The Predictive Role of Early Trauma Dimensions on Self-Esteem in 11 - 13- Year-Old Students: Controlling the Role of Maladaptive Schema

Abstract

Abstract Background: Self-esteemis a stable sense of personalworthiness. There is insufficient evidence fromthe available research to fully determine the relationship between self-esteemand early trauma. Objectives: This is a correlational study aims to investigate the relationship between early traumas as a predictor of negative self- esteemby controlling the effect of maladaptive schemas in 11-13 year-old-student sample. Methods: 292 people (201 females, 91 males) with mean age of 12.33 were selected via multistage random sampling. Participants completed questionnaire on children’s depression inventory (CDI), childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), schema inventory for children (SIC) and provided demographic information. Analyzing data was done using correlation and stepwise regressionmeth- ods. Results: The results showed that emotional neglect and physical abuse are the best predictors of negative self-esteem. Additionally, the results revealedno evidence ofmaladaptive schemasmediating the relationshipbetweenearly trauma andnegative self-esteem. Conclusions: In general, the findings showed that emotional neglect and physical abuse are the best predictors of negative self- esteemin children and explain a considerable variance of survival index. Our findings also demonstrate thatmaladaptive schemas do not have any significant effect on the relationship between trauma and negative self-esteem.