The Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Dispositional Envy and the Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and Social Support in Young Adults.

Yanhui Xiang,Weixin Wang,Fang Guan

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01054

Yanhui Xiang, Weixin Wang + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01054

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Abstract

As child maltreatment is a common social problem worldwide, the present study explores the relationship between child maltreatment and dispositional envy and the mediating effects of self-esteem and social support in this relationship. Data were collected from 426 Chinese college students (M age = 20.63, SD = 1.85), using the Child Abuse Scale, Dispositional Envy Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results show that self-esteem plays a partially mediating role in the association between child maltreatment and envy. In addition, sequential mediation analyses have further revealed the maltreatment effect of envy, through social support and self-esteem. Further, a multiple-group analysis has shown that men with high child maltreatment scores tend to have lower levels of social support than women. These results provide an important reference for revealing how maltreatment early in life effects social emotion in adulthood, particularly dispositional envy. They may provide a valuable resource for psychological interventions targeting people of both genders who are victims of child maltreatment.

Highlights

Child maltreatment is a common problem worldwide (Butchart et al, 2006), with devastating short- and long-term consequences for children (Burgess et al, 2012)
This study explored the relationship between child maltreatment and envy, as well as the mediating role of self-esteem and perceived social support, among Chinese college students
Maltreatment can affect envy indirectly, via self-esteem or perceived social support and self-esteem. This is the first study to explore the relationship between maltreatment and envy and the way in which this relationship is mediated by perceived social support and self-esteem

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Child maltreatment is a common problem worldwide (Butchart et al, 2006), with devastating short- and long-term consequences for children (Burgess et al, 2012). The goal of this study has been to test the concurrent mediation effects of perceived social support and self-esteem on the relationship between early child maltreatment and dispositional envy within personal and interpersonal frameworks. In view of the association between child maltreatment and perceived social support (Vranceanu et al, 2007; Sperry and Widom, 2013) and self-esteem (Gross and Keller, 1992; Stein et al, 2002; Karakus, 2012) and the important role of self-esteem (Salovey and Rodin, 1991) and perceived social support in dispositional envy (Smith et al, 1988), we have predicted that perceived social support and self-esteem may act as mediators in the relationship. The present study explores the mediating effects of self-esteem and perceived social support on the child maltreatment–envy relationship in a sample of Chinese college students. Two possible hypotheses were proposed: (1) Child maltreatment significantly predicts dispositional envy; (2) Selfesteem and perceived social support mediate the association between child maltreatment and dispositional envy

Participants and Procedure

RESULTS

Findings

DISCUSSION