Parent influences on children's self-esteem in economically disadvantaged families

The purpose of this study was to test hypotheses from a transactional model of the self, related to parental influences on children's self-concepts and self-esteem, within economically disadvantaged families. Thirty-nine school-age children completed self-report instruments that assessed multiple dimensions of self-perceptions, perception of parental support, importance of specific domains, and family conflict. Parents completed similar ratings of their children's specific competencies and their importance, childrearing practices, and family conflict. The results supported a model in which parents (a) influence self-concepts by providing children with information on how well they perform in specific domains and which domains are important; and (b) influence self-esteem by their affective behavior. Children and parents clearly agreed on the children's competence in school, social acceptance, and behavior but not in athletics or physical appearance. Family members did not consistently agree in their importance ratings. Global self-worth was predicted by children's perceptions of parental support and perceived competence in domains that were important to the parents.