title: The relationship between gender, depression, and self-esteem in children who have witnessed domestic violence.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Loyola College of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Weist
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nabors
mesh_terms: 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