NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF ABUSE ON THE SELF ESTEEM
OF ADOLESCENTS: A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
It is proposed that a research study be conducted, the purpose of which will be to assess the effects of abuse on the self esteem of adolescents, with a goal of generating findings that will be useful in the development of more effective intervention strategies for affected individuals. The elements of the proposal for research presented herein include (1) a discussion of the research subject, (2) an explanation of the research object, (3) a preliminary list of sources which will be consulted in the research process, and (4) a tentative outline of the research product.
A variety of reasons underlie the disaffection of young people from their society and their families. One of these factors is abuse both physical and psychological perpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority in the life of a young person (Howing, 1990a). One of the most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person is a loss of self esteem (Ogata, 1990). The proposed research study will examine and assess the negative effects of abuse on the self esteem of adolescents. Through the conduct of the study, an effort will be made to link the negative outcomes of abuse to an absence of the development of effective interpersonal skills on the part of abused young people. An attempt will be made to demonstrate how the absence of effective interpersonal communications skills, together with other negative effects of
abuse, create barriers to the social integration of abused young persons.
The proposed research study will also link the negative effects of abuse on the self esteem of adolescents to family studies. A family is one of the basic social systems of society, and it is through the family system that most abuse both physical and psychological of young people is perpetrated (Jean Gilles and Crittenden, 1990).
Communication is defin...