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Psychosocial Development
in Middle Childhood:
Lecture Chapter 14
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Middle Childhood (6-12)
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What are some significant milestones of
middle childhood?
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Physical
Cognitive
Social
Emotional
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Guideposts for Study
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1. How do school-age children develop
a realistic self-concept, and what
contributes to self-esteem?
2. How do school-age children show
emotional growth?
3. How do parent-child relationships
change in middle childhood?
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Guideposts for Study
 4.
What are the effects of parents' work
and of poverty on family atmosphere?
 5. What impact does family structure
have on children's development?
 6. How do siblings influence and get
along with one another?
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Guideposts for Study
 7.
How do relationships with peers
change in middle childhood, and what
influences popularity and choice of
friends?
 8. What are the most common forms of
aggressive behavior in middle
childhood, and what influences
contribute to it?
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Guideposts for Study
 9.
What are some common emotional
disturbances, and how are they treated?
 10. How do the stresses of modern life
affect children, and what enables
"resilient" children to withstand them?
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The Developing Self:
Representational Systems
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_______________________________:
judgments about the self become more
realistic, more balanced, more
comprehensive, and more consciously
expressed in middle childhood

“I’m a bit shy, but I’m honest and quite
smart and I work very hard. I’m religious,
which is important to me…”
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The Developing Self con’t
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Can focus on more than one dimension
of personality
Can compare one’s _________ self
with one’s ___________ self and judge
how well one measures up to social
standards in comparison with others
All of these changes contribute to the
development of _________________
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Self-Esteem
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__________ versus inferiority: virtue
that develops is _________________,
a view of the self as able to master
skills and complete tasks
Children rate physical appearance most
important to self-worth
___________ support from parents and
classmates, and friends and teachers is
important
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Emotional Growth
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Children become more __________
and inclined to prosocial behavior in
middle childhood
__________ of negative emotions is an
aspect of emotional growth
When parents show disapproval of, or
punish, negative emotions, children may
learn to hide such emotions
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Can you…
Identify some aspects of emotional
growth in middle childhood and tell how
parental treatment may affect children’s
handling of negative emotions?
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The Child in the Family
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Family Atmosphere
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School-aged children spend _______ time
away from home than when they were
younger and become ___ close to parents
Most important influences is the
______________ within the home
(supportive and loving or conflict ridden?)
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Parenting Issues
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Striving for _________________ during
preadolescence often leads to deterioration of
the quality of family problem solving and
negotiation
__________________ – transitional stage in
the control of behaviour in which parents
exercise general supervision and children
exercise moment-to-moment self-regulation
The way parents __________ conflicts more
important than the specific outcome
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Siblings
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In Asia, Africa,
South America,
siblings care for one
another
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Feeding, comforting,
disciplining,
assigning chores etc.
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Sibling Relationships
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The _______ of siblings in a family and
their spacing, birth order, and ________
often determine roles and relationships
Siblings influence each other, not only
__________, through their own
interactions, but indirectly, through their
impact on each other's relationship with
the parents
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The Child in the Peer Group:
Positive
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They develop skills
needed for __________
and intimacy
They enhance
relationships
They gain a sense of
____________
Frees them to make
independent judgments
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The Child in the Peer Group:
Negative
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A child is expected to ___________ peer
group’s values and behavioral norms, even if
undesirable, and children may not have the
strength to resist (ie. shoplift, use drugs)
The peer group may reinforce ___________
(unfavourable attitude toward “outsiders”,
especially members of certain racial or ethnic
groups)
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Popularity
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Peer relationships in middle childhood are
___________ predictors of later adjustment
Popular children typically
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have good _________________ abilities
are high achievers
are good at solving __________ problems
help other children
are _______________ without being disruptive
or aggressive
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Friendship
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Popularity is the peer group’s opinion of
a child, but friendship is a ______street
Friends:
know each other well
 ______________ each other
 feel a sense of commitment to one
another
 treat each other as ____________
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Friendship
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Children learn to ________________ and
cooperate, learn about themselves and
others, help each other get through stressful
transitions, inevitable quarrels help children
learn to resolve _____________
Friendships are deeper and more ________ in
middle childhood
______________ and time spent together are
factors in school-age friendships
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Aggression and Bullying
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During the school years, __________
aggression (aggression aimed at hurting its
target) becomes more common than
_______________ aggression (aggression
aimed at achieving an objective), the hallmark
of the preschool period
Aggressors tend to be _______________
and have social and psychological problems
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Bullying
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Aggression deliberately and persistently
directed against a particular target, or victim,
typically one who is weak, vulnerable, and
_____________________
___________ bullies tend to use physical
force (overt aggression)
Female bullies tend to use verbal or
psychological means (_____________
aggression) and are more likely to victimize
other ___________
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Aggression and Bullying
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______________ bias - children who seek
dominance and control may be especially
sensitive to slights, provocations, or other
threats to their status, see other children as
trying to hurt them
Instrumental aggressors view force and
coercion as _____________ ways to get
what they want (expect to be rewarded)
Aggressiveness can be reduced by cutting
down on television use
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
What can and
should be done
about children’s
exposure to violent
television programs?
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Common Emotional Disturbances
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____________ or mood disorders (feeling sad,
depressed, unloved, nervous, fearful, or lonely)
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___________________
separation anxiety disorder
___________________
generalized anxiety disorder
obsessive-compulsive disorder
Among the most prevalent mental health
problems in Canada for children and
adolescence
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Common Emotional
Disturbances

_____________conduct disorders
(aggression, defiance, or antisocial
behavior)
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
 conduct disorder (CD)
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Childhood depression: a disorder of
mood that goes beyond __________,
temporary sadness
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Stress and Resilience
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Stress that becomes ___________can
lead to psychological problems
Psychologist David Elkind has called
today's child the “______________" He
warns that the pressures of modern life
are forcing children to grow up too soon
and are making their childhood too
stressful
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The Resilient Child: Table 14-2
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_________________ Children – those
who weather adverse circumstances,
function well despite challenges or
threats, or bounce back from traumatic
events
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Protective factors

Help children overcome stress and contribute
to resilience
 Good relationship & strong bonds with at
least one ___________ parent or caregiver
 High _______ and good problem solvers
 Personality (adaptable, friendly, well liked,
independent, sensitive to others)
 Supportive school environment, success in
sports, music etc.
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
How can adults contribute to children’s
resilience? Give examples.
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
Can you…
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Explain Elkind’s concept of the “hurried
child”?
Name the most common source of fear and
anxiety in urban children and tell how fears
change with age?
Identify protective factors that contribute
to resilience?