The Influence of Parenting and Peer Relationship on the Development of Child's Self-Concept : A Longitudinal Study

부모의 양육행동 및 또래관계가 아동의 자아개념 발달에 미치는 영향에 관한 종단적 연구

The purpose of this study was to explore the developmental patterns of self-concept of pre-adolescents and adolescents by using the longitudinal data originated by the Korean Institute for Research in the Behavioral Sciences (KIRBS). Specifically, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the effects of parents and peer groups on the stability and change of self-concept were examined across a 9-year-period. The subjects were 62 children(29 boys and 33 girls) from the KIRBS longitudinal data. The results showed that, peer relationships revealed consistent effects on children's self-concept from pre-adolescence to mid-adolescence. In particular, this influence was most evident at 7 years of age and at 16 years of age. However, parental influence was almost non-existent for 7-year-olds, equivalent to peer relationships for 10-year-olds, and decreased for 16-year-olds. On the whole, parental and peer influence on self-concept gradually decrease in adolescence. Nevertheless, parental and peer influence continue to maintain a certain level of influence from childhood to adolescence. This study provides an understanding of developmental change and stability in the self-concept of Korean adolescents.