The relationship between gender, depression, and self-esteem in children who have witnessed domestic violence.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether there are measurable gender differences in self-esteem and depression in elementary school-age children who have witnessed domestic violence.


METHODS
Forty-five elementary school-age children who were identified as having witnessed domestic violence, and their teachers were surveyed for self-esteem, depression, and classroom behaviors. The results were compared between males and females using linear regression modeling.


RESULTS
No significant gender differences were found for self-esteem and depression. An interaction between gender and post-traumatic stress was found to play a significant role in the interpretation of the results.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicated that higher levels of symptoms indicative of post-traumatic stress were associated with greater numbers of depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem for boys who had witnessed domestic violence. The results appeared similar to previous work with children and their emotional reactions to divorce.
Reynolds
M W
MW
Loyola College of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
Wallace
J
J
Hill
T F
TF
Weist
M D
MD
Nabors
L A
LA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States