The impact of mother-child interaction quality and cognitive abilities on children’s self-concept and self-esteem

Abstract

The current longitudinal study examined relations between different dimensions of mother-child interaction quality and children’s multifaceted self-concept in n = 150 participants. Mothers’ emotional availability was assessed when children were 7 months and 4 years old. Children’s social and academic self-concept as well as their general self-worth were assessed at 8 years. Furthermore, we assessed children’s and mother’s cognitive functioning. Children’s academic self-concept was predicted by their cognitive functioning, whereas children’s social self-concept was exclusively predicted by their mothers’ early sensitivity and non-hostility. Children’s general self-worth was related to their mother’s increasing sensitivity and structuring. Overall, the current study reveals developmental pathways between the different domains of mother-child interaction quality and the different facets of children’s self-concept.