SAFETYLIT WEEKLY UPDATE

We compile citations and summaries of about 400 new articles every week.
RSS Feed

HELP: Tutorials | FAQ
CONTACT US: Contact info

Search Results

Journal Article

Citation

Thoresen S, Aakvaag HF, Strøm IF, Wentzel-Larsen T, Birkeland MS. Soc. Sci. Med. (1982) 2018; 211: 183-189.

Affiliation

Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1-3, 0484 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: m.s.birkeland@nkvts.no.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.06.002

PMID

29958130

Abstract

RATIONALE: Shame related to childhood violence can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Shame may erode social bonds.

OBJECTIVE: In this study we tested whether loneliness is an important pathway between violence-related shame and health problems.

METHOD: Individuals who reported exposure to childhood violence in a telephone interview survey in 2013 (wave one) were re-contacted 12-18 months later (wave two), as part of a more general survey of the Norwegian adult population. In total, 505 adolescent and young adult participants (mean age = 21 years) responded to questions about violence exposure, violence-related shame, loneliness, anxiety/depression symptoms, and somatic health complaints. We used counterfactually based causal mediation analysis within the structural equation modelling framework to test whether loneliness mediated a potential association between shame and health.

RESULTS: Shame had a profound effect on anxiety/depression symptoms and we identified both direct and indirect effects. Loneliness mediated about one third of the relationship between shame and anxiety/depression symptoms. The relationship between shame and somatic health complaints was weaker in total, but this more modest effect largely occurred indirectly through loneliness.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results add to the literature by highlighting the role of loneliness in the relationship between shame and health. Shame may have the potential to break down social connectedness, with a detrimental effect on health. Clinicians may find it helpful to pay close attention to the way shame regulates social interaction. Preventing social isolation and loneliness may promote good health in violence victims.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Language: en

Keywords

Causal mediation analysis; Loneliness; Mental health; Norway; Physical health; Shame; Violence

NEW SEARCH


All SafetyLit records are available for automatic download to Zotero & Mendeley
Print