Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Minimol Joseph ¹, Lucila O. Bance ¹

Affiliations
1 The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, PH

Abstract

The present study investigated a child-centered therapeutic program known as Compassion focused Visual Art Therapy (CVAT) for female children who were sexually abused. The study was based on the theoretical and therapeutic foundations of the Self-compassion Theory, Shame Resilience Theory, Compassion-focused Therapy and Art Therapy. There were 'two group randomized controlled trial' with 36 children who were sexually abused and were residing at child welfare centres in Kerala, India. Self-Compassion Scale and Trauma Related Shame Inventory were used as assessment tools. This study was conducted in two phases; Phase I: development of CVAT and Phase II: the assessment of effectiveness of the CVAT, employing true experimental research method. The results were analyzed using mean scores, paired sample t-test, t-test for independent sample and Cohen's d test. The statistical analysis between the pre-test and post-test scores of experimental group showed significant differences (p=.001) at 0.05 level and the scores of the experimental and control groups showed significant difference (p=.001) in both variables in the post test. CVAT is efficacious in enhancing self-compassion and reducing trauma-related shame of the sexually abused children.

Keywords

Sexually Abused Children, Self-compassion, Trauma-related Shame, Compassion-focused Visual Art Therapy.

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Minimol Joseph ¹, Lucila O. Bance ¹

Affiliations
1 The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas España, Manila, PH

Abstract

The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas Espafia, Manila, The Philippines Self-compassion or extend compassion to one's self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or suffering is a topic of substantial and emergent scientific interest. The present study examined the possible predictive effect of self-compassion on traumatic shameful memories of sexually abused female children. Participants involved 158 selected female victims of child sexual abuse from Nirbhaya shelter homes from Kerala, India who completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Trauma-Related Shame Inventory and Experience of Shame Scale that measured self- compassion and shameful memories respectively. Findings of this study showed a significantly strong negative relationship between sexually abused children's self-compassion and traumatic shameful memories. Self- compassion significantly predicted changes in traumatic shameful memories, such that greater reductions in the trauma-related shame were significantly associated with higher levels of self-compassion. Regression analysis of the data showed that self-compassion factors could account a significant variance of 83.3% in internal shame, 79% in external shame, 83% in characterological shame, 81.4% in behavioral shame and 73.3% in bodily shame aspects of traumatic shameful memories. These findings are consistent with the impression that self-compassion represents as an essential constituent for emotional issues such as trauma-related shame. This correlational study endorses the needs for psychotherapeutic intervention program in order to help traumatized children for accepting themselves by alleviating shameful memories.

Keywords

Self-Compassion, Correlation, Self-Compassion Scale, Sexually Abused Children, Trauma-Related Shame.

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