Previous research has shown that experiences of childhood maltreatment (CM) are related to higher levels of perceived stress in everyday life. The negative consequences of CM often increase with...Show morePrevious research has shown that experiences of childhood maltreatment (CM) are related to higher levels of perceived stress in everyday life. The negative consequences of CM often increase with the number and severity of CM experiences, which can lead to the development of stress-related problems from an early age. However, individuals may perceive situations as less stressful when they possess higher self-esteem. Therefore, the current study investigates whether the relationship between CM severity and perceived stress can be influenced by self-esteem in a population of young people. The sample consisted of 62 participants between 16 and 26 years of age (M = 22.45, SD = 2.67) from the Resilience After Individual Stress Exposure (RAISE) study. Data were collected using three self-report questionnaires: (1) the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, (2) the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and (3) the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to analyse the data. The first finding indicated that the level of perceived stress did not change significantly as the CM experiences were more severe. There was, however, a significant relationship between the level of self-esteem and the level of perceived stress, with the level of perceived stress decreasing as self-esteem increased. Finally, it was found that self-esteem did not influence the relationship between the severity of CM and the level of perceived stress. Collectively, these findings indicate that higher self-esteem is related to lower perceived stress in young people, but the severity of CM is not of influence. This supports that it may be beneficial for young people to focus treatment on increasing self-esteem, despite experiences of CM. To provide more targeted treatment, it would be relevant to focus future research on the different types of CM and the skills and resources that shape the level of perceived stress.Show less
