Psychological maltreatment and self-compassion - the mediating role of shame and perspective-taking
Introduction Psychological maltreatment such as emotional abuse or neglect is a serious risk factor for poorer mental and somatic health outcomes in life. A higher rate of psychological maltreatment experienced in childhood is a predictor of aversive emotional states such as shame, and can negative...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822002279/type/journal_article |
| Summary: | Introduction
Psychological maltreatment such as emotional abuse or neglect is a serious risk factor for poorer mental and somatic health outcomes in life. A higher rate of psychological maltreatment experienced in childhood is a predictor of aversive emotional states such as shame, and can negatively influence factors of mentalization such as perspective-taking capacity in adulthood. However, emotional abuse or neglect are also negative predictors of self-compassion.
Objectives
The purpose of the study was to test two mediating models. We hypothesized, that reduced perspective-taking capacity, as well as higher levels of shame due to psychological maltreatment can be causally linked to lower levels of self-compassion.
Methods
We collected data from 120 healthy subjects (mean age=29.46, SD = 7.55) from Hungary We used Experience of Shame Scale, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Childhood Trauma Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale in our cross-sectional questionnaire study.
Results
Psychological maltreatment is a significant negative predictor of self-compassion (b=-0,712; p<0.05), and shame seems to play a mediating role in this relationship (effect size= 0.231; p<0.05). Psychological maltreatment was not a statistically significant predictor of perspective-taking.
Conclusions
Our results highlight that shame has a central role between childhood traumatization and psychological well-being. In the case of early emotional maltreatment we have to focus on shame for higher levels of self-compassion and effective healing in psychotherapy.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
|
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |