Shame and its contribution to PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a legacy of the Vietnam War. Perhaps as many as a half-million U.S. veterans suffer from the problem to some degree. Hospitalized U.S. veterans, diagnosed as suffering from PTSD were given the Internalized Shame Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Hospitalized veterans suffering from (1) depression and (2) substance abuse were also given these instruments and the resulting data were compared. Veterans suffering from PTSD scored higher on Internalized Shame and on Depression than did the Substance Abuse group and scored higher numerically on Depression than did the Depression group itself. All groups were compared on factors related to Shame, Inferiority and Alienation. Data indicated that the PTSD group scored numerically highest on both factors. Results are discussed in accordance with current Shame induction theory.