Boosting self-esteem may reduce materialism in preschoolers, new study suggests

A newly published study has found that building self-esteem in preschool-aged children may help reduce early signs of materialism, particularly in children who are already developing perspective-taking and empathy skills.

The peer-reviewed research, published in Scientific Reports, explored the connection between self-worth, materialistic values, and theory of mind (ToM) in children aged four to six. It provides fresh insights for educators, psychologists and early childhood leaders seeking to better understand how young children develop social values and personal identity.

The study, titled The role of theory of mind in how increasing preschoolers’ self-esteem affects their materialism: an experimental study, was conducted by researchers from Renmin University of China and Capital Normal University. It tested the effects of a self-esteem intervention on 204 children from Chinese kindergartens, using validated assessments and experimental tasks.

The researchers focused on two key psychological concepts:

• Materialism: The importance placed on possessions as a source of happiness or status.
• Theory of Mind (ToM): A child’s ability to understand that other people have thoughts, beliefs and feelings that may be different from their own.

Findings revealed that children with more developed ToM skills,  meaning they could better interpret others’ perspectives, tended to be less materialistic if they had higher self-esteem. However, for children with lower ToM ability, increasing self-esteem did not significantly affect materialism.

The authors concluded that “theory of mind is a key condition for the effect of self-esteem on materialism” highlighting how emotional development and social cognition interact during early childhood.

The study provides early evidence that intentional self-esteem building when combined with developmentally appropriate social-emotional learning could help shift children’s focus from owning things toward forming healthy social relationships and identities.

For early childhood educators, this aligns with well-established practices under the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which emphasises a sense of belonging, being and becoming. Encouraging collaboration, empathy, and emotional literacy may be as important as supporting cognitive and physical development.

While the findings are early-stage and based on a specific cultural sample, they highlight a growing global focus on the impact of consumer culture on children’s wellbeing.

Based on this study and broader literature, early learning services may consider:

• Embedding self-esteem supports into daily routines, through encouragement, achievable challenges, and affirming children’s individuality.
• Fostering theory of mind through storytelling, role-play, and emotion-based discussions that help children consider how others feel or think.
• Limiting branded and commercial imagery in learning environments where possible, to reduce external cues linked to materialism.
• Encouraging prosocial behaviour — such as sharing, helping and team play as alternatives to competition or possession-based interaction.

By focusing on these areas, educators can strengthen protective factors and reduce the risk of children developing early signs of materialism as a coping strategy or social shortcut.

This study adds to a growing body of international research examining how early experiences and socialisation shape children’s values. Materialism has been linked in later life to lower wellbeing, decreased empathy, and reduced academic and social outcomes, making early prevention a priority for researchers and educators alike.

Further investigation is needed to understand how different cultural and social contexts influence the relationship between self-esteem, empathy and materialism in children. However, the message is clear: helping children feel valued for who they are, not what they own, is essential to holistic development.

Source: Li, L., Sun, S., Wang, Y., Liu, Q., Zhu, X., & Wang, Q. (2025). The role of theory of mind in how increasing preschoolers’ self-esteem affects their materialism: an experimental study. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-26801-8
This article is based on an open-access study published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).