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Hide and “sick”: Self-concealment, shame and distress in the setting of psycho-oncology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2017

Reut Wertheim ,
Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon ,
Michal Mashiach-Eizenberg ,
Noam Pizem ,
Einat Shacham-Shmueli  and
Gil Goldzweig
Reut Wertheim*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Ilanit Hasson-Ohayon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Michal Mashiach-Eizenberg
Affiliation:
Department of Health Systems Management, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, Emek Yezreel, Israel
Noam Pizem
Affiliation:
Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Einat Shacham-Shmueli
Affiliation:
Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Gil Goldzweig
Affiliation:
The School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Reut Wertheim, Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel. E-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

Objective:

Both trait and contextual self-concealment, as well as shame- and guilt-proneness, have previously been found to be associated with psychological distress. However, findings regarding the associations between these variables among patients with cancer and among the spouses of patients with cancer are limited. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate the relationship between shame-proneness and psychological distress (anxiety and depression) by examining the mediating role of both trait and contextual self-concealment among patients with cancer and among the spouses of patients with cancer.

Method:

The current study was part of a large-scale cross-sectional study on self-concealment among patients with cancer and spouses of patients with cancer. It was based on two independent subsamples: patients with cancer and spouses of patients with cancer, who were not dyads. A total of 80 patients with cancer and 80 spouses of (other) patients with cancer completed questionnaires assessing shame- and guilt-proneness, trait and contextual self-concealment, anxiety, and depression.

Results:

Results indicate that spouses reported both greater shame-proneness and anxiety than did patients (main effect of role). Female participants reported greater shame-proneness, higher levels of contextual self-concealment, and greater depression and anxiety than did male participants (main effect of gender). No group differences (role/gender) were found for guilt-proneness and trait self-concealment. Trait and contextual self-concealment partially mediated the relationship between shame-proneness and distress, pointing out the need to further examine additional mediators.

Significance of results:

Findings suggest that contextual self-concealment and shame-proneness are important variables to consider when assessing distress in the setting of psycho-oncology. Study results may have significant clinical implications regarding the need to identify patients and spouses who are more prone to shame and self-concealment behavior in order to better tailor interventions for them.

Keywords

Self-concealmentShame-pronenessGuilt-pronenessDistressCancer
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 16 , Special Issue 4: Topics in Bereavement , August 2018 , pp. 461 - 469
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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