Temperament and Self-Concept in Four-Year-Old Children

Noting the lack of research on the congruence of children's general self-concepts and parents' perceptions, this study investigated the associations between 4-year-old children's self-concepts and parents' reports of temperament. Fifty-four children, 28 boys and 26 girls, watched the videotaped Children's Self-View Questionnaire. (Data collection continues; projected final N is 70.) Their mothers and fathers completed the Children's Behavior Questionnaire, and observers rated the children's behavior in the laboratory. The children's reports of their self-control were significantly associated with both sets of parents' ratings of their self-control, and mothers' ratings of children's extroversion were negatively correlated with children's reported feelings of rejection. However, boys' reports, considered separately, were not significantly associated with parents' reports of their temperament, whereas girls' self-reports were. (Author)