DOCSLIB.ORG

The Relationship Between Shame and Leave-Taking Behavior Duration Of

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Relationship Between Shame and Leave-Taking Behavior Duration Of University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2003 The relationship between shame and leave-taking behavior duration of violent relationship social support -seeking attributions emotional abuse sexual assault and PTSD symptoms in battered women Laura A. Taylor The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Taylor, Laura A., "The relationship between shame and leave-taking behavior duration of violent relationship social support -seeking attributions emotional abuse sexual assault and PTSD symptoms in battered women" (2003). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 9466. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/9466 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY The University of Montana Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. **Please check "Yes" or "No" and provide signature** Yes, I grant permission No, I do not grant permission _________ Author's Signature: Date:____________ 3 Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undertaken only with the author's explicit consent. 8/98 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Running head: SHAME AND BATTERED WOMEN The Relationship Between Shame and Leave-Taking Behavior, Duration of Violent Relationship, Social Support-Seeking, Attributions, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Assault, and PTSD Symptoms in Battered Women Laura A. Taylor B.A., University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, 1993 M.A., University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 1997 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Clinical Psychology The University of Montana May 2003 Approved by: Christine Fiore, Ph.D. Qiair,•, Doctoral Committee Dean, Graduate School ■Ifhslo3 Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3093830 Copyright 2003 by Taylor, Laura Ashley All rights reserved. ® UMI UMI Microform 3093830 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract Taylor, Laura A., M.A., 2003 Clinical Psychology The Relationship Between Shame and Leave-Taking Behavior, Duration of Violent Relationship, Social Support-Seeking, Attributions, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Assault, and PTSD Symptoms in Battered Women Director: Christine Fiore, Ph.D. ( \jp - The present study investigated the impact of shame, social support, and attributional style on battered women’s decision-making processes based upon the transtheoretical model of behavioral change. The impact of shame was assessed with respect to the following variables: self-efficacy for leaving, relationship duration, social support, attributions about violence causation and stability, emotional abuse, sexual assault history, and PTSD symptomatology. Participants included a community sample of 168 women, aged 18 to 66, who had sustained severe physical violence during current or past romantic relationships. Participants were grouped according to their relationship status (RS) upon study participation. They completed an interview and a series of questionnaires, including measures of shame, guilt, psychological and physical abuse, attributional style, trauma symptoms, and self-efficacy for leaving. The majority of participants reported experiencing shame and guilt regarding their relationships, with significantly higher levels of shame and guilt during their relationships than upon study participation. Shame was found to differ significantly across RS groups, with women in violent relationships reporting higher levels of shame than those who were out and women who were out longer periods of time reporting lower levels. Shame and guilt were significantly correlated with self-efficacy, emotional abuse, trauma symptoms, depression, anxiety, and social support. Guilt was significantly correlated with relationship duration. Sexual assault history was associated with higher levels of shame. Regression analyses reveal that shame is predictive of emotional abuse and trauma symptoms. MANCOVAs revealed that attribution of causation to the partner was significantly related to higher levels of social support, while attribution of violence stability was associated with lower levels of confidence and higher levels of temptation. Using discriminant function analyses, confidence for leaving and psychological abuse were found to be the best predictors of RS group membership (45.2% correctly classified), and psychological abuse and anxiety were found to be the best predictors of classification based on elevated levels of shame (71.1% correctly classified). These findings provide valuable information about battered women’s dynamic change process. A greater understanding of this process may increase their intervention effectiveness and help professionals better meet the needs of battered women in the stay-leave decision-making process. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgments I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the completion of my dissertation project. First and foremost, I would like to thank Christine Fiore, my dissertation chair and major advisor, who has been a wonderful mentor throughout my involvement on this research project and my entire graduate career. Dr. Fiore has not only guided my research, but she has also provided tremendous guidance in terms of clinical and teaching skills. For these things I will eternally be grateful. I am also extremely grateful for the unending support of my committee members, David Schuldberg, Jennifer Waltz, Cheryl VanDenburg, and Sara Hayden. I greatly appreciate your thoughtful consideration of my research, your ideas for improving upon the project, and your support throughout my graduate training. Sally Planalp also provided immense support during the development of this project by acting on my initial committee. I will always appreciate Dr. Planalp’s insights regarding shame and guilt. I would also like to thank the each of the faculty members in the University of Montana Department of Psychology. You have each contributed greatly to my professional and personal development, and you have made my graduate experience outstanding. I am indebted to the help of Heather Paluso, who continued the Violence in Relationship project when I left on internship and provided endless support during the research process. I would also like to thank Linda Thomas Kennedy for helping to answer my barrage of questions about the study and for providing support and wisdom. I would also like to thank my fellow graduate students and friends who were always there for me to lend support or talk about professional iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. development, research, and clinical issues with me, particularly Katy Lynch, Will Musser, Bridget Hegeman, Jeannine Mielke, Sandy Macintosh, and Paul Zohn. Many devoted research assistants helped to make this project a reality. I am especially grateful to Char Peppenger for her tireless efforts calling participants to screen them and schedule interviews. Char’s clinical judgment was invaluable, and I always appreciated her support and friendship. This project could not have been completed without the support of the University of Montana Department of Psychology. The research was also partially funded by an American Psychological Association Dissertation award and the Bertha Morton scholarship, which was awarded by the University of Montana. I am also grateful for the support of community programs across Western Montana who provided safe places for us to conduct interviews and informed their clients about our project, particularly the YWCA, Sanders County Coalition for Families, the Mineral County Helpline, Thomas Falls and Ronan Mental Health Centers, Bozeman SAFE program, and Seeley Swan STEP program. This dissertation came to fruition while I was completing a fellowship in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University. I am immensely grateful to my supervisor, Jeffrey Kreutzer, and my coworker, Jenny Marwitz, for providing me with support, advice, statistical assistance, and understanding through this challenging process. Their supportive input helped me to successfully complete this project in the face of great stress and a tight timetable. iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Term Toxic Shame Being Mirrored by One
    Donald Bradshaw Nathanson Coined the The compass of term toxic shame. shame Four universal Mark Epstein, Pema Chodron, Being behaviors to Kevin Griffin Karen Horney mirrored defend against Abiding difficult emotions to observe and learn . Four major by one shame. The Idea of PRACTICE and Right View being wise idea that when aempts of Gershen Kaufman non- or attuned. Led to Present with Self and Present with avoiding shame Find the entrances to shaming the neuro2c Others and Wise-Self you are bigger individual to governing scenes. person than or less than Whenever we are makes all come to others. Says, to soluon able to observe upon the learn from our our experience, we difference shame and "Just immediately detach love yourself." from it. Brene Brown Silvan Thomas Tony Webb Empathy opposite of Scheff/Helen Tomkins Virginia Satir The social aspects of shame; judge in Lewis Block Emotions the compass of Four coping areas most Disrupts bond are shame -- aggression, vulnerable to shame; motivators. stances: depression, isolation, Humiliated Placating, judging numbs-easier Affect and addiction. fury. Blame, Being than loss/grief; pre- Acknowledge theory: Alienation and Super- aggression broader frontal cortex off in shame then Scripts are shame. connection to begun as Reasonable, social results from Perfectionism. others soon as we Being Irrelevant avoiding shame. 'Good' shame as restored. are born. humility. Show deference to others. What does acknowledged shame look like? What is attunement? Shame-anger spirals. Governing Scenes Gershen
    [Show full text]
  • Psychological Consequences of Social Isolation During COVID-19 Outbreak
    PERSPECTIVE published: 09 September 2020 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02201 Psychological Consequences of Social Isolation During COVID-19 Outbreak Giada Pietrabissa1,2* and Susan G. Simpson 3,4 1Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy, 2 Psychology Research Laboratory, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy, 3 Department of Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 4 Regional Eating Disorders Unit, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Perceived social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly has had an extraordinary global impact, with significant psychological consequences. Changes in our daily lives, feeling of loneliness, job losses, financial difficulty, and grief over the death of loved ones have the potential to affect the mental health of many. In an atmosphere of uncertainty, it is essential that clear and precise information is offered about the problem and how to manage it. In this contribution, a rationale is provided for an urgent call for a rapid response to the mental health impacts of COVID-19. Moreover, suggestions for individuals to regulate their emotions effectively and appropriately are provided. Edited by: Andrea De Giorgio, Keywords: social isolation, COVID-19, psychological consequences, loneliness, depression, clinical psychology eCampus University, Italy Reviewed by: Antonio Iudici, University of Padua, Italy INTRODUCTION Michelle Semonella, Bar-Ilan University, Israel The mental health consequences of COVID-19 are already visible and even by conservative estimates they are yet to reach their peak and likely to considerably outlive the current pandemic. *Correspondence: Giada Pietrabissa The most common psychological disorders emerging are anxiety and panic, obsessive-compulsive [email protected] symptoms, insomnia, digestive problems, as well as depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress (Rogers et al., 2020).
    [Show full text]
  • Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Children With
    brain sciences Review Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Scoping Review Celia Kwan 1, Mojgan Gitimoghaddam 1,2 and Jean-Paul Collet 1,2,* 1 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; [email protected] (C.K.); [email protected] (M.G.) 2 BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-604-999-6860 Received: 19 October 2020; Accepted: 25 October 2020; Published: 28 October 2020 Abstract: Loneliness and social isolation have negative consequences on physical and mental health in both adult and pediatric populations. Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) are often excluded and experience more loneliness than their typically developing peers. This scoping review aims to identify the type of studies conducted in children with NDD to determine the effects of loneliness and/or social isolation. Three electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO) were searched from inception until 5 February 2019. Two independent reviewers screened the citations for inclusion and extracted data from the included articles. Quantitative (i.e., frequency analysis) and qualitative analyses (i.e., content analysis) were completed. From our search, 5768 citations were screened, 29 were read in full, and 12 were included. Ten were case-control comparisons with cross-sectional assessment of various outcomes, which limited inference. Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorder were the most commonly studied NDD. This review showed that loneliness among children with NDD was associated with negative consequences on mental health, behaviour, and psychosocial/emotional development, with a likely long-term impact in adulthood.
    [Show full text]
  • Running Head: SHAME 1 the Significance of Shame: an Adlerian Perspective a Literature Review Presented to the Faculty of The
    Running head: SHAME 1 The Significance of Shame: An Adlerian Perspective A Literature Review Presented to The Faculty of the Adler Graduate School _____________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy ______________________ By John R. Nord ______________________ Chair: Meg Whiston, PhD Reader: Rachelle J. Reinisch, DMFT _____________________ October, 2017 SHAME 2 The Significance of Shame: An Adlerian Perspective Copyright © 2017 John R. Nord All rights reserved SHAME 3 Abstract Shame is a universal affect and emotion which has application within cultures and to individuals throughout the world. It can be considered an aid to learning, teaching, or punishing, and it can also be imposed to control or defeat others. Shame refers to a reaction experience of having violated cultural, community, familial, or individual norms in an unacceptable way and having the hidden, vulnerable self exposed to others against our will. For some individuals, shame can represent a minor impact to their lives and well-being. For others, it can be an all-encompassing, life-threatening problem. Shame can appear as an affect during the course of a child’s normally healthy learning. Problematic shame can originate from a number of sources resulting in unmediated mistaken beliefs from dysfunctional infant/caregiving which are never adequately resolved. Traumatic shame can result from multiple sources including family or peer relationships with repetitive abuse. Any repetitive shaming can unconsciously become an internalized secret. An understanding of pathological shame is indeed critical for evaluating client functioning. Either shame or shame proneness within any societal, familial, or occupational relationship or manifesting within an individual can have far reaching implications and long-term consequences.
    [Show full text]
  • Emotional Child Abuse
    Fact Sheet: Emotional Child Abuse What is it? Emotional child abuse is maltreatment which results in impaired psychological growth and development.i It involves words, actions, and indifference.2 Abusers constantly reject, ignore, belittle, dominate, and criticize the victims.1,3 This form of abuse may occur with or without physical abuse, but there is often an overlap.4 Examples of emotional child abuse are verbal abuse; excessive demands on a child’s performance; penalizing a child for positive, normal behavior (smiling, mobility, exploration, vocalization, manipulation of objects); discouraging caregiver and infant attachment; penalizing a child for demonstrating signs of positive self-esteem; and penalizing a child for using interpersonal skills needed for adequate performance in school and peer groups.1,3 In addition, frequently exposing children to family violence and unwillingness or inability to provide affection or stimulation for the child in the course of daily care may also result in emotional abuse.3 How is it identified? Although emotional abuse can hurt as much as physical abuse, it can be harder to identify because the marks are left on the inside instead of the outside.4 Not surprising, there exist few well-validated measures of childhood emotional abuse. Clinicians can use a revised version of the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS) which targets measures for emotional abuse.5 Caregivers can also closely observe children’s behaviors and personalities. Children suffering from emotional abuse are often extremely loyal
    [Show full text]
  • Functional Isolation: Understanding Isolation in Trafficking Survivors
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Student Theses John Jay College of Criminal Justice 12-2017 Functional Isolation: Understanding isolation in trafficking survivors Liz Mahan [email protected] How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_etds/50 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] Running Head: FUNCTIONAL ISOLATION: UNDERSTAND ISOLATION TRAFFICKING Functional Isolation: Understanding isolation in trafficking survivors A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Masters in Forensic Mental Health Counseling John Jay College of Criminal Justice City University of New York Elizabeth Mahan December 2017 FUNCTIONAL ISOLATION: UNDERSTAND ISOL TRAFFICKING 2 Abstract This study examined how traffickers used different elements of isolation and how such tactics may have contributed to the traffickers’ success in maintaining control over the victim. I examined in-depth narratives from 14 women between the ages of 20-53, primarily immigrants, who were recruited from an agency serving victims of sex trafficking in a large metropolitan city. The tactics used by traffickers varied and included not only the commonly defined structural isolation in which victims are restricted physically and socially, but also included a shrinking of safe social space and an elimination of privacy and social support. The latter is termed functional isolation and refers to instances when survivors are surrounded by peers who are either unreliable or aligned with the trafficker and thus, are unable to give genuine social support.
    [Show full text]
  • Isolation/Loneliness
    Isolation/Loneliness A very common experience on campus is for students to feel quite lonely or isolated, even though there are thousands of other students here every day. Loneliness is a feeling that no one enjoys and if it occurs often enough, it can really impact our life satisfaction and mood. For many students who are struggling with depression, isolation and loneliness can be a big contributing factor. We all have a strong biological need to feel a sense of connection with others and when this need is not met, feelings of loneliness are our mind’s and body’s way of telling us something is wrong. Remember, no one is exempt from feeling lonely at times. There are several circumstances that can increase the likelihood of feeling isolated on campus. These include: 1. Being a first year student. 2. Moving out of your parents’ home for the first time. 3. Living alone, rather than with roommates, or in residence. 4. Coming to university as an international student. 5. Being very shy/socially anxious. 6. Having very large and formal classes. 7. Being a graduate student and working only on your thesis or dissertation. 8. Never having a lot of friendships in the past. 9. Feeling unsure how to initiate a connection. 10. Having a history of failed relationships/friendships. 11. Holding unrealistic expectations regarding friendships or intimate connections. 12. Believing that everyone already has enough friends. Although feeling lonely and isolated can be a very painful experience, these feelings in turn can motivate us to pursue the connection we need and want.
    [Show full text]
  • Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect
    FACTSHEET April 2019 Long-Term Consequences of WHAT’S INSIDE Child Abuse and Neglect Physical health consequences Aside from the immediate physical injuries children Psychological can experience through maltreatment, a child’s consequences reactions to abuse or neglect can have lifelong and even intergenerational impacts. Childhood Behavioral maltreatment can be linked to later physical, consequences psychological, and behavioral consequences as well Societal as costs to society as a whole. These consequences consequences may be independent of each other, but they also may be interrelated. For example, abuse or neglect may Federal research on stunt physical development of the child’s brain and adverse childhood lead to psychological problems, such as low self- experiences esteem, which could later lead to high-risk behaviors, Preventing and such as substance use. The outcomes for each child reducing the long- may vary widely and are affected by a combination of term consequences factors, including the child’s age and developmental of maltreatment status when the maltreatment occurred; the type, Conclusion frequency, duration, and severity of the maltreatment; and the relationship between the child and the References perpetrator. Additionally, children who experience maltreatment often are affected by other adverse experiences (e.g., parental substance use, domestic violence, poverty), which can make it difficult to separate the unique effects of maltreatment (Rosen, Handley, Cicchetti, & Rogosch, 2018). Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS 800.394.3366 | Email: [email protected] | https://www.childwelfare.gov Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect https://www.childwelfare.gov This factsheet explains the long-term physical, Migraine headaches psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of Chronic bronchitis/emphysema/chronic obstructive child abuse and neglect and provides an overview of pulmonary disease adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
    [Show full text]
  • Experiencing SAD: Shame, Anxiety, & Dissonance Amidst COVID-19
    Experiencing SAD: Shame, Anxiety, & Dissonance Amidst COVID-19 Jessie Ashton | Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Michael A. Goodman, Ph.D. | University of Maryland For those who are drawn to student affairs as a foundation that guides our work in fraternity/sorority life (FSL), the disruptions occurring as a result of COVID-19 can feel frustrating, confusing, and isolating. Multiple experiences are being disrupted at once — the students, the organizations, the students in the organizations, the students in the organizations at the institutions … and us, the practitioners serving students across multiple functionalities. We come to this work as campus-based advisors, headquarters staff, regional representatives, volunteers, housing personnel, and more. Each functionality maintains a level of responsibility and response. For some, questions might fuel the feelings of confusion associated with our current existence. For example, how do we support seniors during this time, especially for those on campuses that have gone to online operations for the remainder of the semester/quarter? How do we support staff? Graduate students? What about new member education? Intake? Initiation? How will grade reports be disrupted during this time? What issues will reverberate into the fall semester that were unattended to this spring? Are there programs we can do online, through social media, or remotely with students? And what about dues and housing? Fees? Will money be reimbursed or repurposed? Will we even come back in the fall? While these questions are valuable and necessary, we want to uplift and acknowledge that, in addition to students, the practitioners themselves may be experiencing their own levels of frustration, confusion, and isolation at this time.
    [Show full text]
  • Envy on Facebook: a Hidden Threat to Users' Life Satisfaction?
    Envy on Facebook: A Hidden Threat to Users’ Life Satisfaction? Hanna Krasnova1,*, Helena Wenninger2, Thomas Widjaja2, and Peter Buxmann2 1 Institute of Information Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany [email protected] 2 Chair of Software Business & Information Management, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany {wenninger, widjaja, buxmann}@is.tu-darmstadt.de Abstract. The wealth of social information presented on Facebook is astound- ing. While these affordances allow users to keep up-to-date, they also produce a basis for social comparison and envy on an unprecedented scale. Even though envy may endanger users’ life satisfaction and lead to platform avoidance, no study exists uncovering this dynamics. To close this gap, we build on responses of 584 Facebook users collected as part of two independent studies. In study 1, we explore the scale, scope, and nature of envy incidents triggered by Face- book. In study 2, the role of envy feelings is examined as a mediator between intensity of passive following on Facebook and users’ life satisfaction. Con- firming full mediation, we demonstrate that passive following exacerbates envy feelings, which decrease life satisfaction. From a provider’s perspective, our findings signal that users frequently perceive Facebook as a stressful environ- ment, which may, in the long-run, endanger platform sustainability. Keywords: Envy, Facebook, Passive Following, Life Satisfaction, Mediation. 1 Introduction With users sharing a whopping 30 billion pieces of content each month, Facebook (FB) represents the largest database of social information the world has ever wit- nessed [1]. By sharing their updates, users keep in touch and broaden their horizons [2].
    [Show full text]
  • AET Social Isolation in America
    Social isolation and loneliness — America’s next public health issues Aetna® is leveraging big data and artificial intelligence to better address our next pandemic. aetna.com Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aenta group of companies, including Aetna Life Insurance and its affiliates (Aetna). 62.36.103.1 (2/21) Americans are increasingly diverse, aging and feeling socially isolated. America’s population is about to reach 328 Race, culture and social isolation million people. The racial make-up of our population breaks down like this: We often use social isolation interchangeably with the term loneliness. But they are different. Non-Hispanic whites represent about 60 percent of the population Social isolation or objective isolation refers to Hispanics about 19 percent quantifiable social disconnectedness. These African Americans about 14 percent terms encompass such factors as the size and Asian Americans about 7 percent1 structure of social networks, the frequency and duration of social interactions, and the extent of 8 The population of people of two or more races social support received. In contrast, loneliness will be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic (or subjective social isolation) is the perception group over the next several decades.2 Likewise, of social isolation due to distress caused by the Americans will to continue to age and live difference between actual and desired social longer.3 interaction and relations. Modern lifestyle and technology are associated with an increased Every day in the U.S., about 10,000 people turn risk of social isolation. So are race, ethnicity, 65.4 In 2030, all baby boomers will be over 65, socio-economic and cultural factors.
    [Show full text]
  • Compassion Focused Therapy to Counteract Shame, Self-Criticism and Isolation
    J Contemp Psychother (2015) 45:89–98 DOI 10.1007/s10879-014-9286-8 ORIGINAL PAPER Compassion Focused Therapy to Counteract Shame, Self-Criticism and Isolation. A Replicated Single Case Experimental Study for Individuals With Social Anxiety K. Boersma • A. Ha˚kanson • E. Salomonsson • I. Johansson Published online: 6 November 2014 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 Abstract Most forms of psychological distress encom- Introduction pass both the relation to the self in the form of shame and self-criticism, as well as the relation to others in the form of Most forms of psychological distress encompass both the distance and isolation. These are often longstanding and relation to the self in the form of shame and self-criticism, pervasive problems that permeate a wide range of psy- as well as the relation to others in the form of distance and chological disorders and are difficult to treat. This paper isolation. Shame is a painful self-conscious affect associ- focuses on how problems with shame and self-criticism can ated with the perception of having a personal attribute, be addressed using compassion focused therapy (CFT). In a characteristic or behavior that others find unattractive or pilot study we tested the effectiveness of CFT with a single undesirable and that may result in rejection or being put case experimental design in six individuals suffering from down (Gilbert 1998). Included in a shameful experience are social anxiety. The aim was to establish whether CFT lead oftentimes self-critical and self-attacking cognitions (Gil- to increases in self-compassion, and reductions in shame, bert and Miles 2000).
    [Show full text]