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(Unit 3) Topic 4: Supporting Self-Esteem

2 Clock Hours of Early Childhood Education

Low Self-Esteem

​Topic 4 Page 6

Self-esteem changes over the course of one’s life. Low self-esteem is typically a temporary thing, but can also be a regular obstacle for some children. It does not occur randomly and without reason. Low self-esteem can begin after a physical or psychological experience, making it very difficult to pinpoint causes or indicators. Because it is a feeling and not a skill, it can only be recognized through direct observation and interpretation of children’s actions and behaviors.

Low self-esteem can be extremely difficult for young children to cope with. It can hinder their performance in many areas of life and have lasting effects. ​

It can cause children to feel unworthy, unloved, and unimportant to the adults and peers in their lives. Low self-esteem can also result in serious problems that can cause violence toward others, eating disorders, depression, withdrawal, suicidal thoughts, and body dysmorphic disorder.

What Causes Low Self-Esteem?

​One of the biggest causes of low self-esteem in children is based upon perceived physical differences between themselves and their peers. When a child perceives a difference, whether it is accurate or not, they begin to compare and contrast accordingly. They begin to feel different from peers and adults in their lives and begin to think they are “bad” or that something is “wrong” with them. This may result in low self-esteem, because children may perceive weight, height, race, or physical abnormalities, as something negative.

​Another cause of low self-esteem may be bullying. Being bullied in early childhood can cause harm that lasts throughout a lifetime. Bullying is defined as verbal, emotional, and/or physical assault which occurs over time and involves an imbalance of power. For males, this is often physical, while for females, it is often psychological. Children who are bullied may become passive and withdrawn, or angry and aggressive toward others.

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