Self-esteem and depression in abusive, neglecting, and nonmaltreating mothers

• Published in: Infant mental health journal Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 243 - 251
• Main Authors: Culp, Rex E., Culp, Anne M., Soulis, Jeanne, Letts, Dana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brandon Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 1989; Wiley
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Victimology; Therapeutic efficiency; Human; Maternal behavior; Social interaction; Violence; Parental attitude; Depression; Child abuse syndrome; Self esteem; Therapeutic schedule; Mother child relation
• ISSN: 0163-9641; 1097-0355
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0355(198924)10:4<243::AID-IMHJ2280100402>3.0.CO;2-C

Groups of 18 physically abusive mothers, 19 neglecting mothers, and their matched controls were compared on depression and self‐esteem. The controls were matched on maternal age, ethnic background, and years of education. The physically abusive mothers had significantly higher levels of depression and lower self‐esteem than did the matched controls. The neglecting mothers had higher levels of depression, but not lower self‐esteem than did the matched controls. The abusive and neglecting mothers had very similar levels of depression and dissimilar levels of self‐esteem. Ameliorating these psychological factors when working with maltreating mothers and their children should be one emphasis of treatment intervention programs.