UNDERSTANDING SHAME IN ADULTS - RETROSPECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF PARENTAL-BONDING DURING CHILDHOOD

The association between perceptions of parental-bonding style during c hildhood and moral affect of shame at young adulthood were examined wi th 264 women and 140 men (mean age [+/- SD] = 20.4 +/- 1.6 years old). Shame affect was significantly positively related to fear of negative evaluation by others and social avoidance, and negatively related to recalled parental care in one's childhood. Multiple regression analyse s indicated that maternal protectiveness, paternal care, fear of negat ive social evaluation, and social avoidance were significant predictor s of shame, explaining 41% of the variance. Results support object rel ations theory, which states that shame is a moral affect associated wi th social evaluation apprehension and may have developmental implicati ons for one's parental relations.