INTRODUCTION:

Childhood age is an important period of life most of the behaviors, healthy practices develop during this period. Learning takes place though various institutions such as family, school, community. Family is the place for teaching curricular and cultivating healthy behavior and practicing habits among children⁴.

Self-esteem can have a great impact on children's growth and development. However, parents may be unaware of how their interactions encourage or inhibit self-esteem. By changing the tone and focus of parent-child interactions, as well as listening carefully to and encouraging children when they describe problems outside the home, parents can ensure that their children become strong and confident adults¹.

A child with low self-esteem lacks confidence, making him uncomfortable in new situations or activities. Poor Academic Performance, risky behavior, depression. So Physical touch by parents is important across the lifespan of children to improve self esteem⁵.

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

Children between 7 – 14 years constitute approximately 6.5 million (46%) of the India population. More than half (61 percent) of the children (771,700 children) were victims of neglect, meaning a parent or guardian failed to provide for the child's basic needs. Another (44 percent) were victims of abuse (553,300 children), including physical abuse (325,000 children)¹(WHO 2011).

Chaplin L.N. (2007) reported that of 11 and 14-year-olds indicated that the lower the children's self esteem, the more likely they were to engage in delinquent and risky acts, such as stealing, destroying property, getting into fights and running away from home, aggressive once they reached the teen years³.

Parents tend to touch their children far less as they age. Hugs, back rubs become less frequent. Parents may believe that physical affection is less important as children age, or may consciously try to avoid “babying” their children by treating them as they did as infants². (Kram, Whiddon, and Montgomery, 2007)

Nurturing through touch increases oxytocin levels in the brain. Oxytocin is a hormone that serves as a protective factor to stress. As oxytocin levels increase cortisol levels decrease. This may have been one reason children of more nurturing mothers had enlarged areas of the brain and fewer illnesses in midlife¹.

The need for improving self esteem is at greater priority to promote the quality of individual as well the society. Parental touch is a better intervention in improving self esteem through hugging, kissing and holding³.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the effectiveness of parental touch on self-esteem among children

2. To associate the mean difference in self-esteem with their selected background data among children

HYPOTHESES:

H₁ -There will be a significant difference between Self-esteem before and after parental touch among children

H₂ -There will be a significant association between the mean difference in self-esteem and selected background data among children

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Research Approach

Quantitative Approach

Research Design

Pre-experimental research design

Target Population

School Children

Accessible Population

School children of6^th to 8^th standards in a selected school, Cuddalore

SAMPLE AND SAMPLE SIZE:

30 school children of 6^th to 8^th standards

Sampling Technique

Purposive sampling technique

Data Collection Procedure

Rosenberg self-esteem scale

Data Analysis

Descriptive and Inferential statistics

Criterion Measure

Self esteem

MAJOR FINDINGS:

· The study revealed that , Majority of the school children were in the age of 12 years 25(83.4%); were females 26(86.7%); reported at Birth order as 2^nd child 17(56.7%); reported Leisure time activity as watching TV 12(40%); reported that they received award 22(73.3%); reported that they had 2 close friends 25(83.3%); reported that they got appreciation by parents 25(83.3%); reported Hindu Religion 26(86.7%); reported Age of mother 30-40yrs 25(83.3%); reported Economic status were Below poverty line 26(86.7%); belonged to the Nuclear family type (parents and children) 18(60%); reported 2 No. of children in family were 20(66.7%); reported both parents were available 14(46.7%) and the time of availability of parents at only night 15(50%).

· The study revealed that Mean post test self-esteem 21.37(SD=3.897) was more than the mean pre test self-esteem 14.07(SD=1.081).The obtained “t” value t=-10.261(p<0.05) was significant. There was a significant increase in the self esteem after parental touch. Hence the parental touch was found to be effective

· The study reveals that, there was significant association between the mean difference in self esteem and rank of the children t= -2.34(p<0.05); friends t=2.44(p<0.05) and the occupation of their mothers t=3.02(p<0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Parental touch was effective to improve self esteem. Therefore parents must take enough time, not only to spend time but also to make meaningful touch of children to boost their self esteem.

REFERENCES:

1. Takeuchi, et.al., “The Effect of Interpersonal Touch During Childhood on Adult Attachment and Depression: A Neglected Area of Family and Developmental Psychology?”,Journal of Child and Family Studies, (2010), Volume 19, Number 1, , pp. 109-117

2. CaiLian, et.al., “The Effects of Family Functioning on Self-Esteem of Children”, European Journal of Social Sciences, (2009), Volume 9, No. 4

3. Joshi S, et.al., “Self-esteem and Academic Achievement of Adolescents“, Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, (2009), Volume 35, Special Issue, Pp 33-39.

4. Raj K, et.al., “Self-esteem and Adjustment among Children with Reading and Writing Difficulties” , Department of Studies in Food Science and Nutrition and Department of Studies in Psychology, (2009), Volume 3, Issue 2, Pp 91 – 95

5. Rhodes J, et.al., “Changes in self-esteem during the middle school years: a latent growth curve study of individual and contextual influences”, Journal of School Psychology, (2004), Volume 42, Pp 243–261

Received on 24.08.2015 Modified on 15.09.2015

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research. 2016; 6(3): 313-314

DOI: 10.5958/2349-2996.2016.00058.6