The Experience of Shame in the Depression-Prone College Students: A Preliminary Exploration

• Main Authors: LIU,GUAN-HUA, 劉冠華
• Other Authors: LEE,GIN-HONG
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/06618191878144942610

碩士 === 輔仁大學 === 臨床心理學系碩士班 === 104 === Purpose: Shame is the emotion which is hard to distinguish from guilt, and is associated with depressive affect in everyday life and clinical relevant disorder including depression. To date, we have not received united definitions or theories of shame；furthermore, shame has been kept in obscurity in oriental culture.Under the circumstances, It is difficult to clarify shame experience in depressive phenomenon.This research aims at using phenomenological method to probe this issue for further understanding.Methods: Three depression-prone college students(BDI-I≧14) participated in this study. Participants accepted semi-structured interviews which are recorded after obtaining formed consent. Full verbatim texts are analyzed through phenomenological method suggested by Li and Lai (2009) including data collection, empathic immersement, meaning units, constituent themes, situated structure.Results: This research indicate that depression-prone college students “see” themselves through “imaginative eyes of others”, that is, the meaning of “self” they perceive including “ self relative to others”. Under the circumstances, individuals experience their state of being will be accepted conditionally, feeling the“self”is refused by themselves and others, losing connections with themselves and others, and sinking into the ocean of suffering shame alone. Even though individuals try to escape, they still continue to stuck with the suffering circle of shame. This research unfolded depression-prone college students’ shame experience as mentioned above, taking three participants’constituent themes as three entrances into realistic experience of shame.Conclusions: According to the results of phenomenological analysis, shame is tightly associated with the existent appearance of self that individual identified, not simply being a kind of emotion. Furthermore, shame is rooted deeply within individual, and is difficult to be changed by events. This research indicate that:(1) Event connected with the feeling of shame cannot be simply taken as specific external message, which couldn’t be clearly defined.(2) The manifestation of escape from shame does not depend on the manifestation of specific behavior. What matters most is whether individuals build up the feeling of escape. (3) It is difficult to control feelings of shame by modifying thoughts. Even though individuals try to modify their thoughts, they still return to the condition of shame. (4) This research emphasized the importance of “acceptance” in the therapy. Any “change” promoted too rashly during the therapy could turn out to be the “negation” towards individuals.