Young children are consistently faced with problems that are beyond their limited range of experiences. These problems range from abuse and neglect to frightening uncertainty about the future. One method for reducing the negative consequences associated with these threats to normal development is the enhancement of young children's self concepts. Contemporary researchers have suggested that school and clinic personnel view self-concept as a self-descriptive behavior that is observable, measurable, and situation-specific. Two (perceptual and operational) models have dominated the debate on the construct of self-concept and a logical extension of both is that self-concept can be operationally enhanced. In this article, the authors discuss the self-concept of young children with special needs and delineate operational self-concept enhancement strategies that school and clinic personnel will find helpful in planning interventions for them.
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