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Research Article
Issue Date: August 01, 1990
Published Online: May 28, 2014
Updated: May 29, 2014
Self-Esteem in Children: Considerations for Measurement and Intervention
Wanda Mayberry
Author Affiliations
  • Wanda Mayberry, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, is Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
Article Information
Research
Research Article   |   August 01, 1990
Self-Esteem in Children: Considerations for Measurement and Intervention
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, August 1990, Vol. 44, 729-734. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.44.8.729
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, August 1990, Vol. 44, 729-734. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.44.8.729
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Abstract

A differentiated model of self-esteem, based on William James’s (1890), C. H. Cooley’s (1902/1968), and G. H. Mead’s (1925/1968) works and developed by Dr. Susan Harter (1983), is presented as a valuable tool for the occupational therapist to use in evaluation and intervention. Competence and social support are considered important components, and discounting is presented as a mechanism for the maintenance or improvement of self-esteem. Social comparison, social desirability, and defensiveness are discussed as important considerations, particularly regarding children with disabilities.