The role of shame and shame coping strategies on internalizing/externalizing symptoms: Differences across gender in adolescents

Shame plays a central role in social and self-development, particularly throughout childhood and adolescence. Nonetheless, shame can also be harmful if it involves unbearable and persistent feelings of being inferior, inadequate, and worthless. Gender differences in endorsing either internalizing/externalizing symptoms may reflect different ways of coping with shame rather than differences in the experience of shame per se. Using a community adolescent sample (n = 368; 65.8% female), this study investigated the role of external shame and shame coping strategies in the endorsement of externalizing and internalizing symptoms, looking at the moderator role of gender. Although gender differences were found in the endorsement of shame coping strategies and psychological symptoms, results indicated that gender had no impact on the pathways linking external shame and shame coping strategies to psychological symptoms. By clarifying the routes linking external shame to psychological symptoms, current findings may contribute to better define appropriate interventions for adolescents.