The Effect of Children’s Emotional Abuse Experience Level on the School Adjustment: Focused on a Moderating Effect of Their Self-Esteem

Abstract

This research investigated the effects of experience level of emotional abuse in childhood on the school adjustment using the 3-year accumulated data of KCYPS(Korean Child and Youth Panel Survey). In the process, this study was used hierarchical regression analysis in order to verify the moderating effect of self-esteem in the relationship experience level of emotional abuse and school adjustment. The results of this study were as follows: The experience level of emotional abuse had a direct impact on the school adjustment and self-esteem appeared the moderating effect in the relationship experience level of emotional abuse and school adjustment. At this point, it is necessary to pay attention to the moderating effect of a direction to the contrary to existing research result that self-esteem was presented with a protection factor. The results indicate that experience level of emotional abuse in childhood had a negative effect on school adjustment and in the process it showed that self-esteem regulates the influence. Therefore we can suggest that differentiated psychological and emotional programs on level of self-esteem are urgently needed in order that emotional abused children are improved school adjustment. Also policy proposal and program development on this require continuous interest and reseach.