The influence of the parent-child relationship on the self-concept of the Southern Sotho learner

Abstract

Those learners who generally struggle to relate to their teachers and peers, also appear to struggle with their parents. This research study is thus an investigation into the influence of the parent-child relationship on the self-concept of the Southern Sotho child.

A literature study was done and the major dimensions of the self-concept were identified, namely, the physical self, the academic self, the social self, the value self, the family self and the psychic self. A questionnaire was developed to measure the self-concept of the child. Another questionnaire was used to measure the parent-child relationship.

The results of the empirical investigation indicated that the parent-child relationship does have an influence on the self-concept of the Southern Sotho child, although certain contradictions to other research findings emerged. Problematic aspects of the research were discussed and recommendations for further research were made.