Faculty Publications

Relationships Between Experiences Of Parental Violence During Childhood And Women's Self-Esteem

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Violence and Victims

Volume

13

Issue

1

First Page

63

Last Page

77

Abstract

The interrelationships between experiences of parental verbal aggression and physical violence during childhood and the development of low self- esteem during adulthood were explored separately for the father-daughter and mother-daughter relationships. Data were collected from 472 women between the ages of 18 and 45 during in-depth interviews drawn from five sources: outpatient alcoholism treatment, DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) education programs, shelter for battered women, outpatient mental health treatment, and randomly from the community. Control variables included respondents' alcohol problems and help-seeking behavior, parental alcohol problems, number of changes in childhood family (e.g., divorce), and respondents' race and social class. Controlling for these variables, experiences of father-to-daughter verbal aggression, moderate violence, and severe violence were found related to lower self-esteem in adulthood for women. Conversely, controlling for these variables, experiences of mother-to-daughter verbal aggression, moderate violence, and severe violence were not found related to lower self- esteem in adulthood for women.

Department

Department of Social Work

Original Publication Date

1-1-1998

DOI of published version

10.1891/0886-6708.13.1.63

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