Shame, guilt, and depression in men and women in recovery from addiction.
Men and women in recovery from addiction were compared on levels of depression and self-conscious affect including proneness to shame, guilt, externalization, detachment, and pride. The sample consisted of 130 subjects (88 men and 42 women; mean age 33.04), 90 of whom were active participants in a 12-step recovery program, and 40 of whom were in a residential treatment community. Subjects completed The Beck Depression Inventory and The Test of Self-Conscious Affect. Significant differences between the sexes were found for proneness to shame, detachment, and depression. Women were significantly higher on shame and depression; men were significantly higher on detachment. The subjects were compared to subjects who were not chemically dependent. It was found that these recovering drug-addicted subjects scored significantly higher in proneness to shame and externalization and significantly lower on proneness to guilt. Treatment implications of proneness to shame in the drug-addicted population, and particularly in women, are discussed. The use of confrontational drug treatment strategies may be contraindicated.
O'Connor
L E
LE
San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group, CA 94115.
Berry
J W
JW
Inaba
D
D
Weiss
J
J
Morrison
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012752:Shame; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation