The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem in the Relation between Parental Abuse, Neglect and School Life Adjustment in Adolescent

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of parental abuse and neglect on school life adjustment mediated by selfesteem in adolescents. Participants consisted of 2,259 middle school students from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Study 2012. Secondary questionnaire data on parental abuse and neglect, self-esteem, and school life adjustment are used for this study. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Cronbach’s a, Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Baron and Kenny’s method determined the mediation effect. SPSS ver 18.0 was adopted. The results were as follows. First, parental abuse and neglect were negatively correlated with the adolescent school life adjustment; however self-esteem was positively correlated with adolescent school life adjustment. Second, the results of the regression analysis revealed that adolescent school life adjustment was influenced both directly and indirectly; parental abuse had a direct effect on adolescents’ school life adjustment and also had an indirect effect on mediated by self-esteem. Parental neglect had a direct effect on adolescent school life adjustment and had an indirect effect on adolescent school life adjustment mediated by self-esteem. The results indicated that self-esteem plays a crucial variable in the relationship of parental abuse and the school life adjustment. Also, self-esteem plays a crucial variable in the relationship between parental neglect and school life adjustment.