Does Exposure to Interpersonal Trauma Influence the Relationship between Shame and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms?

Abstract

Although shame is a common emotional response to trauma exposure, it may be precipitated by distinct trauma types. To our knowledge, our study is the first to investigate the relationship between shame and PTSD symptom severity and whether exposure to at least one interpersonal trauma influences the relationship between shame and PTSD symptoms. One-hundred and fifty-seven participants from Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand completed a series of self-report measures. Although shame was significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity, it was not an independent predictor of PTSD when considering anxiety, depression, trauma history and guilt. Participants exposed to at least one interpersonal traumatic event endorsed higher levels of shame and PTSD compared to those who did not. Interpersonal trauma exposure also moderated the relationship between shame and PTSD. Clinical implications and directions for future research are also discussed.