Abstract: The Wuestionnaire of Maternal Behavior of Primary Schooldhildren,the Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and the Wuestionnaire of Maternal Background Factors were administered to the 3,4 and 5 graders of primary schools and their anthers from rural and urban areas to investigate the relation of maternal behavior to children's self-esteem.The results were as follows:(1) among all children no significant correlation was fond between wupportive maternal behaviors and children's self-esteem,but significant or extremely significant negative correlations were found between instrumental,informative and extreme unsupportive maternal behaviors and children's self-esteem;in contrast with the nonsignificant predicting effect of suportive maternal behavior group,the unsupportive maternal behavior group had a remarkable predicting deeect on children's self-esteem.(2) Significant difference existed armng the self-esteem scores of children raised under the four types of mothers and their correspondent behaviors,especially between the loosebound type and the strict type,with the former rmre higher.(3) no significant interaction was found armng the vaiables of the maternal behavior type,children's age,gender,whether single or not,and the anther's age,occupation,educational level,whether urban or rural.

Key words: maternal behavior, primary schoolchildren, self-esteem