Understanding the development of self-identity in young children :a case study of two muslim Malaysian children

Abstract

Today many Muslim adolescents are involved in social ills such as having premarital sex, addicted to drugs and alcoholism, all of which are forbidden in Islam. Theoretically, studies have shown that those adolescents involved in these activities usually do not have a good bonding with their parents during early childhood. Consequently, it does not give them a good foundation of their proper identity. This research is related to this issue in the sense that it is an exploratory study of Muslim children’s understanding of their self-identity. It was conducted in a public preschool in a low socio-economic community in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. The subjects were two pre-schoolers’ aged five years old whose understanding of self-identity in relation to gender, religious practices, moral values and racial identity were investigated. The subjects were also examined for the reasons of their conformity to adults’ rules and regulations. This study was based on Erikson’s theory of psychosocial identity and Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. It was conducted using semi-structured interview protocols using pictures related to gender, various religious practices and racial identity. The findings showed that the five-year-old children were able to recognize their identity in relation to gender, religious practice and racial group. They were also able to distinguish between good and bad values. It was also found that children conformed to adults’ instructions because they were afraid of being punished. This study is important not only to parents and teachers, but also to policymakers and curriculum developers, who should be able to assist children in creating and shaping positive identities. It is recommended that future studies be conducted to extend the age group of the respondents and include other individuals such as parents and teachers’ perspectives.