Visuospatial perspective shifting and relational self-association in dispositional shame and guilt

Chiu, Chui-De; Siu, Cheuk Ying; Ng, Hau Ching; Baldwin, Mark W.

doi:10.1016/j.concog.2021.103140

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…We extend their work and suggest that this negative relational self-representation is evident, even at the prereflective level. Activating this self-rejection association does not require deliberate retrieval, and defensive social avoidance and withdrawal may be prompted as a consequence (Chiu et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relational self-evaluations in dissociation: Implicit self-rejection?

Chiu

Tollenaar

2022

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: Schematic self-knowledge consists of internal representations that shape perceptions of how the self is related to one's surroundings and other people. These representations may include dysfunctional implicit self-evaluations, such as associations of the self with negative attributes like shame, in trauma-spectrum disorders. The current study examines whether a negative relational self-association, that is, linking the self with rejection, characterizes dissociation. Method: One hundred six community participants with diverse early interpersonal experiences and mental health outcomes were recruited. Implicit relational self-evaluation was assessed by single-target implicit association tests. Dissociation and common psychopathological and psychosocial correlates such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and adverse interpersonal experiences were measured using standardized scales. Results: Individuals with more dissociative symptoms responded faster when pairing self-pronouns with rejection-related words than with acceptance-related words. The correlation between dissociation and this self-rejection association remained significant when statistically controlling for adverse interpersonal experiences and for depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Conclusion: A self-association with being rejected characterized individuals prone to dissociation. This dysfunctional implicit self-evaluation may bias perceptions of other people's attitudes toward themselves, prompting maladaptive social behaviors that can hinder the development and maintenance of relationships in dissociative people. Clinical Impact StatementWe report a link between dissociation and a specific type of implicit self-evaluation: an internalized association of the self and social rejection. This link is clinically important because dissociation prevails in trauma-related disorders, although it is commonly overlooked in practice. In addition, implicit self-evaluation is triggered without deliberate elaboration, and hence, it may affect perception of the immediate social environment outside of one's reflective awareness. For the importance of therapeutic alliance, clinicians should closely monitor the habitual interpretation and anticipation of clients about ruptures in their relationship (e.g., being excluded or abandoned), especially for those with a dissociation feature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%