Shame, culture and mental health.

BACKGROUND: Shame is a powerful negative emotion, associated with many mental disorders, both as an aetiological factor and as a consequence affecting symptoms, psychological defences and therapeutic outcomes.

AIM: To summarise some of the findings to date regarding cultural influences on the role of shame within mental disorders.

METHODS: This lecture explores the concept of shame and its impact on mental disorders from a transcultural perspective.

RESULTS: Although there has been growing interest in recent years in the role of shame in mental disorders, there has been little research examining the links between shame, mental health and culture. Guilt and shame are often used interchangeably, but there are differences in their respective meanings in different cultures.

CONCLUSIONS: Addressing patients' experiences of shame is an important part of the culturally competent treatment of mental disorders.