The Impact Of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment On Self-Esteem And Inferiority Of University Students

Purposes: It is secretive and lasting that the influence of childhood psychological maltreatment on people. The main object of this study was to explore the influence of childhood psychological maltreatment on university students’ self-esteem and inferiority.Methods:(1)Cluster sampling was applied in this study while 410 university students were chosen from Harbin Normal University. The Child Psychological Maltreatment Scale, Self-liking/Self-competence Scale(Revised Version), Students’ Sense of Inferiority Scale was tested in this investigation and 385 valid questionnaires were received.(2)According to the positive / negative screening standard of Child Psychological Maltreatment Scale, 23 participants with psychological maltreatment, 21 participants without psychological maltreatment were selected to take part in all experiments. Results:(1) There existed significant gender difference in students experienced childhood psychological maltreatment(F=8.191, p<0.01). Male students suffered more psychological maltreatment than female(1.841 VS 1.676).(2) The level of students’ explicit self-esteem existed significant difference in only child or not(F=7.841, p<0.01)and in mothers’ cultural degree(F=6.588, p<0.01). The explicit selfesteem of the only child was higher than that of the non only child(3.450 VS 2.280), the higher mothers’ cultural degree, the higher students’ explicit self-esteem(3.293~3.597).(3)University students’ explicit inferiority existed significant difference in family type(F=6.235, p<0.05). The students’ inferiority with complete family background was lower than those without complete family(2.056 VS 2.308).(4) Gender, family type,threat and neglect of psychological maltreatment were power predictors of explicit selfesteem.(5) Gender, family type, threat, neglect, slander and interference of psychological maltreatment were power predictors of explicit inferiority.(6) There existed significant difference in both psychological maltreatment students’ and nonpsychological maltreatment students’ explicit self-esteem(F=24.407, p<0.001) and inferiority(F=46.799, p<0.001). The self-esteem of psychological maltreatment students was lower than those non- psychological maltreatment(2.894 VS 3.634), and inferiority was higher than non-psychological maltreatment(2.784 VS 1.847).(7) No significant difference existed in both psychological maltreatment and non-psychologicalmaltreatment students’ implicit self-esteem and implicit inferiority.(8) The disparity of explicit and implicit self-esteem(F=15.402, p<0.001), inferiority(F=40.385, p<0.001)between psychological maltreatment students and non-psychological maltreatment existed significant difference. The disparity of explicit and implicit self-esteem of psychological maltreatment students was higher than non-psychological maltreatment(0.788 VS-0.742), the disparity of explicit and implicit inferiority was lower than nonpsychological maltreatment(0.838 VS-0.882). Conclusion: Male students suffered more psychological maltreatment than female students in childhood. The level of explicit self-esteem of the only child was higher than that of the non only child, the higher the mother’s degree of culture, the higher the level of explicit self-esteem. The explicit inferiority of the students with complete family background was lower than those who without. University students who experienced psychological maltreatment in childhood had higher level of explicit self-esteem, the lower level of explicit inferiority than those didn’t experience. It was no influence of childhood psychological maltreatment on university students’ implicit self-esteem and inferiority. There was influence of childhood psychological maltreatment on university students’ disparity of explicit and implicit self-esteem, explicit and implicit inferiority.