Do Participant Trophies Make Children Narcissistic?

Parents know the world is not a forgiving place and want to nurture and build the self-esteem of their children.  This has created the recent trend of Participant Trophies which amounts to praising and rewarding children just for trying or just for even showing up.  However, new research brought to light by award-winning journalist and co-author of two New York Times best-seller, Ashley Merryman, points out the flaws of the Participant Trophy mentality.  She points out that the American Psychological Society "reported that boosting self-esteem doesn't lead to increased kindness, improved academic achievement or career success."  "In a Stanford University experiment, researchers asked preschoolers to draw a picture, but they told some kids that every participating child would receive the certificate.  The children expecting certificates spent less time coloring, and the quality of their drawings declined."  "And, a 2104 study in Psychological Science found that, when kids low in self-esteem were given inflated praise, they worked less and chose easier tasks.  Embarrassed by the insincere fuss, they withdrew."  In the end, "extravagant, universal praise, whether a verbal "You're a genius!" or a tangible trophies, can lead to narcissism."

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