The Relationship between Maternal Shame and Successful Intelligence of Children (Analytical, Practical, Creative): The Mediating Role of Children’s Dysfunctional Attitudes

The present study was undertaken to examine direct and indirect relationships between maternal shame and successful intelligence of children (analytical, practical, and creative) mediated by children’s dysfunctional attitudes (judgment of others, need for pleasing others, need for approval of others, vulnerability, and idealism). The statistical population of the study comprised the mothers supported by Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in Eslamshahr (Tehran, Iran) along with their adolescent children studying at regular high schools. Rizvi’s Shame Inventory (2009) was first administred to 250 mothers to identify those who experience shame. In the next step, Sternberg and Grigorenko’s Successful Intelligence Questionnaire (2002) and Weissman and Beck’s Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (1978) were given to 250 children (15-18 years of age). Multivariate regression as well as path analysis were utilized to analyze the obtained data from 245 participants (reduced by participant attrition). The findings demonstrated that there was no direct relationship between maternal shame, successful intelligence and its three dimensions. Moreover, maternal shame was related to successful intelligence, practical intelligence, and analytical intelligence and these relationships were mediated by judgment of others and vulnerability. Furthermore, judgment of others moderated the relationship between maternal shame and creative intelligence. Consequently, maternal shame indirectly reduces successful intelligence of children and its corresponding dimensions through increasing children’s dysfunctional attitudes. In general, dysfunctional attitudes and cognitive structures act as important moderators of the impact of maternal shame on children’s cognitive performance.