High trait shame undermines the protective effects of prevalence knowledge on state shame following HPV/CIN diagnosis in women

Sarah Mc Queary Flynn, Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul, Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Christen T. Logue, Jamie L. Studts

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV), and the related, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), are common yet poorly understood physical conditions. The diagnosis of HPV often elicits shame and guilt, which in turn may undermine psychological and physical health. The current study compared shame and guilt responses to diagnosis among two groups: women diagnosed with HPV/CIN and women diagnosed with Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV/IM). Eighty women recently diagnosed with HPV/CIN or EBV/IM completed measures of shame- and guilt-proneness, shame and guilt following diagnosis, and disease knowledge including prevalence estimates (HPV and EBV, respectively). HPV/CIN (vs. EBV/IM) predicted more diagnosis-related shame and guilt. Estimates of high prevalence interacted with diagnosis and shame-proneness to predict diagnosis-related shame. Simple slope analyses indicated that in women with HPV/CIN reporting low-to-average shame-proneness, high prevalence estimates reduced diagnosis-related shame; however, women high in shame-proneness experienced high diagnosis-related shame regardless of more accurate prevalence estimates. Women high in shame-proneness appear to be particularly vulnerable to HPV-related shame even when they are aware that it is very common.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)814-820
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Behavioral Medicine
Volume40
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH093315; K99MH109667).

FundersFunder number
National Institute of Mental HealthT32MH093315, K99MH109667

    Keywords

    • Epstein–Barr Virus
    • Guilt
    • Human papillomavirus
    • Knowledge
    • Shame

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Psychology
    • Psychiatry and Mental health

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