What Do People Think About Themselves? (CYP)

An exercise designed to help children and young people explore their self-beliefs, and to understand how they are formed through life experiences.

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Professional version

Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Client version

Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

What Do People Think About Themselves? is a thought-provoking exercise focusing on self-esteem and self-beliefs in children and young people. It facilitates discussions around children's perceptions of themselves, and provides a platform for young people to explore connections between personal experiences and self-beliefs. This resource is particularly useful for introducing the concept of self-esteem.

Why Use This Resource?

Low self-esteem is not a formal diagnostic label in the DSM or ICD, but remains a significant psychological concern that is linked with various mental health issues.

  • Encourages exploration of self-beliefs in a straightforward way.
  • Helps young people understand the link between experiences and self-perception.
  • Supports the development of healthier self-beliefs and assumptions.

Key Benefits

Exploration

Encourages children to explore how self-beliefs are formed.

Awareness

Raises awareness of cognitive biases affecting self-esteem.

Understanding

Helps link experiences to self-perception.

Development

Aids in developing healthier self-beliefs.

Who is this for?

Low Self-Esteem

Negative sense of self without a formal diagnostic label.

Trauma-Related Beliefs

Where adverse life experiences have affected self-image.

Integrating it into your practice

01

Introduce

Present the exercise as a conversation starter to explore self-beliefs.

02

Discuss

Use the suggested questions to engage children in considering how experiences shape self-perception.

03

Explore

Encourage reflection on personal experiences and the development of beliefs about the self.

04

Reflect

Guide clients to understand the fairness and accuracy of their self-summaries.

05

Support

Provide a safe space to discuss and re-evaluate negative self-perceptions.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

The cognitive behavioral framework underpins this exercise, emphasizing the role of experiences in shaping self-beliefs. Negative self-beliefs are self-reinforcing, influencing perceptions, thoughts, and emotions. By understanding and challenging these beliefs, clients can develop healthier cognitive patterns. Discussions around these themes should be empathetic and patient, with attention to the coherence between experiences and personal identity narratives.

What's inside

  • Illustrated exercise for children and young people.
  • Vignettes for discussion of different self-perceptions.
  • Instructions for facilitating guided exploration.
  • A framework for linking experiences to self-beliefs.
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FAQs

This exercise offers a structured method for children to articulate and explore self-beliefs, allowing them and therapists to collaboratively investigate the origins and accuracies of these beliefs.
Primarily designed for children and young adolescents. It's important to adjust discussions based on the child's developmental stage.
Yes, it can facilitate group discussions by providing a common platform for sharing and reflecting on experiences related to self-esteem.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

This resource enhances therapy by:

  • Facilitating dialogue about self-perception and esteem.
  • Promoting insight into cognitive biases.
  • Supporting clients in reshaping negative self-beliefs.
  • Providing a collaborative framework for therapy sessions focused on self-worth.

References And Further Reading

  • Bolger, K. E., Patterson, C. J., & Kupersmidt, J. B. (1998). Peer relationships and self‐esteem among children who have been maltreated. Child Development, 69(4), 1171-1197.
  • Fennell, M. J. (1997). Low self-esteem: A cognitive perspective. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 25(1), 1-26.
  • van Geel, M., Goemans, A., Zwaanswijk, W., Gini, G., & Vedder, P. (2018). Does peer victimization predict low self-esteem, or does low self-esteem predict peer victimization? Meta-analyses on longitudinal studies. Developmental Review, 49, 31-40.
  • Pinquart, M. (2013). Self‐esteem of children and adolescents with chronic illness: a meta‐analysis. Child: Care, Health and Development, 39(2), 153-161.
  • Weindl, D., Knefel, M., Glück, T. M., Tran, U. S., & Lueger-Schuster, B. (2018). Motivational capacities after prolonged interpersonal childhood trauma in institutional settings in a sample of Austrian adult survivors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 76, 194-203.