title: Do patients with different mental disorders show specific aspects of shame?
abstract: Shame is related to several mental disorders. We assume that facets of shame, namely bodily, cognitive and existential shame, may occur in typical patterns in mental and personality disorders. An excessive level of shame may lead to psychopathological symptoms. However, a lack of shame may also lead to distress, for instance as it may facilitate violation of social norms and thus may promote interpersonal problems. In this study we investigated facets of shame in females suffering from various mental disorders and personality disorders presumably associated with specific aspects of shame. Women suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD, n=92), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, n=86), major depressive disorder (MDD, n=17), social anxiety disorder (SAD, n=33), and a community sample (COM, n=290) completed the SHAME questionnaire, which is a newly developed instrument to assess adaptive and maladaptive aspects of shame. BPD patients reported the highest level of existential shame compared to all other groups. Compared to the controls, SAD patients displayed stronger bodily and cognitive shame, and ADHD showed lower bodily shame. As assumed, specific aspects of shame were found in different patient groups. It may be important to specifically address these specific aspects of shame in psychotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany; Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Research, University Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: c.scheel@psychologie.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Corinna N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Scheel
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Brunna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tuschen-Caffier
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brodführer
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Swantje
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matthies
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Geisse
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany; Psychologische Hochschule, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva-Lotta
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Brakemeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Philipsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gitta A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Borderline personality disorder; Existential shame; Major depression; SHAME; Self-conscious emotions; Social anxiety