Elsevier

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

Volume 11, Issue 6, November–December 1994, Pages 503-510
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

Article
Shame, guilt, and depression in men and women in recovery from addiction

https://doi.org/10.1016/0740-5472(94)90001-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Men and women in recovery from addiction were compared on levels of depression and self-conscious affect including proneness to shame, guilt, externalization, detachment, and pride. The sample consisted of 130 subjects (88 men and 42 women; mean age 33.04), 90 of whom were active participants in a 12-step recovery program, and 40 of whom were in a residential treatment community. Subjects completed The Beck Depression Inventory and The Test of Self-Conscious Affect. Significant differences between the sexes were found for proneness to shame, detachment, and depression. Women were significantly higher on shame and depression; men were significantly higher on detachment. The subjects were compared to subjects who were not chemically dependent. It was found that these recovering drug-addicted subjects scored significantly higher in proneness to shame and externalization and significantly lower on proneness to guilt. Treatment implications of proneness to shame in the drug-addicted population, and particularly in women, are discussed. The use of confrontational drug treatment strategies may be contraindicated.

Keywords

addiction
depression
guilt
recovery
shame

Cited by (0)

This research has been supported by the Miriam F. Meehan Charitable Trusts and the Broitman Foundation.

We thank Rebecca Bailey, PhD. and Terry LaRue for their work as Research Assistants on this study.

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