Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 17, 2025
07:06
Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Early Adolescent Male Mice
Published on: January 24, 2025
950
From childhood victimization to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems through self-esteem in adolescence.
Chia-Kuei Lee1, Jui-Ying Feng1
1Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Research in Nursing & Health
|October 7, 2021
Summary
Different forms of childhood victimization uniquely impact adolescent behavior problems. Self-esteem acts as a key mediator, particularly for psychological abuse and neglect, influencing both internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Childhood victimization is a significant risk factor for adolescent behavioral issues.
- Understanding the specific impact of different victimization forms is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Self-esteem is a potential mediator in the relationship between victimization and behavior problems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how distinct forms of victimization differentially affect internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents.
- To examine the mediating role of self-esteem in these relationships.
- To identify specific victimization types linked to psychological abuse and neglect and their impact on adolescent behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 2321 Taiwanese adolescents (aged 11-21).
- Employed generalized linear models and path analysis to assess relationships.
- Measured six forms of victimization, self-esteem, seven behaviors, and controlled for covariates like gender, age, family dysfunction, and group status.
Main Results:
- Different forms of childhood victimization were associated with distinct internalizing and externalizing behavior problems.
- Psychological abuse and neglect negatively impacted self-esteem.
- Self-esteem mediated the relationship between psychological abuse/neglect and all measured behavior problems, showing significant indirect effects.
Conclusions:
- Childhood victimization types have differential effects on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems.
- Self-esteem plays a crucial mediating role, especially following psychological abuse and neglect.
- Further research is needed to elucidate specific victimization patterns and develop effective interventions for adolescent behavioral issues.
Keywords:
adolescentchild maltreatmentemotion and behavioral problemsproblematic behaviorsself-esteemMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
32
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
32
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.5K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.5K
01:28Self-Esteem
24
Self-esteem, a core aspect of psychological well-being, reflects an individual's positive and negative self-evaluation in terms of worth, competence, and overall value. It is both a stable trait and a dynamic process, influenced by experiences and social interactions across the lifespan. While global self-esteem offers a general assessment, research highlights that self-esteem is multidimensional and varies across specific life domains.Domain-Specific Self-EsteemResearchers have delineated...
24
01:27Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
38
Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
38
01:25Benefits of Self-Esteem
31
Self-esteem—an individual's overall evaluation of their worth—plays a complex role in psychological functioning and well-being. It is often associated with many positive traits, such as confidence, optimism, and perseverance. Individuals with high self-esteem typically experience better sleep, manage peer pressure more effectively, and report greater life satisfaction. Conversely, low self-esteem has been consistently linked with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and poor...
31
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
30
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
30