Vanhemmat ja lastentarhanopettajat päiväkotilasten minäkäsityksen tukena

Abstract

Self-perception is a major concept of this study and it was operationalized into four dimensions on the basis of studies and Harter's multidimensional model of self-perception in early childhood. The aim was to study the self evaluations of 1-7-year-old kindergarten children, and parents' and teachers' evaluations on physical and cognitive competence as well as social acceptance, and then compare the similarities and differences of these evaluations. The evaluations of physical competence were compared with actual results of physical competence. The study also clarified the connections between children's perceived competence and social acceptance, actual physical competence, perceptions and activity in sport and exercise, and parents' and teachers' attitudes towards sport and exercise. 109 children from 1.0 kindergartens in Kainuu area, their parents (n=109), and teachers (n=28) attended the study. Children's self-evaluations and parents' and teachers' concepts of the children were studied by means of pictorial scale and questionnaire, developed on the basis of Harter's scale. Children's perceptions of sport and exercise were collected by means of a form with pictures of faces. The structure and stability of self-perception was studied by means of correlations, explorative and confirmative factor analysis, and by means of Lisrel-model. The connections of sum variables were studied by means of correlations and both factor and regression analyses. The results indicate that children's self evaluations of competence and social acceptance are positive and differentiate into four separate dimensions more clearly than in Harter's studies. Comparing the self evãluations of physical competence to actual results proved that 23 % of the children overestimated, and 17 o/o underestimated their physical competence.