SELF-ESTEEM, EMPATHY, AND PARENTAL UPBRINGING STYLES IN GIFTED ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

This study investigated the development of self-esteem and empathy in Secondary One and Secondary Four students from the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) and the Express Stream. It also investigated how the development of self-esteem and empathy might be influenced by different parenting styles. 382 subjects from two leading secondary schools completed a 130-item questionnaire measuring global self-esteem. multi-dimensional self-esteem, parenting styles and empathy. It was found that perceived academic achievement influenced academic self-esteem in both the GEP and Express Stream students, whereas being enrolled in the GEP did not enhance self-esteem more than being in the Express Stream. This suggests that GEP students were realistic in appraising their abilities. which is a sign of healthy adolescent development. In addition, perceived academic achievement positively influenced all the other dimensions of self-esteem, namely, body, family, social and global self-esteem. The authoritative parenting style was also found to positively influence all the dimensions of self-esteem, as well as empathy, whereas the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were found to be negatively related to certain dimensions of self-esteem. These results suggest that both perceived academic achievement and parenting styles played an important role in influencing the development of self-esteem and empathy in adolescents.