Running head: THE INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL COMMUNICATION ON SELF

CONCEPT

The Influence of Parental Communication on Self-Concept

John Foster
The University of Memphis

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The Influence of Parental Communication on Self-Concept
The way one sees ones self in the world is incredibly important. Self-concept is defined
as a concept that is active and capable of change by including multiple representation of self
(Windsor, 2015). It is part of every single thing that one does. From looking in the mirror to
filling out a job application to the choice to continue ones life or end it, self-concept plays a key
role.
One of the first things children realize is that there is such a thing as self. So, from a very
early age, self-concept begins to be formed. At such a young age, the main developmental
influence on most children is their parents. In most cases, parents are the primary caregiver to
their children and the primary source of information and influence in the lives of their children
due in large part to the fact that they spend more time with their children than anyone else does.
Parents play a key role in much of the development of a child and self-concept is an area that is
considered to be highly developmental and thus very susceptible to the influence of the parents
of a child (Windsor, 2015). What role do parents play in the development of their childrens selfconcept in the areas of communication, support, and interaction?
Communication is a vital part of any relationship. This is no less true in the relationship
between parents and children. Specifically, the communication between parents and their
children is very important to the self-concept development of those children. In a study done on
parent-child communication and self-concept development, it was found that high levels of open
communication with parents correlated with high levels of self-concept clarity in children
(Marloes, Branje, Keijsers, Hawk, Hale III, & Meeus, 2013). One could see a variety of ways in
which this would be true. For example, a parent who communicates openly with their child that
they are either happy with or disappointed in their child will give that child a good level of self-

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concept clarity. The reason for this is that the child sees a direct correlation between actions they
perform and reactions in their parent. They are not forced to question which actions they perform
bring approval and which bring disapproval from their parents. Therefore, their self-concept
regarding their actions and the consequences of those actions is very clear and well developed
because of the openness of their parents communication with them. One could imagine this
same concept in many other scenarios all contributing to the clarity of childrens self-concept.
Furthermore, the same study found that high levels of open communication with parents
correlated with low levels of anxious and depressive symptoms in children (Marloes et al 2013).
Again, one could imagine how this would play out. Using the above-mentioned example, when
parents communicate openly with their child about which actions they approve of and which
actions they do not, there is no anxious waiting and wondering on the part of the child to see
what the reaction of their parents will be. The child also does not become depressed when their
parent does not react the way that they expected them to. The child is confident in their actions
and the consequences of those actions. Therefore, as they perform actions throughout their daily
life and receive approval or disapproval from their parents, their self-concept continues to
become more and more clear.
The support of parents for their children also plays a key role in the way those children
develop their self-concept. In a study done on parental support of their children, it was found that
high levels of parental support correlated with high moral self-concept in children (Sengsavang
& Krettenauer, 2015). Those children who had more support from their parents began to
internalize more positive moral behaviors and incorporate them into their own self-concept
(Sengsavang & Krettenauer, 2015). This is a significant finding because it shows that the way
parents give support to their children has consequences far beyond the particular action that they

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are supporting at the time. In fact, the influence of the parents support was so great that it caused
the children to internalize those moral actions that their parents supported into their own concept
of morality. This shows that the role of the parents is key in developing the self-concept of their
children. Those actions that they show support for are often taken directly in to the self-concept
of their children and become a part of the way the child sees themselves and the way that the
child lives their life.
Perhaps most important to the self-concept development of children is the interactions
that they have with their parents. It has been found that low levels of negative parent-child
interaction correlated with high levels of moral self-concept in children (Sengsavang &
Krettenauer, 2015). Joined together with the above-mentioned conclusions about parental
support of their children, this correlation makes sense. If children are receiving much support
from their parents while having low amounts of negative interaction with their parents, their
moral self-concept will be increased. Because there are low levels of negative interaction,
children will see their parents in a positive light which makes them much more open to receive
and internalize the values of their parents. Therefore, when their parents encourage and support a
moral behavior, the child is highly likely to take and internalize that behavior and make it part of
their own moral self-concept.
On the other hand, children who reported high levels of negative interaction with their
parents also reported low levels of moral self-concept. When children are having large amounts
of negative interaction with their parents, they tend to see their parents in a negative light.
Because of this, they are much less likely to take in the values that their parents support.
Therefore, when their parents attempts to encourage a moral behavior, the child is less likely to
take that encouragement from their parents and internalize it to make it part of their own moral

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self-concept. In fact, because of the negative light that they view their parents in, they may
choose to internalize the opposite of that behavior because they associate that behavior with their
negative views of their parent.
In this same study, it was found that high levels of negative parent-child interaction not
only led to a lower moral self-concept but that those two factors also correlated highly with
aggressive behaviors in children (Sengsavang & Krettenauer, 2015). This correlation is
particularly concerning. Coupled together, low levels of moral self-concept and aggression can
make an individual very dangerous. When a child is aggressive and has no internalized moral
self-concept provided by their parents to keep that aggression in check, both the child and others
around them can be put at risk. Imagine a child who has had a high level of negative interactions
with their parents. This high level of negative interaction has caused the child to reject the
internalization of moral concepts that their parent has attempted to pass on to them. Furthermore,
this high level of negative parent-child interaction has caused the child to have aggressive
tendencies. Now, when the child feels angry, he has a desire to lash out at the object of that anger
and has no moral self-concept that prevents him from doing so. When viewed in this light, the
importance of parents influence on the moral self-concept of their children becomes apparent.
The parents influence is important not only for their child but also for the people that their child
comes in contact with.
Parents play a key role in the self-concept development of their children in many ways.
First, parents hold great influence in the area of communication with their children. When
parents openly communicate with their children on a regular basis, the childs self-concept is
much more clear than that of children whose parents do not openly communicate with them
(Marloes et al 2013). Secondly, parents who support their children greatly aid in the development

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of their childrens moral self-concept (Sengsavang & Krettenauer, 2015). Finally, children who
reported low levels of negative interaction with their parents also reported high levels of moral
self-concept. On the other hand, children who reported high levels of negative interaction with
their parents also reported low levels of moral self-concept (Sengsavang & Krettenauer, 2015).
In addition to low levels of moral self-concept, children who reported high levels of negative
interaction with their parents also had considerably more aggressive behaviors than did those
children who had low levels of negative interaction with their parents (Sengsavang &
Krettenauer, 2015). This correlation is very concerning. Furthermore, low levels of self-concept
clarity were correlated with higher levels of anxious and depressive symptoms in children
(Marloes et al 2013). Taken together, anxious, depressive, and aggressive signs in children all
correlate with low levels of self-concept which is directly influenced by the childrens parents.
Putting this knowledge in the hands of parents could greatly aid the development of their
children. Very simple changes in behavior on the part of the parents such as better
communication and more positive interactions could help children avoid these life-changing
symptoms of anxiety, depression, and aggression. From communication to support to interaction,
parents play a key role in the self-concept development of their children.

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References
Marloes, V., Branje, S., Keijsers, L., Hawk, S. T., Hale III, W. W., & Meeus, W.
(2013, November
23). Self-Concept Clarity Across Adolescence: Longitudenal
Associations With Open
Communication With Parents and Internalizing Symptoms. Journal of
Youth and
Adolescence , 1861-1876.
Sengsavang, S., & Krettenauer, T. (2015). Children's Moral Self Concept: The
Role of
Agression and Parent-Child Relationships. Merril-Palmer Quarterly , 61
(2), 213-235.
Windsor, M. M.-J. (2015). Lifespan Development: An Educational Psychology
Perspective .
Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions