Resumo

LEMOS, Viviana. Child personality and environmental risk due to poverty. Interdisciplinaria [online]. 2009, vol.26, n.1, pp.5-22. ISSN 1668-7027.

An individual's context affects the way in which their biological and psychological subsystems function and interacts with each other. While individuals are normally able to manipulate their environment, personality factors increase or diminish their context characteristics, which at the same time influence personality. Heredity and socio-environmental personality factors should not be considered separate elements, but rather a holistic approach as an individual-environment system that functions as a whole. Therefore, an unfavorable environment is a socio-environmental variable that interacts with children's heredity, thus influencing the development of certain personality traits. Based on the above, the specific goal of our research was to compare personality characteristics of children at risk due to poverty and children without risk due to poverty. We applied the Child Personality Questionnaire for Argentina (Cuestionario Argentino de Personalidad Infantil - CAPI) for children aged 6 to 8 (Lemos, 2005). We compared personality profiles from both groups through MANOVA, as well as comparisons of means and graphic profiles. Based on this analysis, we observed significant differences regarding personality factors [F de Hotelling (5, 168) = 2.47; p = .035], as well as facets [F de Hotelling (14, 159) = 2.607; p = .002], among children at risk due to poverty and those who were not. There were significant differences particularly in Conscientiousness [F(1) = 4.35; p = .038] and the following facets: competence [F(1) = 4.652; p = .032], vulnerability [F(1) = 9.732; p = .002], gregariousness and positive affect [F(1) = 8.338; p = .004], order [F(1) = 6.798; p = .010] and action [F(1) = 4.233; p = .041]. The tendencies of the results are as follows: the group at risk scored lower in Conscientiousness, and regarding facets: competence, gregariousness, positive affect, order, action and vulnerability. With regards to Conscientiousness, which includes order, organization and responsibility as facets, Vanistendael (1995) states that children at risk usually have lower levels of achievement motivation. A child's impulsivity and lack of ability to postpone gratification, particularly of children at risk, generally affects them negatively in this aspect. Regarding lower levels in the competence facet, this could be related to other results found in the same group of children at risk, which showed lower levels of self-esteem, as well as of self-sufficiency, and lower levels of self-efficacy (Ghiglione, 2007). In relation to the vulnerability facet, defined for our purposes as lack of independence, we could suppose that depending on someone naturally implies that there be someone who can be depended upon and in whom to seek shelter. These children have little trust in their parents' love and perceive them as unavailable, together with diminished efforts at seeking a social support group and lack of a social network (Richaud de Minzi, 2006). Low scores in relation to the positve affect facet is probably due to the fact that children who are exposed to poverty usually have a more negative view of the world and more feelings of hopelessness (Kotliarenco, 1997). Last but not least, regarding low scores in the action facet, which is part of the Openness factor, in a previous study on coping strategies, this group of children at risk showed more paralization at both cognitive and emotional levels (Richaud de Minzi and Lemos, 2008). In spite of the results which show that children at risk due to poverty have a more vulnerable personality profile, we hope to strengthen their resources through therapeutic interventions. The stories of resilient children show that faith and trust can be developed and sustained, even amidst adverse circumstances. However, this happens only when these children find people who give meaning to their lives, as well as reasons for them to trust life. This is our great challenge.

Palavras-chave : Child personality; Environmental risk; Poverty; Resilience.

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