the western United States. The major findings were that children in early childhood who have lower self-perceptions of their abilities than their peers tended to engage in more reticence, solitary-passive withdrawal, and solitary-active behavior.

Original Publication Citation

Nelson, L. J., Hart, C. H., *Evans, C. A., Coplan, R. J., Roper, S. O, & Robinson, C. C. (2009). Behavioral and relational correlates of low self-perceived competence in young children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24, 350-361.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2009

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5438

Publisher

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Language

English

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

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