Citation

Chen X, Dai B, Li S, Liu L. BMC Psychol. 2024; 12(1): e257.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s40359-024-01758-x

PMID

38720377

PMCID

PMC11080115

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between childhood maltreatment, shame, and self-esteem among juvenile female offenders and to explore the potential influencing factors on their criminal behavior.

METHODS: Using a stratified cluster sampling method, 1,227 juvenile female offenders from 11 provinces in China were surveyed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and a self-developed Shame Questionnaire for Juvenile Offenders. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, chi-square tests, t-tests, and structural equation modeling with mediation analysis.

RESULTS: (1) Childhood maltreatment have a significant potential influencing factors on criminal behavior; (2) Childhood maltreatment was positively correlated with self-esteem(β = 0.351, p < 0.001); (3) shame (β = 0.042, p < 0.001) mediate the relationship between Childhood maltreatment and self-esteem (childhood maltreatment → shame → self-esteem (95% Cl: 0.033, 0.052)).

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that childhood maltreatment is a significant predictor of criminal behavior among juvenile female offenders. childhood maltreatment can directly influence of self-esteem, which can also affect juvenile female offenders'self-esteem indirectly through shame. The findings suggest that shame are important variables that mediate the effect of the juvenile female offenders'childhood maltreatment on their self-esteem.

Language: en

Keywords

*Child Abuse/psychology/statistics & numerical data; *Criminal Behavior; *Criminals/psychology/statistics & numerical data; *Self Concept; *Shame; Adolescent; Child; Childhood maltreatment; China; Criminal behavior; Female; Female juvenile offenders; Humans; Juvenile Delinquency/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Self-esteem; Shame; Surveys and Questionnaires