The focus of this study is on guilt and shame in children and adolescents. Shame and guilt are negative, complex, social, moral and self-conscious emotions; nevertheless, they differ along some dimensions such as the focus, the pain degree, the physical expression, the interpersonal relationship, and the action tendency. Situational antecedents and mentalization of shame and guilt were examined by asking for written narratives of autobiographical episodes. Participants were 200 subjects, 100 children (9-year olds; M = 9.8 SD = 0.7) and 100 adolescents (14-year olds; M = 14,7; SD = 1,6), equally divided by gender, with typical development, from middle class, recruited in schools located in Milan. On the basis of developmental literature, it was predicted to find differences as a function of age, type of emotion and gender. Two types of analysis were carried out, respectively on emotional antecedents and on mental state language, particularly on mental verbs versus behavioral verbs. Comparing age groups, a significant change of situational antecedents was found for guilt (p = .01), since emotional antecedents were more related to behaviors and rules violations for children, whereas they were more focused on the importance of relationship for adolescents, On the contrary, gender differences were found only for shame narratives (p= .04), since emotional antecedents were more focused on performances for males, whereas they were especially connected to inner feelings and intra-personal contents for females. Both age and gender differences were found regarding the ability to mentalize shame and guilt (p = .01).

Grazzani, I., Ornaghi, V., Antoniotti, C. (2008). Narratives of shame and guilt in children and adolescents: situational antecedents and mentalization. Intervento presentato a: ISSBD - International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Wurzburg, Germany.

Narratives of shame and guilt in children and adolescents: situational antecedents and mentalization

GRAZZANI, ILARIA;ORNAGHI, VERONICA MARIA;
2008

Abstract

The focus of this study is on guilt and shame in children and adolescents. Shame and guilt are negative, complex, social, moral and self-conscious emotions; nevertheless, they differ along some dimensions such as the focus, the pain degree, the physical expression, the interpersonal relationship, and the action tendency. Situational antecedents and mentalization of shame and guilt were examined by asking for written narratives of autobiographical episodes. Participants were 200 subjects, 100 children (9-year olds; M = 9.8 SD = 0.7) and 100 adolescents (14-year olds; M = 14,7; SD = 1,6), equally divided by gender, with typical development, from middle class, recruited in schools located in Milan. On the basis of developmental literature, it was predicted to find differences as a function of age, type of emotion and gender. Two types of analysis were carried out, respectively on emotional antecedents and on mental state language, particularly on mental verbs versus behavioral verbs. Comparing age groups, a significant change of situational antecedents was found for guilt (p = .01), since emotional antecedents were more related to behaviors and rules violations for children, whereas they were more focused on the importance of relationship for adolescents, On the contrary, gender differences were found only for shame narratives (p= .04), since emotional antecedents were more focused on performances for males, whereas they were especially connected to inner feelings and intra-personal contents for females. Both age and gender differences were found regarding the ability to mentalize shame and guilt (p = .01).
Narratives, emotions, adolescents
English
ISSBD - International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development
2008
lug-2008
none
Grazzani, I., Ornaghi, V., Antoniotti, C. (2008). Narratives of shame and guilt in children and adolescents: situational antecedents and mentalization. Intervento presentato a: ISSBD - International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Wurzburg, Germany.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/15621
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