Developmental Features of the Self-Esteem of Children Who Stutter : A Longitudinal Investigation

Abstract

The present study was a two-year longitudinal exploratory investigation of factors relating to the self-esteem of school-age children who stutter. Third- and fourth-grade children who stutter (CWS; N = 6) and who were enrolled in special speech classes in public elementary schools participated in the investigation. Three times during the approximately two-year period of the study, the children completed a self-esteem scale consisting of the following 4 factors: confidence, motivation, self-acceptance, and acceptance by their family. In addition, the children's parents and their teachers in the special speech classes were also asked about the participants' experiences, their competences, the severity of their stuttering, and their peer relations. The main results were as follows: (1) Increases in the scores on the confidence factor were related to experiences in which the children were acknowledged for their competences and their special experiences; these led to increased self-esteem. (2) Changes in scores on the self-acceptance factor related to the children's relations with others in their homeroom and at home. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)