The present research investigated a study on self - esteem and academic performance of family reared and institutionalized orphan children. The sample of this study was composed of 160 children (80 children from orphan institutions and 80 children living with their both parents in their homes (father and mother). In present study non - probability purposive sampling method was used. Children of family reared i.e. living with their both parents (father and mother) were drawn from different private schools of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir and orphan children were drawn from orphanages of same area. Jonathan Berent’s Self esteem Scale (1994) was separately managed to all the research respondents. The author self study scale granted permission for its use in the current research. The children in orphanages accounts inferior degree of self - esteem than children living their both parents. Further the findings of present suggest that there was not found significant gender difference in self - esteem of the orphans and the children living with their parents. Therefore the findings of present research will encourage our perceptive of self - esteem and the personality of family reared and in orphanages children.