Shame proneness and eating disorders: a comparison between clinical and non-clinical samples

• Published in: Eating and weight disorders Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 701 - 707
• Main Authors: Cesare, Cavalera, Francesco, Pagnini, Valentino, Zurloni, Barbara, Diana, Olivia, Realdon, Gianluca, Castelnuovo, Patrizia, Todisco, Enrico, Molinari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Affect; Eating disorders; Feeding and Eating Disorders - psychology; Female; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Psychiatry; Psychological aspects; Shame; Young Adult; Subclinical; Shame proneness; Eating disorders
• ISSN: 1124-4909; 1590-1262
• DOI: 10.1007/s40519-016-0328-y

Purpose To explore the relationship between shame proneness, eating disorders outcomes and psychological aspects of patients with eating disorders (ED). Methods Sixty-six girls applying for inpatient treatment for ED and 110 female undergraduate students were assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 and the Shame Proneness Scale of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect. Results Shame proneness showed significant correlations with several ED components and psychological scales of EDI-3, with some variations across the subgroups. Shame proneness levels were significantly higher in the clinical group than in controls. Conclusions Shame proneness can be an important component for the development and the maintenance of ED due to a strong correlation not only with ED symptoms but also with psychological aspects of this disease, in both clinical and non-clinical samples.