The Impact of Physical and Verbal Abuses on the Personality and Academic Performance of Students in Puro National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Physical abuse is defined as the intentional use of physical force against a child that results in (or has a high likelihood of resulting in) harm on a child's health, development, or dignity. This includes hitting, beating, kicking, shaking, biting, strangling scalding, burning, poisoning and suffocating (World Health Organization, 2006). The researchers took it as a challenge to conduct a study focusing on the cases of verbal and physical abuse with students as victims. The researchers would like to know whether these kinds of abuse have an effect on the personality and academic performance of students.

METHODS

Through the snowball method, the researchers have identified 70 students from junior and senior high who have experienced physical and verbal abuse. A checklist survey questionnaire translated to Minasbate was used to gather the needed information. To analyze the data gathered, the researchers used frequency percentage to identify the kinds of abuses the respondents mostly suffered, chi-square test to determine if the abuses suffered by the students have an impact on their personality and Pearson correlation coefficient to determine if physical and verbal abuse affect personality and the academic performance of students.

RESULTS

It was revealed that hitting and name-calling were the physical and verbal abuse suffered by students from their parents. Because of these, they don't have self-esteem, they rebel from their parents and pushed them to engage in vices. The findings show that the academic performance of the students was affected. For not attending school because of vices and rebellion, their grades decreased, they prefer to be absent in class and do not participate in class and school activities.

DISCUSSIONS

It was revealed that hitting and name-calling were the kinds of physical and verbal abuse often experienced by students from their parents that resulted in low self-esteem and rebellion among students. The findings of the study were similar to the study conducted by Bredgen, et.al (2008) who revealed that verbal and physical abuse, is especially likely to lead to the development of negative self-perceptions and consequently emotional problems. Their academic performance was affected for they get into vices, they become not participative in class or prefer to be absent. This fact was proven by Wang who revealed that physical and verbal abuse results in aggressive behavior and poor academic performance and may result in a gap between parents and adolescents.