Family economic deprivation and self-esteem among preschoolers

Abstract

Previous studies have established a negative correlation between economic deprivation and self-esteem; however, limited insights exist regarding the onset of children linking self-esteem to economic status. To investigate this, we examined 198 preschoolers (96 girls and 102 boys) and their parents (170 mothers and 28 fathers). We assessed children’s implicit and explicit self-esteem, whereas parents’ reported on both personal relative deprivation and the family’s economic objective deprivation. In addition, we explored children’s money knowledge as a moderator. Our findings reveal that preschoolers may connect their implicit self-esteem with family economic status; however, such connections require basic knowledge about money. We discuss potential explanations for the influence of family economic deprivation, specifically on the implicit—not explicit—self-esteem of preschoolers.