Graduate Program

Clinical Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

1998

Thesis Director

Cheryl L. Somers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how time spent between parents and children in various activities may be related to self-esteem in children. The specific objectives were to explore whether there was a relationship between children's self-esteem and total time children reported spending with mothers and fathers; whether there were relations between time spent participating in activities and self-esteem for each of the four parent-child dyads (Mother-Daughter, Mother-Son, Father-Daughter, and Father-Son); whether there were relations between specific activities done with parents and children's self-esteem; and whether enjoyment levels reported by children participating in each activity were significantly correlated with self-esteem. Subjects were 97 4th and 5th grade children from regular education classrooms. The questionnaires used for the study included the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (Short Form) and two questionnaires created for the purposes of this research for recording activities with parents, amounts of time spent with parents, and enjoyment levels for each activity reported. No significant relationships were found between the level of self-esteem and how much overall time children reported spending with their parents or between the level of self-esteem and the total amount of time spent participating in activities among each of the four dyads. Significant positive correlations found between self-esteem and activities done with mothers included meals at home, meals out of the home, housework indoors, homework, and shopping; and with fathers included meals at home, meals out of the home, and hobbies/interests. Significant positive correlations found between self-esteem and the enjoyment level of activities reported with mothers included doing homework, going out for meals, going out to see movies, and reading; and with fathers included doing homework and housework. A significant negative correlation was found between self-esteem and the enjoyment level of fighting reported with mothers. Implications of the findings and suggestions for further research are addressed.

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