Atimiaphobia: the undiscovered burden of honor cultures and shame societies on mental health : development and validation of atimiaphobia scale

Abstract

The psychological impact of honor cultures and shame societies on the general population has not been examined through a diagnostic lens. Atimiaphobia is a newly recognized psychological condition characterized by an intense fear of losing honor or being labeled shameless, deeply rooted in honor cultures and shame societies. To assess this construct, the Atimiaphobia Scale (AtiPhoS) was developed and rigorously validated. The study was conducted in a series of four phases involving 1232 participants (Mage = 27 years; women = 48.9%). The validation of the AtiPhoS involved exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses along with convergent and predictive validity. The AtiPhoS, comprising 15 items (English) and four subscales (fear of being labeled shameless, fear of violating social norms, fear of public judgement, fear of losing self-respect and honor) demonstrated excellent reliability (α = 0.824; ICC = 0.989). The model fit indices, such as CFI (0.933), TLI (0.916), RMSEA (0.065), and SRMSR (0.044), showed strong validity. Convergent validity was demonstrated by the scale's significantly positive correlation with the Experience of Shame Scale (r = 0.377) and the anxiety sub-scale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (r = 0.262). The predictive validity of the AtiPhoS was established through its inverse predictive values for social intelligence (β = −0.229). A significant positive correlation was found between atimiaphobia and age. Women and married individuals exhibited significantly higher levels of atimiaphobia compared with men and unmarried individuals, respectively. The study provides compelling evidence that atimiaphobia is a distinct and measurable phenomenon, contributing to the broader understanding of cultural stressors related to honor and shame.