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Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal Research Article 13 min read

The Relationship between Social Skills, Self-Esteem and Big Five Personality Factors among Children

Abdullah MQ*
* Corresponding author
ISSN: 2576-0319  10.23880/pprij-16000129  Received: August 04, 2017  Published: August 28, 2017
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Keywords
Social Skills Self-Esteem Big Five Personality factors Children
Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social skills, self-esteem and Big Five Personality Factors of children. The sample of the study were 225 children (115 boys and 110 girls) aged from 10 to 12 years of age (M=11.2 male, and 11.5 female), attending all primary school located in Aleppo City. In order to assess the social skills, self-esteem and Big Five personality Factors, the following scales are used: Social Skills Measure (SSM), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Big Five Inventory (BFI). The findings revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between all the sub dimensions of the social skills (accepting criticism, showing respect, solving problems, accepting rights, responsibilities, and assertiveness) with the following Big Factors of Personality: Extraversion, agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness on one side, and significant and negative correlation between extraversion and the following sub dimensions of social skills : Accepting criticism, Showing respect, Accepting rights, responsibility and Self-esteem on the other side.

Methods

Participants

Participants in the study were 225 children (115 boys and 110 girls) aged from 10 to 12 years of age (M=11.2 male, and 11.5 female), attending all primary school located in Aleppo City.

Materials

Social Skills Measure (SSM): The questionnaire developed by present researcher, and consisting of 60 items divided into five sub-scales (Accepting criticism, showing respect, solving problems, accepting rights and responsibilities, tolerance of individual differences, assertiveness). The number of questions in each subscale consisted 12-items. Keeping in view the age group of the respondents three-point scale was used i.e. never, sometimes and always. The validity of the instrument was ensured through expert opinion on the correspondence between curricular content and questions included in the instrument. The Cranach alpha reliability of the questionnaire was 0.84. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES): The scale consisted 10-items that measures global self-worth by measuring both positive and negative feelings about the self. The scale is believed to be one-dimensional. All items are answered using a 5-point likert scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. (e. g. "on the whole, I am satisfied with myself", "At times I think I am no good at all", "I feel that I have a number of good qualities"). The internal consistency for the sample was 0.86. Big Five Inventory (BFI): BFI Developed by John and In the current study, as essence step of data analysis, mean and standard deviation were conducted. Person's correlation between subscales of social skills, self-esteem and BFPF, and the results presented in table 1.

Srivastava (1999), and consisting (44) items that measure an individual on the Five Factors (dimensions) of personality. Each of the factors is then further divided into personality facets. The child could answer on a 5- point likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (disagree strongly, disagree a little, neither agree nor disagree, agree a little, agree strongly). The BFI scale scoring (“R” denotes reverse-scored items): Extraversion: 1, 6R, 11, 16, 21R, 26, 31R, 36 Agreeableness: 2R, 7, 12R, 17, 22, 27R, 32, 37R, 42 Conscientiousness: 3, 8R, 13,18R, 23R, 28, 33, 38, 43R Neuroticism: 4, 9R, 14, 19, 24R, 29, 34R, 39 Openness: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35R, 40, 41R, 44 The present study found very good internal consistency for the current sample, (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.88).

Data Collection and Statistics

After conducting the schools, the author explained the background of the study to the counselors and teachers. Subsequently the children were informed about the objectives of the study. The participants of children who were authorized in this study, completed the self-report (SSM), (RSES) and (BFI) individually, with the presence of one of the counselors who was ready to answer questions in case of any doubt. The statistical package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) was used for the analysis. Descriptive parameters were shown as mean, standard deviation. Pearson's correlation tests were used to evaluate the relationship between the (SSM), (RSES) and (BFI).

Results

VariablesExtraversionAgreeablenessConscientiousnessNeuroticismOpenness
Accepting criticism0.31*0.42*0.24*-0.230.43*
Showing respect0.27*0.32*0.34*-0.19**0.33*
Solving problems0.25*0.29*0.42*0.13**0.38*
Accepting rights and
responsibility		0.37*0.47*0.34*-0.25*0.36*
Assertiveness0.220.23*0.19**0.13**0.39*
Self-esteem0.29*0.53*0.28*-0.35*0.51*

Table 1: Correlation between social skills, self-esteem and Big Five Factors of personality.

*sig.0.01, **sig.0.05 Table 1: Correlation between social skills, self-esteem and Big Five Factors of personality.

As seen in table 1, accepting criticism had significant (sig.0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R= 0.31), agreeableness (R=0.42), conscientiousness (R=0.24,) and openness (R= 0.43). Showing respect had also significant (0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R=0. 27), agreeableness (R= 0.32), conscientiousness (R= 0.34), and openness (R = 0.33). Solving problems had significant (0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R= 0.25),), agreeableness (R= 0.29), conscientiousness (R=0.42), and with openness (R= 0.38). Accepting rights and responsibilities had significant (0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R= 0.37),), agreeableness (R= 0.47), conscientiousness (R=0.34), and with openness (R= 0.36). Assertiveness had also significant (0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R= 0.22),), agreeableness (R= 0.23), and with openness (R= 0.39). Self-esteem had significant (0.01) positive correlation with extraversion (R= 0.29),), agreeableness (R= 0.53), conscientiousness (R=0.28), and with openness (R= 0.51). The person correlation coefficients obtained from the analysis of the relations between subscales of social skills and neuroticism revealed significant negative correlations between extraversion and the following dimensions of social skills: accepting criticism (- 0.23, sig 0.01) , showing respects (- 0.19, sig. 0.05), accepting rights and responsibilities ( - 0.25. sig.0.01) and self-esteem ( -0.35, sig.0.01).

Discussion

The purpose of this research was to examine the correlation between social skills, self-esteem and Big Five Factors of Personality in children. When we analyzed the results gained in this study, we found that there was a positive and significant relationship between all the sub dimensions of the social skills (accepting criticism, showing respect, solving problems, accepting rights and responsibilities, and assertiveness) with the following big factors of personality: Extraversion, agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness on one side, and significant negative correlation between extraversion and the following sub dimensions of social skills : Accepting criticism, Showing respect, Accepting rights, responsibility and Self-esteem on the other side. Personality Traits divided into two sections: first, normal personality traits such as openness, sociability, acceptability, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Second, abnormal or psychopathological personality traits such as neuroticism, hysteric, impulsive personality, paranoid, antisocial, and depressed personality [24]. Studies revealed that interpersonal skills were positively related to emotional regulation, school readiness, social confidence, and family involvement. There was also a statistically significant positive relationship between self- control and emotional regulation, school readiness, social confidence, and family involvement [11]. Some studies confirmed that, there was a statistically significant positive relationship between verbal explanation and emotional regulation, school readiness, social confidence, and family involvement. There was also a statistically significant positive relationship between listening skills and emotional regulation, school readiness, social confidence, and family involvement. Some investigators have found negative relation between interpersonal sensitivity and self-esteem. Neuroticism represents the personality trait that predisposing the child to anxiety disorders. Among the factors that have been identified as predictors of anxiety and depression are low frustration tolerance, and the social integration decreases depressive and anxiety symptoms. Block and Block discussed the development of ego control, a variable that combine elements of low in Extravesion and high in Conscientiousness [25, 26, 27]. Are these dimensions indistinguishable in early childhood, hesitating a theory of their developmental differentiation? Or have theorists mistakenly conflated two independent dimension? A child who is high in both Extraversion and Conscientiousness may have the same average level of ego control as one who is low on both dimensions, and both children show the same social and emotional development [22]. Some researches indicated that the social skills have not developed in the children. As far as level of the social skills is concerned, Showing Respect social skill was more developed as compared to Tolerance of Individual Differences. There was significant difference between Showing Respect social skill and Tolerance of Individual Differences social skill, but there was no significant difference between Accepting Criticism, Showing Respect, Solving Problems and Accepting Rights and Responsibilities social skills [21, 28]. Another outcome revealed by Cartledge, Adedapo, and Johnson, that there was statistically significant difference between male and female students on the subscales of Accepting Criticism and Accepting Rights and Responsibilities, the male students have developed more social skills than female students have. While significant difference was also found between genders on the subscales Tolerance of Individual Differences, female students have developed more social skills than male students have. It has been found the pattern of scoring associated high neuroticism, low conscientiousness, low agreeableness, and low extraversion with clinical disorders. Comparisons of diagnostic and norm groups showed higher levels of Neuroticism and lower levels of Extraversion than did studies of correlations between measures of the level of a disorder and measures of the Big Five Factors. Studies of observer ratings of the Big Five Factors showed lower levels of Neuroticism and Openness than did studies using self-report ratings [23]. Psychopathological symptoms have a significant and negative relation with the capacity of cooperation, and with social skills, as well as a positive correlation with inappropriate assertiveness, impulsiveness, overconfidence, and jealousy-withdrawal [21]. Additionally, psychopathological traits of personality have a significant negative relation with emotional stability, mental openness, and with sociability and responsibility. Healthy social development lays the groundwork for successful social adaptation and effective social relations. In order to start and continue friendship relationships and to deal with the problems in relationships children must be emotionally healthy. In this period, any failure experienced in social skills might lead to behavioral problems that might continue in adolescence and adulthood. Inadequate social skills and developmental problems lead to behavioral problems and rejection by peers. Children with few social skills have unsuccessful interactions with their peers, which alienate and marginalize them from social relationships. In addition, these children cannot develop social skills and face new behavioral problems. Having inadequate social skills causes the individual to fail in interpersonal relationships in adaptation to the environment and to encounter problems in establishing and pursuing emotional and social relationships. Our findings, which suggest that there is a relationship between children having few social skills and few behavioral and emotional skills compared with their peers, are consistent with these findings. Our general findings reveal that social skills influence behavior and emotional skills in six-year- old children. Programs in preschools should, therefore, include activities for developing social skills. In addition, activities carried out with parents should teach them about the development of social skills in their children and these skills will contribute to the development of their children’s behavioral and emotional development and adjustment.

Conclusion

The purpose of this research was to examine the correlation between social skills, self-esteem and BFPF of children. The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between all the sub dimensions of the social skills (accepting criticism, showing respect, solving problems, accepting rights and responsibilities, and assertiveness) with the following big factors of personality: Extraversion, agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness on one hand, and significant negative correlation between extraversion and the following sub dimensions of social skills : Accepting criticism, Showing respect, Accepting rights, responsibility and Self-esteem on the other hand. Indeed, personality development begins with the biological foundations of temperament but becomes increasingly elaborated, extended, and refined over time. In addition, personality is made up of many other features besides temperament. Children’s developing self-concept, their motivations to achieve or to socialize, their values and goals, their coping styles, their sense of responsibility and conscientiousness, and many other qualities are encompassed into personality. These qualities are influenced by biological dispositions, but even more by the child’s experiences with others, particularly in close relationships, that guide the growth of individual characteristics. Social and personality development is built from the social, biological, and representational influences discussed above. These influences result in important developmental outcomes that matter to children, parents, and society: a young adult’s capacity to engage in socially constructive actions (helping, caring, sharing with others), to curb hostile or aggressive impulses, to live according to meaningful moral values, to develop a healthy identity and sense of self, self-esteem and to develop talents and achieve success in using them. These are some of the developmental outcomes that denote social and emotional competence. Childhood social and personality development emerges through the interaction of social influences, biological maturation, and the child’s representations of the social world and the self. This interaction is illustrated in a discussion of the influence of significant relationships, the development of social understanding, the growth of personality, and the development of social and emotional competence in childhood. Understanding social and personality development requires looking at children from three perspectives that interact to shape development. The first is the social context in which each child lives, especially the relationships that provide security, guidance, and knowledge. The second is biological maturation that supports developing social and emotional competencies and underlies temperamental individuality and personality traits. The third is children’s developing representations of themselves and the social world. Social and personality development is best understood as the continuous interaction between these social, biological, and representational aspects of psychological development. For social development, a child has to make friends and get involved in a circle of friends. Friendship provides the child with skills, an environment and conditions for learning, development, , emotional and cognitive support. A child learns to protect his/her rights and to respect other people’s rights and responsibilities through group friendships. A child adopts the methods and rules of social life.

Recommendations

These findings might be beneficial in our culture for further improvement of social skills through direct instruction. In this area several suggestions may prove helpful. Social skills should be integrated into the academic curriculum. This study only assesses the development of social skills at elementary level. Future researches are needed to evaluate the development of social skills among children and its relationship with personality traits and self-concept. Researchers are also needed to determine the role of school, teachers, parents and community to develop healthy social skills and self- esteem among their children.

Acknowledgments

The author are thankful to his colloquies of Faculty of Education College at Aleppo University for reviewing the instrument study, and to psychological counselors in the schools for their administration and application the researches' measures.

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@article{abdullah2017,
  title   = {The Relationship between Social Skills, Self-Esteem and Big Five Personality Factors among Children},
  author  = {Abdullah MQ},
  journal = {Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal},
  year    = {2017},
  volume  = {2},
  number  = {3},
  doi     = {10.23880/pprij-16000129}
}
Abdullah MQ (2017). The Relationship between Social Skills, Self-Esteem and Big Five Personality Factors among Children. Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.23880/pprij-16000129
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The Relationship between Social Skills, Self-Esteem and Big Five Personality Factors among Children
AU  - Abdullah MQ
JO  - Psychology & Psychological Research International Journal
PY  - 2017
VL  - 2
IS  - 3
DO  - 10.23880/pprij-16000129
ER  -