Developmental Changes and Gender Differences in Children’s Self-Esteem from Late Childhood through Adolescence

Abstract

[Objectives]

This study aimed to investigate developmental changes and gender differences in self-esteem in children during preadolescence and adolescence.

[Methods]

The self-esteem scale for children (Urabe, 2016) was used to investigate self-esteem in 750 children (365 boys, 385 girls) from the fourth year of elementary school through the third year of middle school, as well as in the second year of high school. Two factors (positive feelings and negative feelings) pre-identified by factor analysis were tested by two-way analysis of variance using educational stage and gender as variables.

[Results]

(a) The score for positive feelings in the middle school stage was lower than that in the elementary school stage, but was comparable to that of the high school stage. (b) The score for positive feelings in boys was higher than that in girls. (c) The score for negative feelings in boys was unchanged among the three school stages. (d) In girls, the score for negative feelings in the middle school stage was lower than that in the elementary school stage, but was similar to that in the high school stages.

[Discussion]

Examination of the two factors of positive and negative feelings demonstrated developmental changes and gender differences in self-esteem in children more clearly, and showed an essential involvement of negative feelings in gender differences. Causes of the above changes and differences are discussed.