Shame and ChiIdhood Abuse

Abstract

There is now an abundance of evidence that early experiences of sexual and physical abuse increase the risk of later mental health problems (e.g., Andrews, Valentine, & Valentine, 1995; Holmes & Robins, 1987; Mullen et al., 1993). Chronic, recurrent, and more severe psychiatric disorders have also been shown to be as sociated with a history of abuse in clinical samples (Bryer et al., 1987; Carmen, Reiker, & Mills, 1984). Not everyone who experiences abuse is affected to the same degree, and the individual meaning attached to events plays an important role in explaining variations in response (Andrews, 1997a; Brown, 1989). Within this per spective, meaning is a function of the interplay between the individual’s external world (the actual features and context of events) and his or her internal world (personal attitudes and schema concerning self and others). External factors, such as the severity of the experience and social factors surrounding it, are likely to affect the way abusive experiences are construed and thus affect outcome (see Beitchman et al., 1992 for a review).