Shame and Anxiety Feelings of a Roma Population in Greece.
Shame is a crucial issue for Roma. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the severity of shame and anxiety feelings in a Roma population living in Greece and assess the differentiation of these feelings between Roma men and women. A quota sample of 194 Roma adult men and women living in Southern Greece was retrieved. The Experiences of Shame Scale (ESS), the Other As Shamer Scale (OAS) and the Spielberg's State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires were used. Women scored statistically significantly higher than men on ESS, whereas men scored higher on OAS scale (52.27 ± 16.91 vs 45.42 ± 9.98 and 35.93 ± 16.94 vs 30.87 ± 13.72 respectively). Women scored higher than men in both STAI subscales, however significant differences were observed only in State Anxiety scale (48.83 ± 9.26 vs 43.20 ± 9.81). OAS total score was inversely related to state anxiety, whereas ESS total score was positive related to trait anxiety, all correlations being significant at p < 0.05 level. Roma men and women exhibit high levels of shame and anxiety. Cultural, social and minority issues contribute to feelings of inferiority and anxiety experience.
Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Epirus Institute of Technology, Ioannina, Greece. mrgva2012@yahoo.gr.|Nursing Department, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, 41110, Larissa, Greece. mrgva2012@yahoo.gr.
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Gouva
University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece. manosmentis@yahoo.gr.|Nursing Department, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, 41110, Larissa, Greece. manosmentis@yahoo.gr.
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Mentis
Nursing Department, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, 41110, Larissa, Greece. skotrots@teilar.gr.
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Kotrotsiou
Nursing Department, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, 41110, Larissa, Greece. paralikas@teilar.gr.
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Paralikas
Nursing Department, School of Health and Welfare Professions, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, 41110, Larissa, Greece. kotrotsi@teilar.gr.
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Kotrotsiou
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D006178:Romani People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012752:Shame; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
Anxiety; Psychopathology; Roma; Shame