The association of two forms of self blame with childhood trauma : a scheme based approach

Controversy exists about whether self blame is an important factor in the processing of traumatic experiences. Janoff-Bulman (1979) proposed that two different forms of self blame existed and that the distinction between these was important to clinical work with individuals who have experienced trauma. This study tests the hypothesis that Behavioural Self Blame is associated with better psychological adjustment compared with Characterological Self Blame. Self report measures were used to identify the adolescents' attribution of self blame with respect to childhood trauma and their beliefs about themselves and the world (schemata). The relationships between the nature of the self blame, schemata and psychopathology were explored. The results from a sample of nineteen adolescents in residential care suggest that the two forms of self blame are associated with differences in Self Esteem and Self Control schemata. The implications of these findings and ideas for future areas of research into the concept of self blame are discussed.