Shame and interpersonal sensitivity: Gender differences and the association between internalized shame coping strategies and interpersonal sensitivity

The present study investigated gender differences in interpersonal sensitivity and internalized shame coping strategies in 252 undergraduate students. To measure interpersonal sensitivity and shame coping strategies, the self-assessment forms Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure and Compass of Shame Scale were used. The analyses revealed that compared to men, women display interpersonal sensitivity to a higher degree, and they use internalized shame coping strategies to a greater extent. The results also showed that interpersonal sensitivity is highly correlated with shame coping strategies. However, in contrast to earlier research, no gender difference was found, and gender did not significantly mediate the association between interpersonal sensitivity and internalized shame coping. These results could aid clinicians and researchers in promoting, designing, delivering, and evaluating treatments for patients with, for example, depression, anxiety, and interpersonal and/or relational problems.