Child abuse, self-esteem and academic performance among adolescents in Uganda

Abstract

The study focused on the relationship between Child Abuse, Self Esteem and Academic Performance among Adolescents in Uganda. It was carried out in Makerere Highway Senior Secondary School where a total of 130 adolescents were interviewed. The study undertook a correctional research design. It was found that there is indeed a negative significant relationship between Child abuse and academic performance. This goes to show that school going adolescents who have not undergone child abuse will have a better academic performance as compared to those adolescents who have undergone child abuse. The findings of the study have further showed that there is a negative significant relationship between Child abuse and self-esteem among school going adolescents. This has shown that adolescents who are undergoing child abuse will have low self-esteem while those adolescents who have not undergone child abuse have high self-esteem. Lastly the findings further indicated that there is a positive significant relationship between selfesteem and academic performance. Adolescents with high self-esteem will perform better than those with low self-esteem.