The Washington Post – Lyndsey Layton
“Children develop self-esteem by age 5, much earlier than previously thought, according to new research that suggests children gain either a positive or negative view of themselves before they begin formal schooling. The researchers found that self-esteem at age 5 is as strong as those measured in adults. “We were surprised to find is how strong it was,” said Dario Cvencek, a research scientist at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences and a co-author of the study. “The first five years seems to be a foundation on which children build for the rest of their lives.” Still, self-esteem can change — either positively or negatively — as children grow, Cvencek said. “At age 5, it’s developed and already pretty strong,” he said. “But any traumatic experience can affect you. We do think it’s malleable, but it starts a lot earlier than previously thought.”.”(more)