The socialization of shame in children with learning disabilities: Parenting behaviors that influence children's shame

This study examined the association between parental behavior and children's shame among a sample of children with learning disabilities. These children are considered to be at risk for shame because they face chronic academic and social failure. Unlike previous research on the socialization of children's shame, the current study used a multi-method approach for assessing the relationship between parenting and shame, involving both self-report and observational measures. Fifty children and their mothers were videotaped during a brief discussion of the children's experience of social failure (e.g., being victimized by peers). An observational rating system was developed for the current study to assess two constructs: (1) maternal response to child failure (3 supportive and 4 non-supportive maternal behaviors) and (2) children's expressions of shame during the discussion (verbal and nonverbal, self-directed and other-directed). Children and their mothers also completed self-report forms which were used to validate the observational measures and to more thoroughly assess children's phenomenological experience of shame: the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale (CCNES), the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA-C), and the Feelings About Schoolwork Questionnaire (FAS). Overall, results of correlational analyses indicated maternal behavior during the parent-child discussion was associated with children's immediate displays of shame in addition to children's reports of shame outside of the immediate parent-child interaction. Several findings support the hypothesis that supportive parental responses to children's failures are associated with lower levels of children's shame, whereas non-supportive parental responses are associated with greater shame. Furthermore, partial correlations indicated that these effects remained significant when controlling for children's level of guilt, consistent with the theory that shame and guilt are distinct self-conscious emotions. Follow-up, stepwise multiple regression analyses examined the relative contributions of several parenting behaviors to children's shame. Additional regression analyses were used to explore the impact of demographic variables and child characteristics on the relationship between parental behavior and children's shame. Findings are discussed in terms of the socialization of shame, methodological implications, and clinical relevance.