Improving Confidence and Self-Esteem Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children: A Social Emotional Learning Intervention in Rural China
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. SEL-Based Interventions to Enhance Confidence and Self-Esteem
1.2. Cognitive Behavioral Approach in SEL-Based Interventions
1.3. SEL in Mainland China
1.4. The Strong Emphasis on Academic Achievement in China
1.5. The Necessity and Main Aims of the Current Study
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Intervention Implementation
2.2. Participants
2.3. Data Collection and Measurements
2.4. Ethics
2.5. Data Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Sociodemographic and Background Information
3.2. The Scores of Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy at Three Assessments
3.3. Intervention Effects on Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy
3.4. Qualitative Interviews
4. Discussion
5. Implications for Future Research
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
SEL | Social and emotional learning |
UNICEF | United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund |
RSES | Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale |
GSES | General self-efficacy scale |
LMM | Linear mixed models |
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Total (555) | Control (325) | Intervention (230) | χ2 | p | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sex | 1.15 | 0.28 | |||
Male | 272 (49) | 166 (51.1) | 106 (46.1) | ||
Female | 283 (51) | 159 (48.9) | 124 (53.9) | ||
Grade | 10.98 | 0.03 | |||
2nd | 103 (18.6) | 65 (20) | 38 (16.5) | ||
3rd | 116 (20.9) | 64 (19.7) | 52 (22.6) | ||
4th | 143 (25.8) | 78 (24) | 65 (28.3) | ||
5th | 109 (19.6) | 57 (17.5) | 52 (22.6) | ||
6th | 84 (15.1) | 61 (18.8) | 23 (10) | ||
Live with | 8.63 | 0.01 | |||
Both parents | 326 (58.7) | 201 (67.9) | 125 (55.8) | ||
One parent | 117 (21.1) | 60 (20.3) | 57 (25.4) | ||
Neither parent | 77 (13.9) | 35 (11.8) | 42 (18.8) | ||
Father migrant worker | 7.49 | 0.02 | |||
Yes | 318 (57.3) | 182 (56.7) | 136 (59.4) | ||
No | 151 (27.2) | 100 (31.2) | 51 (22.3) | ||
Do not know | 81 (14.6) | 39 (12.1) | 42 (18.3) | ||
Mother migrant worker | 4.83 | 0.09 | |||
Yes | 180 (32.4) | 104 (32.5) | 76 (33.2) | ||
No | 308 (55.5) | 188 (58.8) | 120 (52.4) | ||
Don’t know | 61 (11) | 28 (8.8) | 33 (14.4) | ||
Family economic status | 0.002 | 0.96 | |||
Above average | 178 (32.1) | 104 (32) | 74 (32.2) | ||
Average or below | 284 (51.2) | 164 (50.5) | 120 (52.2) | ||
Academic performance | 4.82 | 0.09 | |||
Top 30% | 216 (38.9) | 130 (40.1) | 86 (38.4) | ||
Middle 50% | 211 (38) | 114 (35.2) | 97 (43.3) | ||
Bottom 20% | 121 (21.8) | 80 (24.7) | 41 (18.3) |
Treatment Group | ||||||||
Control | Intervention | |||||||
n | Mean (SD) | n | Mean (SD) | t | d | p | ||
Self-esteem | Assessment 1 | 320 | 12.28 (2.61) | 229 | 12.14 (2.8) | 0.58 | 0.05 | 0.56 |
Assessment 2 | 313 | 12.63 (2.73) | 224 | 12.96 (2.86) | −1.31 | −0.11 | 0.19 | |
Assessment 3 | 325 | 12.4 (2.93) | 230 | 12 (2.84) | 1.58 | 0.14 | 0.11 | |
Self-efficacy | Assessment 1 | 322 | 8.9 (2.27) | 225 | 9.1 (2.34) | −0.75 | −0.07 | 0.46 |
Assessment 2 | 324 | 9.28 (2.18) | 229 | 9.11 (2.19) | 0.87 | 0.08 | 0.39 | |
Assessment 3 | 325 | 8.9 (2.35) | 230 | 8.82 (2.15) | 0.65 | 0.06 | 0.52 | |
Family Economic Status | ||||||||
Above Average | Average or Below | |||||||
n | Mean (SD) | n | Mean (SD) | t | d | p | ||
Self-esteem | Assessment 1 | 177 | 13.08 (2.53) | 281 | 12.04 (2.55) | 4.28 | 0.41 | <0.001 |
Assessment 2 | 174 | 13.36 (2.6) | 274 | 12.59 (2.82) | 2.95 | 0.29 | 0.003 | |
Assessment 3 | 178 | 12.87 (2.67) | 284 | 12.06 (2.81) | 3.13 | 0.30 | 0.002 | |
Self-efficacy | Assessment 1 | 177 | 9.49 (2.27) | 279 | 8.71 (2.28) | 3.54 | 0.34 | <0.001 |
Assessment 2 | 178 | 9.65 (2.19) | 283 | 9.1 (2.12) | 2.68 | 0.26 | 0.008 | |
Assessment 3 | 178 | 9.39 (2.07) | 284 | 8.79 (2.21) | 2.96 | 0.28 | 0.003 |
Model on Self-Esteem | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed effect | |||||
Coefficient (B) | 95%CI | SE | t | p | |
Intervention | −0.16 | [−0.63, 0.32] | 0.24 | −0.65 | 0.52 |
Assessment 2 | 0.24 | [−0.08, 0.57] | 0.17 | 1.45 | 0.15 |
Assessment 3 | 0.02 | [−0.31, 0.34] | 0.16 | 0.1 | 0.92 |
Intervention × Assessment 2 | 0.57 | [0.07, 1.07] | 0.25 | 2.24 | 0.025 |
Intervention × Assessment 3 | −0.18 | [−0.67, 0.31] | 0.25 | −0.72 | 0.47 |
Random effect | |||||
Variance | S.D. | ||||
Participant (Intercept) | 3.39 | 1.84 | |||
Residual | 4.1 | 2.03 | |||
Model fit | |||||
R2 | Marginal | Conditional | |||
0.04 | 0.48 | ||||
Model on self-efficacy | |||||
Fixed effect | |||||
Coefficient (B) | 95%CI | SE | t | p | |
Intervention | 0.18 | [−0.21, 0.57] | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.37 |
Assessment 2 | 0.38 | [0.08, 0.67] | 0.15 | 2.52 | 0.01 |
Assessment 3 | 0.03 | [−0.26, 0.32] | 0.15 | 0.22 | 0.83 |
Intervention × Assessment 2 | −0.32 | [−0.77, 0.13] | 0.23 | −1.41 | 0.16 |
Intervention × Assessment 3 | −0.28 | [−0.73, 0.17] | 0.23 | −1.21 | 0.23 |
Random effect | |||||
Variance | S.D. | ||||
Participant (Intercept) | 1.58 | 1.26 | |||
Residual | 3.4 | 1.83 | |||
Model fit | |||||
R2 | Marginal | Conditional | |||
0.02 | 0.33 |
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Li, J.; Zhu, L.; Hesketh, T. Improving Confidence and Self-Esteem Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children: A Social Emotional Learning Intervention in Rural China. Behav. Sci. 2025, 15, 1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101352
Li J, Zhu L, Hesketh T. Improving Confidence and Self-Esteem Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children: A Social Emotional Learning Intervention in Rural China. Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 15(10):1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101352
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Jiameng, Lin Zhu, and Therese Hesketh. 2025. "Improving Confidence and Self-Esteem Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children: A Social Emotional Learning Intervention in Rural China" Behavioral Sciences 15, no. 10: 1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101352
APA StyleLi, J., Zhu, L., & Hesketh, T. (2025). Improving Confidence and Self-Esteem Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children: A Social Emotional Learning Intervention in Rural China. Behavioral Sciences, 15(10), 1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15101352