Self-perception and self-concept of children and adolescents with Down Syndrome: a scoping review

Abstract

Objective: the self-concept is the set of attitudes and values about oneself. Self-perception, on the other hand, is understood as a multidimensional construct composed of several domains of the human being. Considering people with Down Syndrome, this scoping review maps evidence on self-perception and self-concept in children and adolescents with Down Syndrome. Method: this review followed Arksey & O'Malley's proposal and The Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis. The proposed research question was: "What is the self-perception of children and adolescents with Down Syndrome? The protocol was registered at Open Science Framework (osf.io/znp7j). Results: the search was performed in September 2021, in seven databases, totaling 2437. After screening, seven articles were included, which were grouped considering the complexity of the concepts of self-perception and self-concept. Thus, the synthesis encompassed the following themes: a) body influence; b) social preferences; c) lifestyles and personal achievement; d) school environment. Conclusion: the result of this systematic review suggests that the body and lifestyles of children and adolescents with Down Syndrome influence the self-concept and self-perception of these individuals.