Self-Esteem in Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: a Critical Review of the Role of Sibling Relationships and Agenda for Future Research

Abstract

This paper provides a critical analysis of research on self-esteem in children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), with particular emphasis on the role of sibling relationships. Over 100 empirical and review articles published from 2000 to 2015 examining self-esteem in children exposed to IPV, the role of sibling relationships in the development of self-esteem, and the sibling relationships of children exposed to IPV, were reviewed. Research findings show that self-esteem is an important component of understanding children's positive adjustment and their adjustment difficulties. A substantial research literature also documents that siblings significantly influence one another's self-esteem; however, the potential risk or protective function of sibling relationships in the development of self-esteem in children and adolescents exposed to IPV has only been minimally investigated. This is a serious gap in the literature, as this information has significant potential for informing prevention and intervention programming. Recommendations for future research were provided.

“I Wouldn’t Be Here Without Them”: Resilience in Youth Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

“…Positive, reciprocal, and stable friendships enhance children's sense of emotional security and provide a setting in which to learn and practice social skills; this may be especially crucial for young persons exposed to IPV whose families provide less emotional security and offer fewer opportunities for positive interactions. Furthermore, friendships characterized by trust and acceptance offer a context for young persons exposed to IPV to develop more positive models of themselves and therefore higher levels of self-esteem, which are both significant predictors of positive adjustment (Cameranesi & Piotrowski, 2017).…”

Panorama científico de la relación entre la violencia intrafamiliar y de género y la resiliencia familiar: posibilidades, retos y límites

“…Esto es, como programas que promueven su desarrollo, de esta manera se observó que los estudios explícitamente se refieren a la resiliencia en una baja proporción, mientras que sería una variable paralela o secundaria vinculada con el afrontamiento de la vifg, la recuperación, el crecimiento postraumático o comprendida como un factor protector. En cuanto a los factores que promueven estos fenómenos de violencia, podemos destacar los provenientes de las dinámicas, identidad e historia familiar, y que pueden ser comprendidos como la promoción de la regulación emocional y el autocontrol (Cassé et al, 2018;Yule, Houston, & Grych, 2019), esto como parte de la crianza (Arslan, 2016), el apego seguro, (Bain & Durbach, 2018, Bowen, 2015 el apoyo al interior de la familia nuclear (Cameranesi & Piotrowski, 2018) y de la familia extensa (Dhunna, Lawton, & Cram, 2018) el modelamiento de actitudes y acciones como la perseverancia, la fe, la empatía y el establecimiento de hogares estables (Stephens & Aparicio, 2017).…”

Interparental violence: Professionals’ perspectives in the child protection system

“…Living in a positive family environment is conceptualized as a protective factor (Grych & Fincham, 1990;Howell, 2011), particularly in the relationship with siblings or parental figures. In the context of interparental conflict, positive fraternal relationships can play a compensatory effect by being a source of support and promote a sense of security (Cameranesi & Piotrowski, 2018). Likewise, the existence of a responsive and sensitive parental figure (Howell, 2011) has been recognized as a protective factor to mitigate a traumatic experience (Holt et al, 2008).…”