The relationship between adverse interpersonal life experiences and self-esteem in people with intellectual disabilities : the role of shame, self-compassion and social support
- Resource Type
- Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
- Authors
- Davies, Lauren
- Source
- Subject
- 150
- Language
- English
People with intellectual disabilities (PWID) are reported to have low self-esteem and to have experienced high rates of negative life events. The present study compared the frequency of negative relational life events and levels of shame, self-compassion and self-esteem in 50 PWID and 47 people without ID on a number of self-report measures. It was hypothesised that shame and self-compassion would mediate the relationship between negative interpersonal life experiences and self-esteem whilst social support would moderate this relationship. As predicted, shame and selfcompassion were found to mediate the relationship between negative interpersonal life events and self-esteem for PWID. There was no evidence for a moderating effect of social support and no difference in shame or self-compassion for PWID in comparison to controls. PWID were found to have higher self-esteem than participants from the general population. The findings suggest shame and selfcompassion are important concepts for PWID. Clinical and future research implications are discussed.