The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between guilt-proneness, shameproneness, trait anger, PTSD symptoms, and willingness to seek treatment. A sample of 202 introductory psychology students completed questionnaire measures of each of these variables. Based on a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms, the sample was divided into 3 groups: trauma-PTSD group (n = 29); trauma-no PTSD group (n = 72); and a no trauma group (n = 101). Group comparisons revealed a trend that the PTSD group and the no trauma group reported higher levels of shame than the trauma-no PTSD group. The PTSD group also reported higher levels of anger than the no trauma and trauma-no PTSD groups. There were no reported group differences on overall willingness to seek treatment, but the trauma-no PTSD group reported higher willingness to seek treatment despite the stigma associated with it. Measures of anger and shame were the most robust predictors of PTSD symptom severity [F(1,100) = 22.569, p < .000; F(1,100) = 15.492, p < .001 respectively], with anger being the strongest predictor. High levels of anger predicted less overall willingness to seek treatment [F(1,100) = 6.160, p = .015], while high levels of shame predicted less willingness to seek treatment when considering the stigma associated with doing so [F(1,100) = 35.860, p < .001]. Results indicate that shame and anger are very important emotional components of the trauma response and may affect treatment seeking behavior; however, guilt appears to be less important than other emotional variables assessed by this study. Treatment implications are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between guilt-proneness, shameproneness, trait anger, PTSD symptoms, and willingness to seek treatment. A sample of 202 introductory psychology students completed questionnaire measures of each of these variables. Based on a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms, the sample was divided into 3 groups: trauma-PTSD group (n = 29); trauma-no PTSD group (n = 72); and a no trauma group (n = 101). Group comparisons revealed a trend that the PTSD group and the no trauma group reported higher levels of shame than the trauma-no PTSD group. The PTSD group also reported higher levels of anger than the no trauma and trauma-no PTSD groups. There were no reported group differences on overall willingness to seek treatment, but the trauma-no PTSD group reported higher willingness to seek treatment despite the stigma associated with it. Measures of anger and shame were the most robust predictors of PTSD symptom severity [F(1,100) = 22.569, p < .000; F(1,100) = 15.492, p < .001 respectively], with anger being the strongest predictor. High levels of anger predicted less overall willingness to seek treatment [F(1,100) = 6.160, p = .015], while high levels of shame predicted less willingness to seek treatment when considering the stigma associated with doing so [F(1,100) = 35.860, p < .001]. Results indicate that shame and anger are very important emotional components of the trauma response and may affect treatment seeking behavior; however, guilt appears to be less important than other emotional variables assessed by this study. Treatment implications are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bratton, Katrina L."],"institution":"University of Montana","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:13:58Z","subjects":["Guilt","PTSD","Shame","Anger","Treatment Seeking"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/879","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bratton, Katrina L."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Montana"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Guilt","PTSD","Shame","Anger","Treatment Seeking"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/879"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between guilt-proneness, shameproneness, trait anger, PTSD symptoms, and willingness to seek treatment. A sample of 202 introductory psychology students completed questionnaire measures of each of these variables. Based on a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms, the sample was divided into 3 groups: trauma-PTSD group (n = 29); trauma-no PTSD group (n = 72); and a no trauma group (n = 101). Group comparisons revealed a trend that the PTSD group and the no trauma group reported higher levels of shame than the trauma-no PTSD group. The PTSD group also reported higher levels of anger than the no trauma and trauma-no PTSD groups. There were no reported group differences on overall willingness to seek treatment, but the trauma-no PTSD group reported higher willingness to seek treatment despite the stigma associated with it. Measures of anger and shame were the most robust predictors of PTSD symptom severity [F(1,100) = 22.569, p < .000; F(1,100) = 15.492, p < .001 respectively], with anger being the strongest predictor. High levels of anger predicted less overall willingness to seek treatment [F(1,100) = 6.160, p = .015], while high levels of shame predicted less willingness to seek treatment when considering the stigma associated with doing so [F(1,100) = 35.860, p < .001]. Results indicate that shame and anger are very important emotional components of the trauma response and may affect treatment seeking behavior; however, guilt appears to be less important than other emotional variables assessed by this study. Treatment implications are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Shame, Guilt, Anger, And Seeking Psychological Treatment Among A Trauma Exposed Population"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Bratton, Katrina L."],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between guilt-proneness, shameproneness, trait anger, PTSD symptoms, and willingness to seek treatment. A sample of 202 introductory psychology students completed questionnaire measures of each of these variables. Based on a self-report measure of PTSD symptoms, the sample was divided into 3 groups: trauma-PTSD group (n = 29); trauma-no PTSD group (n = 72); and a no trauma group (n = 101). Group comparisons revealed a trend that the PTSD group and the no trauma group reported higher levels of shame than the trauma-no PTSD group. The PTSD group also reported higher levels of anger than the no trauma and trauma-no PTSD groups. There were no reported group differences on overall willingness to seek treatment, but the trauma-no PTSD group reported higher willingness to seek treatment despite the stigma associated with it. Measures of anger and shame were the most robust predictors of PTSD symptom severity [F(1,100) = 22.569, p < .000; F(1,100) = 15.492, p < .001 respectively], with anger being the strongest predictor. High levels of anger predicted less overall willingness to seek treatment [F(1,100) = 6.160, p = .015], while high levels of shame predicted less willingness to seek treatment when considering the stigma associated with doing so [F(1,100) = 35.860, p < .001]. Results indicate that shame and anger are very important emotional components of the trauma response and may affect treatment seeking behavior; however, guilt appears to be less important than other emotional variables assessed by this study. Treatment implications are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/879"],"dc:publisher":["University of Montana"],"dc:subject":["Guilt","PTSD","Shame","Anger","Treatment Seeking"],"dc:title":["Shame, Guilt, Anger, And Seeking Psychological Treatment Among A Trauma Exposed Population"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:13:58Z"}