@article{ref1,
title="Trauma-related shame and guilt as prospective predictors of daily mental contamination and PTSD symptoms in survivors of sexual trauma",
journal="Journal of interpersonal violence",
year="2023",
author="McCann, Jesse P. and Tipsword, Jordyn M. and Brake, C. Alex and Badour, Christal L.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Mental contamination (MC), the experience of dirtiness in the absence of a physical contaminant, has established links with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Shame and guilt have well-documented relationships with symptoms of PTSD and may play a role in the development and maintenance of MC. The present study examined whether trauma-related shame and guilt prospectively predicted daily MC and symptoms of PTSD among 41 women with a history of sexual trauma. Women completed baseline and twice-daily assessments of MC and symptoms of PTSD over a 2-week period and baseline measures of trauma-related shame and guilt. Two sets of hierarchical mixed linear regression models examined individual and combined fixed effects of baseline trauma-related guilt (guilt cognitions and global guilt) and shame in predicting daily trauma-related MC and symptoms of PTSD. Trauma-related shame positively predicted both daily MC and PTSD. This association remained robust even when accounting for the experience of trauma-related guilt. Neither trauma-related guilt cognitions nor global guilt predicted daily MC or PTSD. While other studies have addressed shame related to sexual assault, this is the first study to demonstrate a positive prospective relationship between shame and trauma-related MC. <br><br>FINDINGS regarding PTSD and shame are consistent with a growing literature. Further research is needed to better understand the temporal relationships between trauma-related shame, MC, and symptoms of PTSD, including how these variables interact and change over the course of PTSD treatment. A better understanding of the factors influencing the development and maintenance of MC can inform efforts to more easily target and improve MC, and subsequently PTSD.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0886-2605",
doi="10.1177/08862605231179721",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/08862605231179721"
}