Article2014

A Wait‐List Randomized Controlled Trial of Loving‐Kindness Meditation Programme for Self‐Criticism

Ben Shahar · Ohad Szepsenwol · Sigal Zilcha‐Mano · Netalee Haim · Simi Levi‐Yeshuvi · Nava Levit‐Binnun

139 citations0/0 files storedClinical Psychology & Psychotherapy

No readable copy stored yet — this record is metadata only.

Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

UNLABELLED: Self-criticism is a vulnerability risk factor for a number of psychological disorders, and it predicts poor response to psychological and pharmacological treatments. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of a loving-kindness meditation (LKM) programme designed to increase self-compassion in a sample of self-critical individuals. Thirty-eight individuals with high scores on the self-critical perfectionism subscale of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale were randomized to an LKM condition (n = 19) or a wait-list (WL) condition (n = 19). Measures of self-criticism, self-compassion and psychological distress were administered before and immediately following the intervention (LKM or WL). WL participants received the intervention immediately after the waiting period. Both groups were assessed 3 months post-intervention. Intent-to-treat (n = 38) and per-protocol analyses (n = 32) showed significant reductions in self-criticism and depressive symptoms as well as significant increases in self-compassion and positive emotions in the LKM condition compared with the WL condition. A follow-up per-protocol analysis in both groups together (n = 20) showed that these gains were maintained 3 months after the intervention. These preliminary results suggest that LKM may be efficacious in alleviating self-criticism, increasing self-compassion and improving depressive symptoms among self-critical individuals. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE: Self-criticism plays a major role in many psychological disorders and predicts poor response to brief psychological and pharmacological treatments for depression. The current study shows that loving-kindness meditation, designed to foster self-compassion, is efficacious in helping self-critical individuals become less self-critical and more self-compassionate. The study also suggests that practising loving-kindness may reduce depressive symptoms and increase positive emotions.

Citations in this library

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 139 citations exist upstream.

References

1988Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales.1988Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales.2003The Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Self-Compassion 2005The short‐form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS‐21): Construct validity and normative data in a large non‐clinical sample 1989A secure base: parent-child attachment and healthy human development 1998Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in clinical groups and a community sample.1991Tripartite model of anxiety and depression: Psychometric evidence and taxonomic implications.1991Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes.

Cited by

2023Effects of Self-Compassion Interventions on Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: A Meta-Analysis

Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.