{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T12:36:52Z","timestamp":1777898212280,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770163200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Psychol Rep"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Recent research has identified that shame can contribute to depressive symptomology. Considering the harmful effects of clinical and subclinical depression on emotional well-being and long-term health, it is critical to consider protective factors. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between shame-proneness and depression, exploring the moderating roles of forgiveness and blaming others. In a sample of 1,275 adults (ages 18-77, 58.5% female), this cross-sectional study used self-report measures including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA), and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS) to investigate whether forgiveness and blaming others moderate the relationship between shame-proneness and depression. The results suggest that shame is associated with increased depression, an effect which was attenuated by self-forgiveness. The model explained 28% of the variance in depression (\n                    <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">p<\/jats:italic>\n                    &lt; .001). These results can inform strategies for clinicians when working with clients who struggle with depression, denoting the key value of self-forgiveness in attenuating the effects of shame.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/00332941261423113","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T19:47:36Z","timestamp":1770234456000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Moderating Roles of Forgiveness and Blaming Others in the Relationship Between Shame-Proneness and Depression for Adults"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7179-3135","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bonnie L.","family":"McKinney","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Louis","family":"Alvey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Suzy","family":"Vaile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-5727-025X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hannah E.","family":"Murch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fred","family":"Volk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3342-3793","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jichan J.","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Liberty University"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_6_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/1040-3590.10.2.176"},{"key":"e_1_3_6_3_1","first-page":"79","volume-title":"Dimensions of forgiveness: Psychological research and theological perspectives","author":"Baumeister R. 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