Scale Analysis

The Experience of Shame Scale (ESS-25) was developed in 2002 by Andrews, Qian, and Valentine.

Scale Objective

The ESS was created to evaluate internal shame, aiming to determine whether the predictive power of interview-based shame assessments lies in the method itself or in the individual’s perception of shame and the directness of the questions posed by such methods.

Item Scoring

The ESS consists of 25 items, each rated on a 4-point Likert scale indicating how frequently the individual experienced the described feeling over the past year (where 1 = not at all and 4 = very much). The scale assesses three distinct types of shame: characterological shame, behavioral shame, and bodily shame. Each type refers to specific domains, such as personal habits, wrongful acts, or body image. In total, eight areas related to the experience of shame are covered, each involving an experiential, cognitive, and behavioral component.

Statistical Analysis

The ESS yields a total score based on the participant’s responses on the 4-point Likert scale. The total score ranges from 25 to 100, with no items being reverse-scored.

Validity and Reliability

The Cronbach’s alpha for the overall ESS is 0.92, indicating a high level of internal consistency and reliability. Similarly strong reliability is observed within each of the three shame subscales: characterological (α = 0.90), behavioral (α = 0.87), and bodily (α = 0.86). In the Greek adaptation by Gouva and colleagues, the overall scale demonstrated even higher internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93. Subscale reliability in the Greek version was also excellent: characterological shame (α = 0.88), behavioral shame (α = 0.89), and bodily shame (α = 0.84).

References

Authors: Andrews, B., Qian, M., and Valentine, J. D.
Greek Adaptation: Gouva M. and collaborators

Tags: Internal Shame

For support in research using this scale, including protocol development, data collection, and result analysis, you may contact Datanalysis.