Relationships of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Meditation Experience With Shame-Proneness

Shame-proneness is strongly linked to worse mental health, while guilt-proneness is less harmful. In a sample of undergraduates, shame-proneness was strongly negatively correlated with all facets of mindfulness and with self-compassion, whereas guilt-proneness was weakly positively correlated with self-compassion and some facets of mindfulness. Hierarchical regression showed that shame-proneness was predicted by self-compassion but not by mindfulness. More frequent meditation was associated with greater mindfulness and self-compassion and lower shame-proneness, but not guilt-proneness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The tendency to experience shame or guilt is associated differentially with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, with shame being associated with greater psychopathology. Recent interventions designed to decrease shame emphasize mindfulness or self-compassion. This study investigated correlational relationships of shame-proneness and guilt-proneness with mindfulness and with self-compassion in undergraduate participants. Shame-proneness was strongly negatively correlated with all facets of mindfulness and with self-compassion, whereas guilt-proneness was weakly positively correlated with self-compassion and some facets of mindfulness. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that shame-proneness was predicted by self-compassion but not by mindfulness. More frequent meditation was associated with greater mindfulness and self-compassion and lower shame-proneness but not guilt-proneness. Limitations of the study and implications of the findings for interventions to reduce shame are discussed.