تحلیل مضمون تجربه شرم اجتماعی در افراد دارای اضافه وزن

غزاله درویش; جواد احمدیان

doi:10.61838/951287

Authors

Ghazaleh Darvish Department of Health Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Author
Javad Ahmadian Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61838/951287

Keywords:

Social shame, Overweight, Weight stigma, Body image, Thematic analysis, Qualitative research

Abstract

This study aimed to thematically analyze the experience of social shame among individuals with overweight and to identify its psychological, interpersonal, and sociocultural dimensions. This qualitative study was conducted using thematic analysis. The participants were 18 individuals with overweight living in Tehran, Iran, who were selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation in gender, age, marital status, educational level, and experiences of weight-related stigma. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Each interview lasted between 45 and 75 minutes. After verbatim transcription, the data were analyzed using NVivo software based on the main phases of thematic analysis, including familiarization with the data, generation of initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the final report. Data analysis led to the identification of four main themes: “the body as an object of social judgment,” “internalization of shame and self-blame,” “avoidance of social situations and restriction of presence,” and “reconstruction of personal dignity and psychological resistance.” The findings indicated that social shame among individuals with overweight is not merely an emotional reaction to others’ comments or gazes, but a gradual process shaped by family criticism, humiliating humor, rejection in public spaces, body comparison, and cultural pressure regarding the ideal body. This experience may lead to excessive self-monitoring, reduced self-esteem, social withdrawal, and, in some cases, efforts to restore personal agency. The results suggest that weight-related social shame is a multilayered phenomenon shaped by the interaction between body, identity, social relationships, and cultural norms. Therefore, psychological and social interventions should move beyond lifestyle modification and focus on reducing weight stigma, promoting self-compassion, reconstructing body image, and strengthening nonjudgmental family and social communication.

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