Shame, Self-discrepancies, and Adjustment post Acquired Brain Injury
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Shame, Self-discrepancies, and Adjustment post Acquired Brain Injury
IRAS ID
241595
Contact name
Rachel Hughes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Emotional distress and poor adjustment, where an individual is unable to cope with a particular stressor or major life event, are prevalent issues following acquired brain injury (ABI). Both shame and self-discrepancies, which are differences between aspects of self-concepts or self-guides ,have been highlighted as possible contributors to these problems, but no study has considered that these two bodies of research could be linked. The aim of the present study is to measure shame, self-discrepancies and adjustment in an ABI population and investigate if high levels of shame and self-discrepancies predict poor adjustment. The research question is: Do individuals with an acquired brain injury experience high levels of shame and self-discrepancies, and do these predict poor adjustment? This could lead to a better understanding of the emotional experience and adjustment post ABI, as well as inform rehabilitation and psychological interventions.
Participants will be individuals who are at least 12 months post ABI (n=52), and will be recruited from community neuropsychology teams, and voluntary organisations, over a 6 month period. Participants will complete a set of psychometric measures in a face to face appointment which will take approximately an hour, of which completing the questionnaires are expected to take 45 minutes. Demographic information will be obtained, followed by a measure of internal shame (Internalised Shame Scale), a measure of self-discrepancy (Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale – III) which is completed for pre-injury self, post injury self, and ideal self, and measures of adjustment (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Quality of Life after Brain Injury). The order of measures will be randomised to reduce order effects.
REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0188
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion