【Purpose】
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a program for enhancing self-esteem of fifth-graders in a public elementary school in Japan.
【Methods】
A group of 37 boys and 32 girls from two classes received the program in four sessions. To evaluate any effects, a pre-test was administered before the first session and a post-test after the fourth session. The tests included the self-esteem scale and the social skills scale. Moreover, process evaluation was performed. The contents of “good points”were described at the first session, at an intermediate test (one week after the first session), and at the post-test, and the feelings when describing the good points at the post-test were analyzed in the process evaluation. The program and the evaluation were conducted from May to July 2014.
【Results】
1) Self-esteem significantly improved by the program in children with lower self-esteem at the pre-test, while there was no significant improvement in social skills.
2) The contents of the good points varied drastically compared with the pre-test. Specifically, 44.3％ of the contents at the intermediate test and 61.5％ at the post-test were not previously found. The most common content of the good points was “behavior,”and the rates of behavior in the contents in the first session, intermediate test, and post-test were 26.3％, 38.0％, and 57.9％, respectively.
3) Feelings when describing the good points at the post-test were related significantly to self-esteem at the pre-test. Children with lower self-esteem were more likely to feel “embarrassed,” “they have no good points,” and have “difficulty describing the good points.”
【Conclusion】
The program demonstrated effectiveness for children in the fifth grade with lower self-esteem. Moreover, the children needed individual support for describing the good points.
【Purpose】
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a program for enhancing self-esteem of fifth-graders in a public elementary school in Japan.
【Methods】
A group of 37 boys and 32 girls from two classes received the program in four sessions. To evaluate any effects, a pre-test was administered before the first session and a post-test after the fourth session. The tests included the self-esteem scale and the social skills scale. Moreover, process evaluation was performed. The contents of “good points”were described at the first session, at an intermediate test (one week after the first session), and at the post-test, and the feelings when describing the good points at the post-test were analyzed in the process evaluation. The program and the evaluation were conducted from May to July 2014.
【Results】
1) Self-esteem significantly improved by the program in children with lower self-esteem at the pre-test, while there was no significant improvement in social skills.
2) The contents of the good points varied drastically compared with the pre-test. Specifically, 44.3％ of the contents at the intermediate test and 61.5％ at the post-test were not previously found. The most common content of the good points was “behavior,” and the rates of behavior in the contents in the first session, intermediate test, and post-test were 26.3％, 38.0％, and 57.9％, respectively.
3) Feelings when describing the good points at the post-test were related significantly to self-esteem at the pre-test. Children with lower self-esteem were more likely to feel “embarrassed,” “they have no good points,” and have “difficulty describing the good points.”
【Conclusion】
The program demonstrated effectiveness for children in the fifth grade with lower self-esteem. Moreover, the children needed individual support for describing the good points.
