Self-Concept in School-Age Children with Hearing Loss

What is Self-Concept in School-Age Children?

Self-concept in school-age children is how they see themselves as learners, friends, and individuals. During the elementary years, relationships, communication, school experiences, and encouragement shape children’s confidence and emotional well-being. Positive support from parents and educators helps children develop resilience, independence, and a healthy sense of self.

School-Age Children: A time of uncertainty

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As the child enters school, their self-concept is influenced not only by their parents but also by a growing circle of other people, including teachers and friends. The child gets feedback from many people on their physical appearance and their school, athletic, and social abilities. All of this feedback influences what they think of themselves, or their self-concept. A healthy self-concept does not mean that a child thinks they are better than anyone else or can do everything perfectly. It means that they like themselves, feel accepted by family and friends, and believe that they can do things well.

When a child enters school, they will likely feel unsure of themselves as they adjust to a new environment. They will be evaluated by many people, including peers, teachers, and other adults. They will probably feel a lot of pressure to fit in and succeed. To handle the pressure, they need unconditional support from their parents and school staff. With encouragement, they can conquer tough times in this stage of growth and transition. However, adults cannot just tell a child that they are great. A child needs not only to hear words but also to feel within themselves that they are a worthwhile, competent person.

Why Self-Concept in School-Age Children is so Important

The elementary school years are a crucial time for the development of self-concept. As children compare themselves with classmates, make friends, and confront new academic demands, they begin to form beliefs about their abilities and worth. Successful communication experiences and supportive relationships can help to build confidence and reduce feelings of frustration or isolation for children with hearing loss.

What You Can Do to Support a Positive Self-Concept in School-Age Children

The following are some strategies to help parents and school staff nurture the child’s healthy self-concept.

Why Parents and Teachers Make a Difference

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Parents, teachers, and other trusted adults influence how children see themselves every day. Encouragement, realistic expectations, and opportunities for success help children develop confidence that supports learning, friendships, and independence.

Strategy 1: 
Send a positive message that you like them and want to be with them. Focus on their strengths and avoid criticizing and lecturing. Do not compare the child with others, and do not let the child compare themselves with others. Give the child your full attention without disruptions. Sometimes it is hard to listen when you are busy, but try your best to do so.

Build Confidence Through Everyday Encouragement

Simple, consistent encouragement often has a greater impact than occasional praise. Helping children recognize their strengths and believe they can overcome challenges builds lasting confidence and resilience.

Strategy 2:
Support the child’s interests and talents. Children need to feel that they are capable of accomplishing different tasks. This feeling of competence is particularly important to a child’s self-concept starting around age 8. You can support the child’s feeling of competence by providing learning opportunities in areas that are important to them. Take time to find out what they like and are good at. Then, offer many chances for him to practice and succeed with a variety of experiences. Avoid judging or criticizing the child’s interests or performance. This will only spoil your relationship with him and will cause them to feel inferior.

Encourage Strengths and Individual Talents

Children who regularly experience success are more likely to develop a healthy self-concept. Encouraging interests, hobbies, and activities helps children recognize that their value extends far beyond grades or hearing ability.

Strategy 3:
Praise the child. Let the child know they are doing things well by praising them. Be specific in your praise. For example, instead of just saying, “Great game,” describe what you see: “You really kept up your energy and went after the ball all the way to the end of the game. You must be proud of yourself.” Also, do not focus your praise so much on success or completion, which could feel like pressure to achieve. Instead, focus on effort. For example, do not just say, “Good job getting an A on your math test.” Instead, say, “You were persistent and studied hard to get a good grade on your math test. That’s what I call perseverance.” When you focus on effort, the child can enjoy little accomplishments on the way to completing a bigger task. With a focus on effort, you are also teaching the child how to deal with obstacles or setbacks by trying again or working through a problem. As the child gets older, let them tell you what they like about their accomplishment and what they are proud of. As a child moves towards adolescence, their own self-evaluation becomes more important to their self-concept. They need to learn how to emphasize their accomplishments and strengths.

Praise Effort Instead of Perfections

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Research shows that children are more resilient if adults praise effort, persistence, and problem solving, rather than focusing only on outcomes. This growth mindset encourages children to continue learning even when the work becomes difficult.

Strategy 4:
Teach the child social skills to make and keep friends. Being accepted by peers is one of the greatest influences on a child’s self-concept, so it is very important for a child to learn how to make and keep friends. Parents and school staff teach children a lot of these skills by modeling, by watching how you meet people and talk to them. Recognize that it is important for them to feel that they fit in. They and other children may do things that seem silly to you. If the behavior is not dangerous or offensive, do not sweat the small stuff. When they have a problem with a friend, do not tell them what to do, but listen to them, acknowledge their feelings, and help them think through the problem.

Friendships Strengthen Self-Concept

Positive friendships help children feel accepted, respected, and included. Children with hearing loss may occasionally need additional support in developing communication skills, resolving misunderstandings, and building confidence in social situations.

Strategy 5:
Help the child learn to manage feelings and problem-solve. Being able to manage feelings and work out problems is an important skill in controlling oneself and getting along with others. When a child talks about how they are feeling, listen. Show you are listening by reflecting what they say. For example, say, “It sounds like you’re proud of winning the game.” If the child is upset, gently coach them in problem-solving. First, help your child identify the situation. For example, say, “It sounds like you’re upset because Jamie didn’t include you in the game.” Then help them brainstorm solutions to the situation at hand. Talk about the solutions they come up with and have them pick one.

Emotional Resilience Supports Healthy Self-Concept

Learning to identify emotions, solve problems, and recover from disappointment helps children become confident, independent learners. These skills also prepare children to advocate for themselves as they grow older.

Strategy 6:
Set clear, reasonable limits and expectations. Clear, reasonable limits help a child learn how to make choices and control themselves. Reasonable expectations give them a clear sense of what they should be doing and an idea of how well it should be done. These are skills they will use in making friends and accomplishing things. Reasonable rules appropriate to the child’s age allow them to make some choices. When your child helps make the rules and select the order or type of tasks to be done, they will be more likely to follow them. Once you have established limits, make sure to enforce them consistently.

Building Independence Through Responsibility

Children develop confidence when adults gradually increase responsibilities and encourage age-appropriate decision-making. Completing responsibilities reinforces a child’s belief that they are capable and trustworthy.

Classroom Strategies That Build Self-Concept

Teachers can strengthen self-concept in school-age children by:

• Recognizing individual strengths
• Providing leadership opportunities
• Encouraging classroom participation
• Creating accessible communication environments
• Celebrating effort and improvement
• Teaching classmates about inclusion when appropriate
• Encouraging self-advocacy in age-appropriate ways

Key Takeaways about Self-Concept in School-Age Children

✔️ Self-concept in school-age children develops through everyday experiences.
✔️ Positive communication strengthens confidence.
✔️ Encouragement helps children become resilient learners.
✔️ Strong relationships build emotional security.
✔️ Parents and teachers both influence how children see themselves.

Self-concept in school-age children develops through positive relationships, successful communication, learning experiences, and encouragement from caring adults. As children grow, supportive families and educators help them recognize their strengths, overcome challenges, and develop confidence that supports academic success, healthy friendships, and lifelong emotional well-being. Children with hearing loss benefit especially from accessible communication, meaningful participation, and opportunities to experience success every day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Concept in School-Age Children

What is self-concept in school-age children?
Self-concept is how children see themselves, their abilities, and their place among peers. As a child enters school, their self-concept is heavily shaped by feedback from a growing circle of people, including parents, teachers, and classmates.

Why is peer acceptance so important for a child’s self-concept?
Being accepted by peers is one of the greatest influences on a school-age child’s self-concept. Navigating a new school environment brings a lot of pressure to fit in, making positive peer relationships and social skills essential for a child to feel a sense of belonging.

At what age does a child’s feeling of competence become critical?
A child’s feeling of competence becomes particularly important to their self-concept starting around age 8. During this stage, children need regular opportunities to practice, explore their unique talents, and experience success in areas that matter to them.

How should adults praise children to build a healthy self-concept?
Instead of focusing solely on success or completion (which can feel like pressure to achieve), adults should focus praise on specific effort and perseverance. Celebrating the hard work behind a task teaches children how to deal with setbacks and navigate obstacles by trying again.

What can parents and school staff do to support a positive self-concept?

• Focus on strengths: Avoid over-criticizing, lecturing, or comparing the child to others.
• Practice active listening: Give the child your full, undivided attention and mirror their feelings back to them.
• Coach problem-solving: Help them brainstorm solutions to social challenges rather than just telling them what to do.
• Set clear limits: Establish reasonable, consistent expectations that allow the child to make age-appropriate choices.

Can a child’s self-concept improve if they are struggling?
Yes, absolutely. A child’s self-concept is dynamic and changes with growth. With unconditional support from parents, inclusive school environments, and targeted guidance in building social and problem-solving skills, a child can build a secure, healthy view of themselves over time.

Posted by Karen L. Anderson, PhD, Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss, March 26, 2013
Last updated June 2026