Child neglect, self-esteem and depression among students in secondary schools in Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso District

Abstract

The study was titled ‘Child neglect, Self-Esteem and Depression among Students in secondary schools in Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso district’. The study was directed by three specific objectives; To establish the relationship between child neglect and self-esteem among children. To establish the relationship between child neglect and depression among children. To establish the relationship between self-esteem and depression among children. The study used a cross sectional design with both quantitative and qualitative research methods/approaches. Data was obtained from a population of children and community officials and local council who all numbered to 100 respondents. Data was analyzed using the statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) to generate Pearson correlation co-efficient so as to establish the relationship between the independent and dependent variable. The study found out that there is a negative significant relationship between childneglect and self-esteem. However, the significance value (P = .542) which is greater than the alpha value 0.05 (r = .062; sig. value. .542>0.05)indicated that child neglectwas not significantly related to self-esteem among adolescents. This implied that an increase or decrease in the level of child neglect has no significant effect on aspect of self-esteem among the respondents. The study concluded that there is a positive and significant relationship between self-esteem and depression where (r = .492***; sig. value. 000<0.05). This means an increase or decrease in self-esteem can lead to an increase or decrease in depression. The study recommends that to eradicate depression there is a need to voice against all types of violence that can be adapted to national context, translated into local languages, and rolled out in schools and communities in partnership with youth organizations, UN partners and governments. This is because violation of human rights contributes 75% in causing depression among the youth. The study also recommends that there is a need to sensitize the youth about the constitutions as it is against the violation of human rights such as child neglect. This is because the constitution of Uganda is the supreme law of Uganda, where by given articles, provides that men and women have equal status before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law, prohibits child neglect, discrimination of any kind and protects the right to life and provides for freedom from torture, cruel, in human, degrading treatment or punishment and prohibits laws, cultures, customs and traditions which are against the dignity and interest of children.