THE HOME MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Dr. Stanley Coppersmith, associate professor of psychology at University of California studied 1,738 middle class boys and their families, beginning in the pre-adolescent period and following them through to young manhood. After identifying those boys having the highest self esteem and self control, he compared their homes and childhood influences with those having a lower sense of self esteem and self-control. He found three important characteristics that distinguished them from one another. 1. The children with high self-esteem were clearly more loved and appreciated at home. 2. The high esteemed group came from homes where the parents had been significantly more strict in their approach to discipline. In contrast, the parents of the low self-esteem group had created insecurity and dependence by their permissiveness. 3. The homes of the high self-esteem boys were characterized by democracy and openness. They had freedom within the set boundaries for individual growth and expression without the fear of ridicule. There was an atmosphere…
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