Health Psychology Research / HPR / Volume 13 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.14440/hpr.2692355
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Unraveling the Psychological Mechanisms Linking Childhood Ill-Treatment and Low Self-Esteem: The Mediating Role of Shame

Ying Liu*
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1 Department of Human Resources, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Manchester M156PB, England, United Kingdom
HPR 2025 , 13(2), e81240002; https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.2692355
Submitted: 24 March 2025 | Accepted: 5 April 2025 | Published: 1 July 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). Licensee Health Psychology Research, USA. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background

Childhood ill-treatment at any stage of development has been shown to significantly impair the psychological functioning of an individual and increase the risk of delinquent behavior. Childhood maltreatment in the form of physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse is especially detrimental to the development of self-esteem, often instilling feelings of shame in developing children.

Objective

This study explores the psychological mechanisms linking childhood ill-treatment to juvenile crimes, with a particular focus on the mediating role of shame in the relationship between childhood ill-treatment and self-esteem.

Methods

This study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews and case studies. Direct engagement with juvenile offenders presents several practical and ethical challenges. Therefore, 10 counselors from Chinese correctional institutions and rehabilitation centers were selected as interview participants for qualitative data collection. In addition, two case studies were analyzed to explore the relevance of observed patterns. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurring themes within the interview data.

Results

Childhood ill-treatment contributes significantly to the psychological outcomes observed in juvenile offenders. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with counselors revealed that neurobiological stimuli, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive distortions diminish self-esteem and promote negative self-evaluation in juveniles, largely due to a lack of social identity. These factors contribute to the adoption of maladaptive coping strategies, often resulting in self-destructive behaviors. Moreover, the case studies illustrated that childhood experiences of parental neglect and bullying were closely associated with subsequent juvenile delinquency.

Conclusion

This study provides new insights for developing interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of childhood ill-treatment.

Keywords
Childhood ill-treatment
Delinquent behavior
Juvenile offenders
Self-esteem
Shame
Funding
None.
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Conflict of interest
The author declares no conflict of interest.
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