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. 2005 Nov;10(4):311-23.
doi: 10.1177/1077559505278619.

Young children's adjustment as a function of maltreatment, shame, and anger

David S Bennett  1 , Margaret Wolan Sullivan, Michael Lewis
Affiliations

Young children's adjustment as a function of maltreatment, shame, and anger

David S Bennett et al. Child Maltreat. 2005 Nov.

Abstract

Maltreated children are at increased risk for behavior problems. This study examines a model in which shame mediates the potential relation between maltreatment and anger, and anger mediates the potential relation between shame and behavior problems. Participants were 177 children (ages 3 to 7 years) and their mothers, 90 of whom had histories of perpetrating neglect and/or physical abuse. Physical abuse, but not neglect, was related to increased shame during an evaluative task; shame was related to increased anger; and anger to teacher ratings of total behavior problems and externalizing problems. Age moderated the relation between physical abuse and adjustment, as abuse was related to more total problems only among the younger children. Anger was a significant mediator of shame and both behavior problems and externalizing problems. Shame, anger, age, and type of maltreatment appear to be important factors in explaining variance in behavioral adjustment following a history of maltreatment.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Model Predicting Behavior Problems as a Function of Maltreatment, Shame, and Anger
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2. Model Predicting Anger and Total Behavior Problems as a Function of Physical Abuse (Panel A) and Neglect (Panel B)
NOTE: Standardized β weights are listed for each relation.
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