Shame: associations with childhood maltreatment and mental health

Research consistently reports a relationship between childhood maltreatment and the experience of psychological distress in adulthood. More recently, researchers have<br/>sought to identify the emotional consequences of these experiences. The current literature review focuses on the experience of shame. In particular, research is presented which demonstrates how childhood maltreatment, especially<br/>psychological abuse, has been associated with the experience of internalised shame. Furthermore, research is presented demonstrating an association between internalised shame the experience of psychological distress in adulthood. A burgeoning evidence base illustrates how shame partially mediates the relationship<br/>between childhood maltreatment and the experience of psychological distress in adulthood, although the review concludes that this research remains limited, and the<br/>models presented require further investigation to broaden the understanding of the role of shame in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychopathology.<br/><br/>The empirical paper explores the associations between childhood maltreatment and internalised shame in a sample of participants with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD; n = 35), compared with a control group of participants with no psychiatric diagnoses (n = 35). Participants completed measures of maltreatment, internalised shame, and resource loss and gain. Participants in the BD group<br/>reported significantly higher levels of internalised shame, resource loss, and most sub-types of childhood maltreatment, compared with participants in the control<br/>iii group. Internalised shame was significantly correlated with childhood emotional abuse and neglect, even when controlled for the effect of low mood and mania. The<br/>theoretical and clinical implications are discussed, and directions for further investigation are indicated.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Fowke, Alex James

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Anke, Karl