Promoting Positive Identity Among Children in a School Curriculum

Abstract Positive identity development is the social-emotional process of forming a healthy self-awareness including high self-esteem and self-efficacy. This study examined the impact of a Best Possible Selves class that involved identifying individual strengths and setting goals on third and fourth graders' self-concept, self-esteem and self-efficacy. Participants included 112 private school third and fourth grade students ranging from 9-12 years of age. There were 56 participants in the intervention group (41 third grade and 16 fourth grade students) who attended the Best Possible Selves class twice a week for four weeks. Lessons and activities addressed social roles and life skills that each individual uses in their life and how to improve other life skills that are important for future goals. The control group (15 third grade and 40 fourth grade students) did not participate in the Best Possible Selves class. Pre-test and post-test scores were compared between the control group and the intervention group. Post-test scores revealed no differences between the control and intervention conditions in self-esteem or self-efficacy, but post-test scores did indicate an increase in self-concept reflective trait descriptions that increased over time among students in the intervention condition. This implies more self-awareness or understanding of individual traits due to the Best Possible Selves curriculum