Is unsure how to understand his or her personal strengths and weaknesses, or how to explain them to others
Has trouble evaluating and reflecting on his or her behavior in social interactions
Inadequate language skills
Has limited vocabulary, or has difficulty retrieving the right words for the situation
Has trouble with topic selection
Talks around a topic, providing extraneous, less critical information in response to a question
When asked to expand on something, is more likely to repeat rather than clarify his or her point
In conversation, is more likely than peers to rely on gestures
Is unsure when to end a conversation.
Inaccurate perceptions about social status
Has difficulty knowing how he or she fits in to a peer group, which often results in "hanging back," being passive or "sticking out" in a crowd for trying too hard to belong
Has limited success getting noticed in positive ways within a peer group
Is perceived as less popular and therefore more frequently rejected or ignored by peers - sometimes resulting in further self-imposed isolation.
Inaccurate perceptions about ability to effect change
Believes that outcomes are controlled by external influences (luck, chance, fate) rather than as a result of his or her own efforts
Assumes a posture of "learned helplessness:" believes that because he or she struggled with something in the past, there is little they can do to change a negative outcome in the future, so they stop trying and hope for the best.
What Strategies Help Build Self-Esteem and Confidence?
In their book, The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence and Personal Strength in Your Life, Dr. Robert Brooks and Dr. Sam Goldstein offer parents guideposts to help children and adolescents develop the strength and skills they need to cope successfully with the challenges they face. Here are some key things, adapted from the book, that parents can do to help:
Be empathetic. See the world through your children's eyes.
Communicate with respect. Don't interrupt or put them down; answer their questions.
Give undivided attention. Children feel loved when we spend one-on-one time with them.
Accept and love children for who they are. This will allow them to feel more secure in reaching out to others and learning how to solve problems.
Give children a chance to contribute. This communicates your faith in their abilities and gives them a sense of responsibility.
Treat mistakes as learning experiences. Children whose parents overreact to mistakes tend to avoid taking risks, then end up blaming others for their problems.
Emphasize their strengths. A sense of accomplishment and pride give children the confidence to persevere when they face challenges.
Let them solve problems and make decisions. Avoid telling children what to do; encourage them to come up with solutions to problems.
Discipline to teach. Do not discipline in a way that intimidates or humiliates your child.
Raskind, Marshall H., et al. (1999). Patterns of Change and Predictors of Success in Individuals with Learning Disabilities: Results From a Twenty-Year Longitudinal Study. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice 14, 135-49.
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My child is struggling 
Now that my child has 
