Mapping Shame and Its Functions in Relationships

Articles in this issue examine how experiences of shame, together with its effects on anger, are involved in maltreatment's sequelae. Authors identify mechanisms through which these emotions result from, and adversely affect, victims' concurrent and later adjustment. Using Leary's (1999) analysis of similar paradoxes in research concerning self-esteem, this commentary pinpoints dilemmas and consequences implied in this special issue regarding shame. These include whether shame should be accentuated as the central emotional mediator or moderator in maltreatment sequelae, inferring particular attributions, regulatory goals, or consequences based on extant measures of shame and construing these as outcomes or causes in maltreatment sequelae. Questions are raised concerning the diverse functions of shame, alone and in combination with anger or guilt, the steps needed to reveal these various functions, and their implications for therapeutic interventions with survivors of abuse. Adopting this approach acknowledges that expressions of shame may sometimes help victims negotiate relational hazards and treats shame as a signal or coeffect in maltreatment sequelae.