title: An investigation into the experience of self-conscious emotions in individuals with bipolar disorder, unipolar depression and non-psychiatric controls.
abstract: There has been little research into the association of shame and other self-conscious emotions in bipolar disorder, although there is evidence linking shame to various psychopathologies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This research investigates the levels of shame in individuals with bipolar disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was used to compare 24 individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder to a clinical control group of 18 individuals with unipolar depression, and 23 age-matched non-psychiatric controls on measures of mood (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] and Self Report Manic Inventory [SRMI]) and of self-conscious emotions (Internalized Shame Scale and Test of Self-Conscious Affect).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher levels of trait shame and lower guilt-proneness were found in the bipolar group. Higher levels of shame-proneness were found in the unipolar group in comparison to the bipolar and control groups. BDI scores positively correlated with trait shame and shame-proneness, and accounted for a large proportion of the variance in these scores. SRMI scores positively correlated with trait (internalized) shame and negatively correlated with guilt-proneness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was evidence for the presence of shame within bipolar disorder, but this differed to the evidence for shame in individuals with unipolar depression. Clinical implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Coventry Clinical Psychology Doctorate, Coventry, UK. juliehighfi eld@nhs.net
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Highfield
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003243:Consciousness; D035061:Control Groups; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012752:Shame