Self-esteem in adults as a function of perceived childhood pampering

The effects of childhood pampering on adult self-esteem was investigated. Subjects were twenty-nine white females and thirty-one white males enrolled in classes in general psychology in Utah Valley Community College in Orem, Utah. The mean age was 21.5 years. Subjects completed the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale and a parent behavior questionnaire created by the author. Subjects responded to statements about four types of parental behavior (over-indulgence, over-control, over-protectiveness, and over-permissiveness), indicating, on a scale from 1 to 5, how frequently they had experienced each type of parental treatment. The Total Positive score of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was correlated with subjects' responses to the questionnaire. Results indicate a significant relationship between adult self-esteem and perceived childhood pampering for males. Subjects who indicated their parents had been indulgent, indulgent and over-permissive, or indulgent and over-protective had significantly lower Total Positive scores on the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Males who perceived their parents had been over-protective and over-permissive or indulgent and over-protective had significantly lower self-esteem scores. There were no significant correlations for females. Previous work in this area shows little correlation between adult self-esteem and perceived parental permissiveness. This may be because instruments assessing over-permissiveness appear to also assess neglectful and authoritative parental behavior. Neglect has been shown to have a significantly negative correlation to self-esteem and authoritative parental behavior appears to have a significantly positive correlation to adult self-esteem. Results of this study suggest further work is warranted to create a reliable instrument to investigate the effects of pampering parental behavior as distinct from neglect and authoritativeness.