Experiences and regulation of posttraumatic shame among women with interpersonal trauma histories: An ecological momentary assessment study.

OBJECTIVE

Posttraumatic shame-an emotion stemming from harsh attitudes about the self after trauma-is central to posttraumatic stress disorder for many women following physical or sexual assault or abuse (interpersonal trauma [IPT]). However, knowledge of how shame is experienced in daily life post-IPT (e.g., frequency, intensity, and stability) is lacking. Additionally, though some research has explored shame-specific emotion regulation (ER) or processes aimed at changing emotional responses to shame, it remains unclear which ER strategies are effective in reducing shame.

METHOD

We explored momentary experiences and regulation of posttraumatic shame via a secondary analysis of ecological momentary assessment data. Sixty women post-IPT completed assessments of shame and their use of six ER strategies (reflection, rumination, reappraisal, emotion sharing, emotion suppression, and distraction) five times per day for 14 days.

RESULTS

Women experiencing more severe baseline posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms reported more intense momentary shame. Experiencing more intense shame than typical was associated with greater next-assessment use of rumination, emotion sharing, and reappraisal. Higher than typical use of rumination, emotion suppression, and distraction was associated with more intense next-assessment shame, and higher than typical use of emotion sharing was associated with more severe next-assessment shame among women with low or moderate posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that women may use both avoidance- and approach-oriented ER strategies at times when shame is more intense. Future researchers should consider contextual factors that may shape the daily experience and regulation of posttraumatic shame post-IPT. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).