BACKGROUND: Shame-proneness has been consistently associated with more problematic alcohol outcomes, and guilt-proneness has been associated with fewer. The aim of this study was to determine if the associations of shame-and-guilt-proneness with alcohol outcomes vary as a function of interpersonal sensitivity.
METHOD: A longitudinal study examined shame-proneness and guilt-proneness as predictors of alcohol consumption and related problems one month later. This research was conducted at a large public university in the United States.
RESULTS: Participants (N=414) were heavy-drinking college students (51% female) with a mean age of 21.76 (SD=2.02) who consumed an average of 12.13 (SD=8.81) standard drinks per week. Shame-proneness, but not guilt-proneness, was directly associated with increased drinking and indirectly associated with increased problems. The indirect effects of shame on problems through drinking were stronger at higher levels of interpersonal sensitivity.
CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that shame-proneness may increase alcohol consumption and subsequent problems among those high in interpersonal sensitivity. Alcohol may be used as a means to withdraw from social threats that are amplified by interpersonal sensitivity.