Does Child Abuse Obstruct the Level of Self-Esteem in Adolescents?

Abstract

This piece of research intended to study the relationship between different types of child abuse and various domains of self-esteem among adolescents. Sample consisted of 120 students selected by stratified random sampling technique. Child Abuse Checklist (S. Pandey, 2012) was applied to identify the level and various forms of abuse. Further to assess self-esteem, modified version of Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory (1981) was used. Analysis was done using Bivariate and Multivariate analysis. Correlation results indicated a strong negative relationship among different forms of abuse and neglect i.e. physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual abuse and emotional neglect, educational neglect and various domains of self-esteem i.e. general self-esteem, social self-esteem, home and parents’ self-esteem, school and academic self-esteem. Further, Regression results have also proved the differential predicting roles of different forms of abuse on self-esteem (total) and its domains. Findings indicated that different forms of abuse have a detrimental impact on proper development of self-esteem.