Nayanathara, VSelvaratnam, N. D2026-01-062025-10-10978-624-6010-11-92783 – 8862https://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/4392Childhood physical abuse has been empirically linked to reduced self-esteem, reflecting its lasting impact on psychological well-being. Although social support is often considered a protective factor, research on its role in shaping self-esteem among those who have experienced childhood abuse remains inconclusive, especially among Asian populations. This study aimed to investigate the impact of childhood physicalabuse and social support on self-esteem among young adults residing in rural and suburban areas of Sri Lanka. The sample consisted of 351 Sinhala-speaking individuals (53.56% female and 46.44% male), aged between 18 and 29 years, drawn from 11 rural and suburban districts in Sri Lanka using cluster sampling.Descriptive and inferential statistics, including two-way ANOVA and a post-hoc analysis, were conducted in SPSS and Jamovi to examine main and interaction effects of childhood physical abuse and social support on self-esteem. There were significant main effects of both childhood physical abuse and social support on self-esteem. However, the interaction effect between physical abuse and social support was not significant.Post-hoc analyses indicated that moderate levels of social support mitigated some of the adverse effects of severe childhood physical abuse on self-esteem. The absence of a significant interaction suggests independent effects, warranting further investigation into related psychological outcomes for relevant authorities to make informed decisions governing child protection.enChildhood physical abusesocial supportself-esteemSri Lankan youthchild protectionArticlehttps://doi.org/10.54389/FMQO2170