A pilot study assessing effectiveness of a written shame induction protocol with and without a social evaluative threat manipulation.

This pilot study was the first to evaluate the impact of a social evaluative threat (SET) manipulation on the shame induction effectiveness of a written shame protocol. We randomized seventy participants to three protocols (except n = 5 nonrandomized to control group): a written shame protocol where participants were told their response would be (a) read (shame protocol with SET manipulation [SET]; n = 25); or (b) immediately shredded (shame protocol without SET manipulation [No SET]; n = 25); or (c) a control protocol where participants wrote objectively about their past 24 hr (control protocol [CON]; n = 20). We measured shame immediately before and after the protocols. Shame increased significantly in response to the SET (Pre: 2.89 ± .1; Post: 3.91 ± .1; p
Source: Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research