Ethnic Differences in Reporting Shame Impacting PTSD in Childhood Abuse
Guadalupe Valdivia, David V. Chavez, & Stephanie Loera
California State University, San Bernardino
PURPOSE
MEASURES
RESULTS
The purpose of the study is to determine if there are
differences in types of abuse and PTSD outcomes for
different ethnic groups. This study seeks to investigate
whether the effect of childhood abuse on PTSD symptoms
is mediated through shame.
• Demographic Information Questionnaire
• Age, Gender, Marital Status, Ethnicity, Education, & Income.
• Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) (Bernstein et al., 1994)
• CTQ scores higher than 6=> abuse
• Cronbach’s coefficient alpha = .84
• Experience of Shame Scale (ESS) (Andrew, 2002)
• Cronbach’s coefficient alpha = .93
• Penn Inventory for PTSD (Hammarberg, 1992)
• Cronbach’s coefficient alpha = .94
•For all groups, shame partially mediated the relationship
between abuse and PTSD for emotional and physical
abuse.
•For Latina’s the effect of neglect also was partially
mediated by shame, and the effect of sexual abuse was
fully mediated.
PROCEDURE
INTRODUCTION
•Childhood abuse survivors have a higher risk of
developing PTSD (Andrews, Brewin, Rose, & Kirt, 2000).
•Some types of trauma are more likely than others to
provoke PTSD, for example sexual abuse (Adshead, 2000).
•Feeling of shame increases the likelihood of PTSD
symptoms (Deblinger, & Runyon, 2005).
•The sense of shame tends to be more manifest in the Latin
cultures than in the Anglo-American culture (Albert & Ah
Ha, 2004).
• It seems that for the Latinos, shame is more related to a
family or group membership identity (Berntsen & Rubin,
2007).
•Unfortunately, cultural differences in the role of shame in
PTSD and the likelihood of reporting abuse have not
received adequate research attention.
METHODS
•Utilized an existing archival data set from a larger study
that is being conducted at CSUSB that is examining female
victims of childhood abuse.
•College women were recruited from various
undergraduate classes within the CSUSB campus,
Southern California rape crisis centers and women’s health
centers.
•All participants had to be at least 18 years old to
participate in the study.
•There are no other restrictions on who may participate in
the study.
• All of the participants were treated in accordance with the
APA ethical standards and safety monitoring.
•The participants were given a packet that consisted of an informed consent, demographic sheet,
and several self-report measures.
•During the debriefing process, all participants were asked if they would like to discuss their
experiences and feelings about the study.
•In closing, all participants were given a resource packet with several contact information for
sexual assault, domestic violence, mental health and other agencies.
PARTICIPANTS
•Total of 524 women.
•The average age was 26.13 years.
•Majority of the participants identified marital status as single, had an average income that was
between $30,999 to $35,000, had an Associate Degree, and identify as Mexican
American/Chicano/Hispanic/Latino.
DISCUSSION
The results showed that the mediation of shame of most
abuse types and ethnic groups predictions of PTSD were
partially mediated. The results suggest that Latina women
who experience shame from sexual abuse are at greater
risk to develop high rates of PTSD. This is an important
finding that shows Latina women may need greater help to
deal with emotions of shame when they have experienced
sexual abuse.
Future studies should consider replicating the study and
look at gender differences. These results can be applied to
parent education programs or counseling training, which
can help family members of Latinas who have experienced
childhood abuse. In addition, survivors of childhood abuse
and their families will better understand the importance of
developing a strong ethnic identity as a protective factor
and the importance for all family members to understand
the debilitating nature of shame in their children’s lives.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dr. Matt Riggs, & The Women’s Trauma & Resiliency
Research Team. The second author’s contribution is
patially supported by an NIH/NCMHD funded Research
Infrastructure for Minority Serving Institutions (RIMI)
Grant (MD002722).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Guadalupe Valdivia, M.A.
Department of Psychology
valdivi1@csusb.edu
909-567-4013
Dr. David Chavez, Professor
Department of Psychology
dchavez@csusb.edu
909-537-5572
Stephanie Loera, B.A.
Department of Psychology