Cited by 866Emotions and Moral BehaviorAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesForgiveness and Related Behaviors

Shame, guilt, and depressive symptoms: A meta-analytic review.

Kim, Sangmoon, Thibodeau, Ryan, Jorgensen, Randall S.·2011·Psychological Bulletin

Abstract

Recent theoretical and empirical work has facilitated the drawing of sharp conceptual distinctions between shame and guilt. A clear view of these distinctions has permitted development of a research literature aimed at evaluating the differential associations of shame and guilt with depressive symptoms. This study quantitatively summarized the magnitude of associations of shame and guilt with depressive symptoms. Two hundred forty-two effect sizes were obtained from 108 studies employing 22,411 participants. Shame showed significantly stronger associations with depressive symptoms (r = .43) than guilt (r = .28). However, the association of shame and depressive symptoms was statistically indistinguishable from the associations of 2 maladaptive variants of guilt and depressive symptoms (contextual-maladaptive guilt, involving exaggerated responsibility for uncontrollable events, r = .39; generalized guilt, involving "free-floating" guilt divorced from specific contexts, r = .42). Other factors also moderated the effects. External shame, which involves negative views of self as seen through the eyes of others, was associated with larger effect sizes (r = .56) than internal shame (r = .42), which involves negative views of self as seen through one's own eyes. Depressive symptom measures that invoked the term guilt yielded stronger associations between guilt and depressive symptoms (r = .33) than depressive symptom measures that did not (r = .21). Age, sex, and ethnicity (proporti…

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Crossref · 10.1037/a0021466

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Authors
Kim, S., Thibodeau, R., & Jorgensen, R. S.
Affiliations
  • Syracuse University (US)
  • St. John Fisher University (US)
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Published
2011
Volume
137
Issue
1
Pages
68-96
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
OpenAlex
W2092317097
Cited by
866
References
230
Citations by year
2026: 70 · 2025: 78 · 2024: 73 · 2023: 64 · 2022: 55 · 2021: 78 · 2020: 69 · 2019: 64 · 2018: 57 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 49 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 41 · 2012: 20
FWCI
47.42
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Fisher Digital Publications (St. John Fisher College) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Forgiveness and Related Behaviors
Keywords
shame, guilt, depressive symptoms, external shame, internalized shame, moderators of effect size
MeSH terms
Cognition, Depression, Emotions, Female, Guilt, Humans, Male, Psychological Tests, Sex Factors, Shame

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