Self-compassion: a potential resource for young women athletes

A parental burnout modelling based on perfectionism mediated through self-compassion in parents of students suffering from specific learning behavioral disorder

The association between parental burnout and perfectionism, and whether and to what extent it is mediated by self-compassion, in case of mothers of children with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) were rarely investigated in the related literature. To fill the gap felt, the present study aimed at providing a model for self-compassion, parental burnout, and perfectionism. The participants were 305 mothers of children with SLD, from Hamedan province, Iran, who had been referred to the relevant treatment centers between 2020 and 2021. Selected through convenience sampling, they took part in the study by completing three questionnaires, i.e., Parental Burnout Assessment (Roskam et al., 2018), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Hewitt & Flett, 1991), and Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003). To fit the model, structural equation modelling was conducted in Amos v24 software. It was found that self-compassion mediates the negative relationship between parental burnout and perfectionism. It can be concluded that women during motherhood become emotionally vulnerable and are susceptible to face psychological challenges and such challenges can be exacerbated in the case of mothers of children with SLD or other learning disabilities.

Well-Being and Perfectionism: Assessing the Mediational Role of Self-Compassion in Emerging Adults

The study explores how different dimensions of perfectionism influence psychological well-being (PWB) in emerging adults. Literature has deepened the relationships between maladaptive perfectionism (e.g., excessive self-criticism, perceived discrepancy from the standards) and low PWB. Less is known about whether and how adaptive perfectionism (e.g., pursuing personal standards) relates to PWB. Secondly, the study has investigated whether self-compassion (i.e., self-benevolence, seeing personal imperfections as a common condition) may mediate the relationships between adaptive/maladaptive perfectionism and PWB. Participants (N = 217, 18-35 y. o.) completed self-report questionnaires measuring: adaptive/maladaptive perfectionism (Almost Perfect Scale-Revised, APS-R: high standards and order/discrepancy, respectively), PWB, and self-compassion (SCS). Adaptive perfectionism was associated with PWB, particularly a higher presence of purpose in life, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, and personal growth. Conversely, discrepancy resulted in the most robust predictor of low PWB (β = -0.68), followed by high standards with a positive direction (β = 0.23; Rc2 = 0.514, p < 0.001). A strong negative association emerged between discrepancy and SCS (r = -0.67, p < 0.001). A mediation analysis shows that self-compassion has an indirect effect, reducing the strength of the relationship between discrepancy and low PWB. Results suggest focusing on self-compassion as a buffer factor that reduces the negative impact of maladaptive perfectionism on psychological well-being. Implications for education and health psychology are discussed.

Self-compassion and grit mediated the relation between mindfulness and mind wandering based on cross-sectional survey data

Previous research suggests that mindfulness and mind wandering are opposing constructs. However, little is known about why and how they are negatively related. Through a process-oriented approach, this cross-sectional study tested self-compassion and grit as mediators for the relation between mindfulness and mind wandering. A total of 487 self-identified meditators were recruited from the UK (241 female, 49.49%). Participants reported a mean age of 38.98 years (SD = 10.03), with an average of 2.26 h of meditation practice per week (SD = 4.47). Upon informed consent, the participants completed a self-report questionnaire that assessed the core variables under study. Path analysis indicated that mindfulness was related to self-compassion. Greater self-compassion was, in turn, related to greater grit, which was then related to lower mind wandering. Bootstrapping analysis further indicated that self-compassion and grit as mediators between mindfulness and mind wandering, above and beyond age, gender, hours of meditation, income, and education as covariates. The cross-sectional findings provided initial evidence of mediation by showing that mindfulness and mind wandering were related through self-compassion and grit.

Narcissism and antisocial behaviour in sport: The moderating role of self-compassion

Narcissism, which features the chronic disposition to seek the opportunity to construct and maintain an inflated self, is a known risk for antisocial behaviour. However, knowledge of factors that mitigate the effects of narcissism on antisocial behaviour is lacking. In two studies we explored the hypothesis that self-compassion would protect against the link between narcissism and antisocial behaviour, such that narcissism would be less related to antisocial behaviour when self-compassion was high. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study with a sample of professional footballers (N = 208). Study 2 utilised a sample of competitive athletes from a variety of sports (N = 324) over an eight-month period. The data from both studies supported the hypothesis: Greater self-compassion was associated with a null (Study 1) or significantly attenuated (Study 2) relationship between narcissism and antisocial behaviour. We discuss the implications of the findings, including the benefits of incorporating self-compassion in sport settings.

Pathways by Which Self-Compassion Improves Positive Body Image: A Qualitative Analysis

The current study applied consensual qualitative research-modified to essays written by 51 college women completing an expressive writing intervention over three time points for a total of 153 essays to identify how increases in self-compassion improve body image. A qualitative coding team tracked changes in affect and cognition over three time points. The results demonstrated that college women consistently expressed body acceptance and psychological flexibility. Additionally, the participants expressed important increases in mindfulness as well as decreases in social influences, feelings of separation, negative health behaviors, and attention to media messages. Decreases were found in their expressions of body functionality, love and kindness toward their body, and internal locus of control. These findings suggest pathways through which self-compassion may improve women's body image by increasing mindfulness and decreasing the negative ways of relating to one's body, specifically in the areas of media, clothing, make-up, and negative social interactions.

"I think the best athletes use it": Masculinities and self-compassion among men varsity athletes

We examined how men varsity athletes' embodiments of masculinities shaped their perceptions and experiences of self-compassion to manage sport-related challenges. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 men varsity athletes (20 interviews total). Vignettes depiciting athletes low and high in self-compassion were used as talk elicitation tools during interviews. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and four themes were identified from the mens' accounts. Participants utilized self-compassion as a coping strategy in sport and other life-domains to maintain well-being. Self-compassion was used to balance self-criticism to support achievement striving efforts. The experience of contrasting masculine ideologies (hegemonic and inclusive) promoted and constrained the men's implementation of self-compassion. Traditional masculine narratives created tensions for participants who at times embodied the (mis)belief that self-compassion promotes complacency in the pursuit of athletic achievement. Findings contribute to understandings of men athletes' experiences of self-compassion and masculinities in relation to sport-related challenges and performance.

Examining associations between value-behavior discrepancy guilt, anxiety, and suicide risk for Mexican descent college students: Resilience through self-compassion

OBJECTIVE

The present study examines self-compassion (SC) as a potential protective factor in the relationship between value-behavior discrepancy guilt (VBDG) and the mental health outcomes of anxiety and suicide risk in a sample of Mexican-descent college students.

METHOD

Participants consisted of 810 college students of Mexican descent. Students were recruited through a psychology participant pool and completed an online survey. Two regression analyses examined the direct effect of VBDG on anxiety symptoms and suicide risk with SC as a moderator.

RESULTS

Results indicated that high levels of SC were protective in the relationship between VBDG and mental health outcomes. On the other hand, lower levels of SC put one at risk for increased anxiety symptoms and higher suicide risk when they experience VBDG.

CONCLUSION

The study shows the need to develop interventions that cultivate a high sense of SC in Mexican-descent college students.

Testing a Low-Intensity Single-Session Self-Compassion Intervention for State Body Shame in Adult Women: A Dismantling Randomized Controlled Trial

State body shame is a risk factor for eating disorders, and self-compassion is emerging as a potentially effective treatment option in such cases. This study tested the efficacy of a brief (15-minute) self-compassion intervention in reducing state body shame. Using dismantling trial methodology, participants were randomly allocated to an active compassion condition (n = 23), an inactive control compassion condition (n = 23), or an educational control condition (n = 23). Measures of state body image and state shame were collected pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and a day after the intervention. Subjective units of state body shame (SUBS) were intensively measured during each invention. Self-compassion interventions were equally efficacious at protecting against deterioration of state body shame and were effective at reducing state shame compared to the educational control condition, with medium effect sizes (respectively - np2 = .07 and np2 = .08). Reductions in state shame were retained at follow-up. None of the interventions had an effect on body image (np2 = .04). Findings demonstrate the clinical promise of brief self-compassion interventions, particularly as evidenced-based "homework" exercises.

Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion: A Narrative Review and Meta-Analysis on Their Links to Psychological Problems and Well-Being

The present review addressed the relationship between two self-related concepts that are assumed to play a role in human resilience and well-being: self-esteem and self-compassion. Besides a theoretical exploration of both concepts, a meta-analysis (k = 76, N = 35,537 participants) was conducted to examine the magnitude of the relation between self-esteem and self-compassion and their links to indices of well-being and psychological problems. The average correlation between self-esteem and self-compassion was strong (r = 0.65, effect size = 0.71), suggesting that - despite some distinct features - the overlap between both self-related constructs is considerable. Self-esteem and self-compassion displayed relations of a similar magnitude to measures of well-being and psychological problems, and both concepts accounted for unique variance in these measures once controlling for their shared variance. Self-esteem and self-compassion can best be seen as complementary concepts and we invite researchers to look more at their joint protective role within a context of well-being and mental health as well as to their additive value in the treatment of people with psychological problems.

Examining the associations between self and body compassion and health related quality of life in people diagnosed with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

An understanding of the role that self and body compassion may play as protective mechanisms in the context of psychological and physical health conditions is steadily increasing. The availability of research pertaining to their role in mitigating the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impacts associated with endometriosis is limited. The current study examined the influence of self and body compassion on HRQoL in people diagnosed with endometriosis.

METHODS

Individuals aged 18+ years (n = 318), assigned female at birth, with a self-reported diagnosis of symptomatic endometriosis completed an online cross-sectional survey. Participant demographics and endometriosis-related data was collected in addition to self and body compassion and HRQoL. Standard multiple regression analyses (MRA) were conducted to estimate the proportion of variance in HRQoL that can be accounted for by self and body compassion in endometriosis.

RESULTS

Self and body compassion were both associated with higher HRQoL across all domains. However, when both self and body compassion were entered into a regression, only body compassion was significantly associated with HRQoL domains of physical wellbeing, bodily pain, vitality, social engagement and general HRQoL; self-compassion explained no unique variance. In the domain of emotional wellbeing, when both self and body compassion were entered into a regression, both were significantly associated, and explained unique variance.

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that future psychological interventions for individuals living with endometriosis should emphasise building general self-compassionate abilities with a subsequent specific focus on strategies designed to improve body compassion.

Exploring the Relationship Between Mental Toughness and Self-Compassion in the Context of Sport Injury

Helping athletes cope effectively with injury is likely of great interest to many sport stakeholders. Mental toughness is one psychological factor positively associated with resilience and sport performance, though stubborn persistence through injury might not always be conducive to adaptive athlete outcomes. Self-compassion-a balanced, nonjudgmental approach in relating to oneself when experiencing suffering-might help circumvent these pitfalls and complement injury recovery. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between mental toughness and self-compassion in a sport injury context. This study consisted of 2 phases-phase I quantitatively assessed the relationships between mental toughness, self-compassion, and other psychological constructs, while phase II used qualitative interviews to corroborate and inform these findings. In phase I, competitive athletes who were injured at the time of data collection (n = 81) completed mental toughness, self-compassion, coping resources, self-esteem, and self-criticism questionnaires. Self-compassion was positively correlated with mental toughness (r = .48, P < .01), coping resources (r = .54, P < .05), and self-esteem (r = .60, P < .01). Self-compassion and self-criticism were negatively correlated with each other (r = -.52, P < .01). Results from hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that self-compassion was a significant predictor of mental toughness (ΔR2 = .07, P < .01), coping resources (ΔR2 = .10, P < .01), and self-criticism (ΔR2 = .06, P < .01), beyond the effects of self-esteem. Four injured athletes who scored above the median on mental toughness and self-compassion measures were interviewed in phase II. Thematic analysis generated 2 themes: (1) self-compassion grants access to wise mental toughness and (2) mental toughness helps activate self-compassionate actions during injury. These findings are consistent with recent research and suggest that both mental toughness and self-compassion can work together to help athletes cope with sport injury.

Cyberbullying victimization and disordered eating behaviors: The mediating roles of self-compassion and self-objectification

Previous studies have demonstrated the correlations between cyberbullying victimization and disordered eating behaviors in adolescents, however, limited attention has been paid to the long-term effects and underlying mechanisms, and studies focused on young adults are scarce. This study explored the association between cyberbullying victimization and disordered eating behaviors and the underlying mechanisms in a sample of young adults using a longitudinal design. A total of 955 Chinese young adults completed the Cyber Victim Subscale of the Cyber Victim and Bullying Scale, the Self-surveillance Subscale of the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, the Self-compassion Scale-Short Form, and the Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire three times with a 3-months interval. The results indicated that cyberbullying victimization was positively correlated with emotional eating and external eating after six months, but not with restrained eating. Moreover, self-compassion and self-objectification mediated the associations between cyberbullying victimization and the three kinds of disordered eating behaviors, however, in different ways. In the associations of cyberbullying victimization with restrained eating and external eating, the independent mediating effect of self-objectification and the serial mediating effect were significant, while in the association between cyberbullying victimization and emotional eating, only the independent mediating effect of self-compassion was significant. The findings indicated that the relations between cyberbullying with different kinds of disordered eating behaviors might have different mediation mechanisms, which sheds light on the prevention and intervention for disordered eating behaviors associated with cyberbullying in the future.

Investigating the Links Between Performers' Self-Compassion, Mental Toughness and Their Social Environment: A Semi-Systematic Review

Being mentally tough while evaluating oneself in a compassionate way is still a difficult path for performers. Self-compassion, characterized by the ability to be kind to oneself, to see one's experiences as part of the larger human experience and have a balanced awareness to one's emotions and thoughts, was recently studied as a stepping stone to performance optimization and personal development. Despite a mistrust of this concept in the sports world, various studies show its benefits within athletes. A major question remains the environment that fosters or hinders the development of self-compassion: when role models extend compassionate attitudes, does it allow performers to respond in more self-compassionate ways? The relationship between self-compassion, mental toughness, and social environment is still unclear and is an important direction for future research within performers. This semi-systematic literature review aims at proposing an overview of the state of the art regarding self-compassion, mental toughness, and the influence of performer's, and social environments. Sixteen studies were retrieved. We conclude that the number of multi-day intervention programs and longitudinal studies should be increased. The studies should also consider assessing the specific aspects of performance culture and settings. In addition, overall performance-specific measures could be developed to assess general levels of self-compassion. The development of a theoretical framework explaining how self-compassion affects a performer, the role of their entourage and its link to other psychological resources, such as mental toughness, could help to better understand this concept.

The Associations Among Self-Compassion, Self-Esteem, Self-Criticism, and Concern Over Mistakes in Response to Biomechanical Feedback in Athletes

Athletes regularly face the possibility of failing to meet expectations in training and competition, and it is essential that they are equipped with strategies to facilitate coping after receiving performance feedback. Self-compassion is a potential resource to help athletes manage the various setbacks that arise in sport over and above other psychological resources. The primary purpose of this research was to explore how athletes respond to objective biomechanical feedback given after a performance. Specifically, we investigated if levels of self-compassion, self-esteem, self-criticism, and concern over mistakes were related to one another before and after a series of sprint tests interspersed with biomechanical feedback, and whether self-compassionate athletes achieved a better sprint performance after receiving and implementing biomechanical feedback. Forty-eight athletes (20 female: M_age = 19.8 years, SD = 3.1; 28 male: M_age = 23.6 years, SD = 7.8) completed online measures of self-compassion, self-esteem, self-criticism and concern over mistakes before performing four sets of 40-m sprints. Participants received personalized biomechanical feedback after each sprint that compared their performance to gold standard results. Following all sprints, they then completed measures of self-criticism, and reported emotions, thoughts, and reactions. Self-compassion was positively correlated with self-esteem (r = 0.57, p < 0.01) and negatively related to both self-criticism (r = −0.52, p < 0.01) and concern over mistakes (r = −0.69, p < 0.01). We also found that athletes with higher levels of self-compassion prior to sprint performance experienced less self-critical thoughts following biomechanical feedback and subsequent sprint trials (r = −0.38, p < 0.01). Although the results of this study provide some support for the effectiveness of self-compassion in promoting healthy emotions, thoughts, and reactions in response to sprint performance-based biomechanical feedback, a moderated regression analysis between the first and fourth sprint time variables revealed that self-compassion was not a moderator for change in sprint performance (R² = 0.64, ΔR² = 0.10, p > 0.05). These findings suggest that there are likely longer-term benefits of athletes using self-compassion to cope with biomechanical feedback, but that any benefits might be limited in a short series of sprint trials.

Testing the Associations Between Body Image, Social Support, and Physical Activity Among Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed With Cancer

Physical activity (PA) is important for managing the side effects and long-term outcomes of cancer treatment, yet many adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer (AYAs) are not meeting PA guidelines. Body image and social support are two factors that can influence PA behavior and require further attention in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between body image, social support, and PA among AYAs. An online cross-sectional survey administered through the Research Electronic Data Capture platform was used to assess self-reported body image (body-related self-conscious emotions of appearance and fitness shame, guilt, authentic pride, and hubristic pride), social support (general and cancer-specific), and PA (mild, moderate-to-vigorous, and resistance exercise) in AYAs (N = 119; M age = 34.5 ± 5.5 years). Based on findings from path analyses, body image and social support were directly associated with PA (R 2 = 0.09-0.33). Social support was also directly associated with body image. However, there were no indirect effects. These findings provide preliminary support for the influential role of appearance and fitness body-related emotions and cancer-specific social support on PA. The results have important implications for the development of targeted strategies aimed at improving body image (e.g., cognitive dissonance and compassion-focused interventions) and social support (e.g., facilitating the provision of cancer-specific support), with the overall goal of increasing AYAs' PA.

Development and validation of the Body Compassion Questionnaire

Background

The associations between compassion, self-compassion, and body image are well established. However, there is not yet a compassion-informed measure of body compassion that can be applied to any aspect of one’s body.

Method

Items for The Body Compassion Questionnaire (BCQ) were derived from an earlier expressive writing study on self-compassion in body image. In study 1, the BCQ was completed by 728 men and women; with factor analysis, Rasch analysis, content and concurrent validation and reliability assessed. Study 2 compared BCQ scores with investigator-based ratings of spontaneous expressions of body compassion through writing in female undergraduates as well as an existing measure of body compassion. Study 3 examined the associations between BCQ scores, and the emotions expressed in a structured body image writing task. It also examined the relative predictive ability of the BCQ versus self-compassion in predicting eating pathology.

Results

A bi-factor structure was identified, with an overall BCQ score and three subscales: body kindness, common humanity, and motivated action. The BCQ and its subscales had good validity and reliability and Rasch analysis showed the item fit was invariant across a range of demographic characteristics. Spontaneous expressions of body compassion showed positive associations with body kindness. Overall BCQ scores and body kindness were also inversely related to negative emotions expressed in relation to body image. The BCQ was a better predictor of eating disorder symptoms than was self-compassion.

Conclusions

The BCQ is the first measure of body compassion that is aligned with theoretical aspects of self-compassion, and which includes aspects of both the first and second psychologies of compassion. It also highlights its potential use as a process measure of body compassion in models of eating disorder symptomology, mood and wellbeing as well as an outcome measure for compassion-based interventions in eating disorders and body image.

Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Body Image: Integrating Positive Body Image, Embodiment and Self-Compassion

Body image (BI) disturbance is a relevant factor in the etiology and treatment of eating disorders (ED). Although progress has been made in recent decades in understanding BI and its relationship with ED, the efficacy of BI disturbance prevention and intervention programs is still limited. In order to reach deeper understanding of BI disturbance and clarify the interactions between some protective and risk factors related to this construct, we carried out a literature review on some specific BI-related factors that so far have been analyzed independently. We specifically examined positive and negative BI; embodiment and its role in the development of positive and negative BI; and self-compassion as a protective factor that promotes positive embodiment (vs. disembodiment) and protection against body shame. We conclude that integrating the available evidence on these factors into BI models may be used to enhance our understanding of BI and improve the efficacy of prevention and intervention programs to help fight negative BI (by reducing body shame and disembodiment) and promote positive BI (by increasing self-compassion and positive embodiment).

The effects of fitspiration and self-compassion Instagram posts on body image and self-compassion in men and women

Research has demonstrated links between viewing idealized images on social media and body dissatisfaction, but more work is needed to understand how exposure to appearance-related content influences body image. The current research evaluated the effects of viewing fitspiration images and images of self-compassion quotes on Instagram on men and women's body image and self-compassion. This topic was examined in two separate investigations in the U.S.; a sample of undergraduate students (N = 180, 62 men and 118 women) and a community sample recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 296; 173 men and 123 women). In both studies, participants viewed either same-gender images of fitspiration, self-compassion quotes, a combination of fitspiration images and self-compassion quotes, or neutral images (control). Overall, the findings suggest that viewing fitspiration images only promotes lower body satisfaction and appreciation, whereas viewing self-compassion images only leads to improved body satisfaction and appreciation. There was, however, little support for the buffering effects of self-compassion in the combined condition. Our results demonstrate the detrimental effects of exposure to fitspiration content and the positive effects of exposure to self-compassion content on social media for men and women as well as the need for future research in this area.

"Know That You're Not Just Settling": Exploring Women Athletes' Self-Compassion, Sport Performance Perceptions, and Well-Being Around Important Competitive Events

Self-compassion, an adaptive self-attitude, is a resource that women athletes use during emotionally difficult times and as a way to reach their potential. The relationship between self-compassion and sport performance, however, is complex. The role and experience of self-compassion within perceived important competitive events are important to explore, as athletes face unique pressures and stressors in these meaningful sport experiences. This collective case study describes women athletes' self-compassion, sport performance perceptions, and well-being around a self-identified important competitive event. Competitive women athletes (N = 9) participated in two one-on-one interviews, before and after their important competitive event. Results from the holistic, functional, and thematic analyses are represented by holistic case descriptions and an overarching theme, Continuing to Excel in Sport, and subthemes, Reframing Criticism and A Determined Approach. In important competitive events, women athletes utilize self-compassion to promote performance perceptions and well-being when preparing, competing, and reflecting to excel in sport.

What Can Affect Competition Anxiety in Athletes? The Role of Self-Compassion and Repetitive Negative Thinking

Identifying the correlates of competition anxiety is fundamental to athletes' well-being and performance. Self-compassion is gaining attention in sport psychology because of its associations with positive outcomes, while repetitive negative thinking (i.e. worry and rumination) is associated with negative conditions, such as anxiety. Building on previous evidence in the general population of associations between self-compassion, repetitive negative thinking, and trait anxiety, we investigated these relations in athletes of different sports. A total of 263 athletes (Mage = 23.72, SD = 6.97, 141 males) completed scales measuring self-compassion, repetitive negative thinking, and trait competition anxiety. Regression models showed the effects of self-compassion and worry on concern (the cognitive component of anxiety), and of worry on somatic anxiety. Gender, number of competitions a year, and years of practice were also associated with trait competition anxiety. A subsequent mediation model revealed significant direct and indirect effects of self-compassion on anxiety, mediated by worry. Results are discussed theoretically and considering their practical implications for athletes.

Competitive Anxiety, and Guilt and Shame Proneness From Perspective Type D and Non-type D Football Players

The precompetitive, competitive, and postcompetitive mental states of athletes are currently not sufficiently researched. Long-term exposure to stressors contributes to the formation of mental blocks and leads to various health problems. One of the factors that can explain the variability of athletes' reactions to stress is their personality. This study is the first to examine competitive anxiety, and guilt and shame proneness in the context of the reaction of football players to distress in sports. The study consists of 112 male football players aged 16–24 (21.00 ± 1.90) who were divided into type D and non-type D football players according to scoring on the Denollet Scale (DS14). Football players also filled out the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS-2) and the Guilt and Shame Proneness Scale (GASP). The taxonomic approach was conducted to test and to examine differences in stressor intensity as a function of type D personality. A correlation, multivariate analysis of variance, and regression analysis were performed in the study. We found that type D football players were more afraid of failures in sports (worry), felt more often autonomous excitement concentrated in the stomach and muscles (somatic anxiety), and showed more frequent concentration disruption than did non-type D football players. We also found that although type D football players were more likely to rate their behavior as negative and inappropriate, they showed a much greater effort to correct it than did non-type D football players. Negative affectivity and social inhibition of type D football players were positively correlated with competitive anxiety. In addition, we noted lower levels of somatic anxiety and lower concentration disruption for football players who used escape strategies to manage stress. The shame proneness subscale monitoring negative self-evaluation was also closely related to the concentration disruption of football players. We found that the examination of athletes by type D personality is necessary due to the fact that negative affectivity and social inhibition are significant predictors of competitive anxiety of football players, which explains their worries at 24.0%, somatic anxiety at 8.2%, and concentration disruption at 10.6%.

Body surveillance and affective judgments of physical activity in daily life

Affective judgments are one of the strongest predictors of physical activity. Engaging in body surveillance during physical activity is theorized to reduce access to pleasant affective experiences thereby compromising the influence of affective judgments. However, empirical tests of this relationship are lacking. This study examined associations between body surveillance during physical activity and affective judgments (i.e., enjoyment and pleasure) of physical activity. Participants (N = 89; 53 % women, M_age = 20.32 years; SD_age = 1.59) completed an experience sampling protocol for 7 days and provided 7 self-reports/day. Participants reported their body surveillance when engaged in physical activity followed by their affective judgments of physical activity. At the within-person level, participants reported more negative affective judgments during instances when body surveillance was higher than usual. At the between-person level, participants higher in body surveillance reported more negative affective judgments on average. These findings extend correlates of body surveillance to include less favorable affective judgments. Although there is support for targeting affective judgments to promote physical activity, the utility of such efforts may be limited if body surveillance is present. These findings point to a new target for potentially enhancing affective judgements and the promotion of physical activity.

Self-Compassion in PLWH: Less Internalized Shame and Negative Psychosocial Outcomes

People living with HIV (PLWH) may experience internalized shame, which has been associated with negative psychosocial outcomes. Some of these psychosocial outcomes also are linked with worsening disease. Self-compassion, however, is the antithesis of internalizing shame, with elements of self-compassion (self-kindness, mindfulness, common humanity) at odds with indicators of internalized shame (negative beliefs about the self, desire to withdraw or avoid emotion, feelings of isolation). Therefore, we examined whether self-compassion among PLWH was associated with lower levels of internalized shame and, in turn, better psychosocial outcomes. We examined these relations using cross-sectional data collected from 181 PLWH living in the US via their participation in an online survey. Results revealed initial support for lower levels of internalized shame as potential mechanism that may explain how self-compassion comes to be associated with better outcomes among PLWH. Given self-compassion can be induced through intervention, we discuss how future research and clinical work with PLWH might address shame and improve outcomes.

Evidence-based recommendations to assist adults with depression to become lifelong movers

Depression is the most common and prevalent mental disorder today, affecting an estimated 1 in 4 Canadians at some point in their lifetime. Physical activity is recommended as a primary treatment for mild to moderate depression and a secondary treatment for moderate to severe depression. Despite this, specific guidelines are still lacking on how to best promote physical activity in this population. Accordingly, this policy brief provides evidence-based recommendations for primary care providers and allied health professionals to promote lifelong physical activity in individuals with depression. Recommendations include asking for permission to discuss physical activity with the individual; framing physical activity as something that they have control over in order to feel better; clarifying that incorporating even a few more minutes of weekly physical activity is better than nothing and that mild forms are enough to achieve mental health benefits; and providing choices of activities to try and accompanying them on their first few sessions. Moreover, this article highlights the importance of promoting physical activity enjoyment for this population, which can be done by guiding the individual to slowly build up the frequency, duration and intensity of activity; encouraging them to be self-compassionate toward physical activity; suggesting they engage in outdoor activity, listen to music, and/or participate with a buddy or group; and incorporate self-monitoring or journalling to solidify the link between physical activity and improved mood. Practitioners are encouraged to use these evidence-informed recommendations-especially maximizing choices, enhancing physical activity enjoyment and emphasizing personal preferences-to help individuals with depression move, recover and flourish. These recommendations may also be used to tailor future interventions and inform policy guidelines to reduce depression rates in Canada.

I (DON'T) LOVE MY BODY: COUNTER-INTUITIVE EFFECTS OF A BODY-AFFIRMING STATEMENT ON COLLEGE WOMEN'S BODY SATISFACTION

Introduction: Messages encouraging women to love their bodies are common elements of positive body image movements, but there are theoretical reasons to suspect that such messages may backfire.

Methods: In a sample of 293 college women, we tested the impact of mentally repeating the affirmation “I love my body” on body satisfaction. We prompted participants to think either “I love my body” (affirmation condition) or “I am [age] years old” (control condition) while they completed a five-minute writing task.

Results: Relative to the control, the affirmation condition led to significantly lower body satisfaction. Additionally, 53% of affirmation condition participants counterargued the body affirmation by writing something negative about their appearance; only 6% in the control condition wrote a negative appearance comment.

Discussion: Results suggest that some messages intended to promote positive body image have the potential to decrease women's body satisfaction, in part because they prompt women to think of flaws in their appearance.

Does self-compassion buffer the detrimental effect of body shame on depressive symptoms?

Researchers have identified that experiences of body-related shame significantly contribute to heightened depressive symptoms, and therefore it is valuable to identify and understand potential factors that buffer this relationship. The present study examined the cross-sectional relationship between body-related shame and depressive symptoms separately among women and men, and tested self-compassion as a potential moderator. Data from a sample of 520 adults (42.3 % women; M_age = 35.43, SD = 10.09 years) recruited through MTurk were analyzed using moderated regression analysis. Results indicated that body-related shame was positively and significantly associated with frequency of depressive symptoms. Additionally, self-compassion moderated the relationship between body-related shame and depression among women, but not men, even after controlling for self-esteem. Specifically, women with lower levels of self-compassion reported a significantly stronger relationship between body-related shame and depressive symptoms, and at higher levels of self-compassion, there was no relationship between body shame and depressive symptoms. These findings have practical implications and suggest that low levels of self-compassion may increase the risk of depressive symptoms, and high levels of self-compassion may be protective among women that experience body-related shame.

Through Benevolent Eyes: the Differential Efficacy of Perspective Taking and Cognitive Reappraisal on the Regulation of Shame

Difficulties in regulating feelings of shame is a risk factor for the onset and recurrence of mental health disorders. The present research investigated the impact of the individual differences in propensity to experience shame (or shame-proneness) on two emotion regulation strategies-perspective taking and positive reappraisal. A total of 228 participants, undergraduate students, were allocated randomly to one of the eight experimental conditions. The results revealed that for high shame-prone participants, the use of perspective taking, without positive reappraisal, led to a heightened experience of shame. In contrast, the combination of perspective taking and positive reappraisal led to reductions in shame among high shame-prone participants. The findings highlight the relationship between individual differences, and the separate and combined effects of affect regulation strategies on the experience of shame.

Becoming an object: A review of self-objectification in girls

Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) provides a framework for understanding how cultural pressure on women's appearance (i.e., sexual objectification) impacts their psychological and physical well-being. Although objectification theory proposes that objectification processes commence with the onset of puberty, much of the existing research on self-objectification has been conducted with adult women. Thus, less is known about how self-objectification operates with younger girls and adolescent girls. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of self-objectification research on girls under the age of 18 including the prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of self-objectification as well as protective factors (n = 66 studies). In addition, we discuss how development is relevant to objectification theory and self-objectification. Finally, we call for a program of research that addresses methodological and conceptual concerns in existing research, fills gaps in the research literature, and pays further attention to developmental processes in self-objectification. An especially notable pattern we identified is that self-objectification is strongly related to age, such that older girls experience higher levels of self-objectification compared to younger girls. The aim of this paper is to provoke deeper considerations of development and the inclusion of girls in future research on self-objectification.

Is self-compassion relevant to the pathology and treatment of eating and body image concerns? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Eating disorders are severe mental health conditions, with substantial consequences for health and quality of life. Such disorders are strongly associated with body image concerns. It is important to consider treatments that might enhance our ability to treat such cases. Recently, there has been a growing body of research on self-compassion in relation to such problems. However, we are not yet clear about the extent of such effects, given the range of studies and methodologies used. Therefore, a systematic literature review was carried out using four key databases. Meta-analysis was used to reach conclusions about the size of the effects and moderators. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted with 59 studies. Higher self-compassion was associated with lower eating pathology, reduced body image concerns, and greater positive body image, with medium to strong effect sizes (respectively, r = -0.34, r = -0.45, r = 0.52). Furthermore, self-compassion interventions for eating pathology and body image were effective, and superior to control groups (respectively, g = 0.58, g = 0.39). These findings support the role of self-compassion in understanding and addressing eating and body image concerns. Self-compassion appears to be an adaptive emotion regulation strategy in eating disorders and body image.

Self-compassion and responses to health information in middle-aged and older women: An observational cohort study

The aim of this study was to determine whether self-compassion—orientation to care for oneself during challenges—helps people at risk of cardiovascular disease deal with emotional reactions and assist with self-regulating health behaviors. This observational study recruited women ( N = 102) who attended three research visits over 3 weeks to gather information on emotions, intentions, and engagement in health behaviors after women received news they were at risk of cardiovascular disease. Self-compassion negatively associated with emotional responses and associated with intentions and engagement in health behaviors after receiving news of their cardiovascular disease risk. Self-compassion was associated with adaptive lifestyle behaviors.

Development and Validation of the Self-Compassion Scale for Youth

We present a series of studies on the development and validation of the Self-Compassion Scale-Youth version (SCS-Y), which is intended for use with early adolescents in middle school. Study 1 (N = 279, M_age = 12.17) describes the selection of 17 items out of a pool of 36 potential items, with three items each representing the subscales of self-kindness, mindfulness, common humanity, self-judgment, isolation, and two items representing over-identification. Using state-of-the-art psychometric analyses ideal for examining multidimensional constructs like self-compassion-bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM)-findings supported the use of a general self-compassion score and six subscale scores. Study 2 cross-validated the factor structure of the SCS-Y with a second sample of youths (N = 402, M_age = 12.43). Study 3 found support for the test-retest reliability of the SCS-Y (N = 102, M_age = 12.52). Study 4 (N = 212, M_age = 12.18) established construct validity for the SCS-Y by demonstrating that SCS-Y scores were significantly associated with mindfulness, happiness, life-satisfaction, depression, resilience, and achievement goal orientation in expected directions. Overall, findings suggest that the SCS-Y is a reliable and valid measure of self-compassion for use with youths.

Exploring Self-Compassion and Versions of Masculinity in Men Athletes

Despite a growing emphasis on self-compassion in sport, little research has focused exclusively on men athletes. The purpose of this research was to explore the interaction of self-compassion and diverse versions of masculinity on the psychosocial well-being of men athletes. The authors sampled 172 men athletes (Mage = 22.8 yr) from a variety of sports, using descriptive methodology with self-report questionnaires. Self-compassion was related to most variables (e.g., psychological well-being, fear of negative evaluation, state self-criticism, internalized shame, reactions to a hypothetical sport-specific scenario) in hypothesized directions and predicted unique variance beyond self-esteem across most of those variables, as well as moderated relationships between masculinity and both autonomy and attitudes toward gay men. In addition, self-compassion was differentially related to inclusive and hegemonic masculinity. Our findings support self-compassion as a promising resource for men athletes to buffer emotionally difficult sport experiences.

The Relationships Among Self-Compassion, Stigma, and Attitudes Toward Counseling in Student-Athletes

Although factors involved with help-seeking have been widely studied in the general college population, college student-athletes have received less attention. The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating role of self-compassion on the relationship between public and self-stigma, and how self-stigma was associated with attitudes toward seeking counseling. A sample of 243 student-athletes from NCAA Divisions I and III participated in the study. Using structural equation modeling, self-compassion was not found to moderate the relationship between public and self-stigma. However, public stigma was positively associated with self-stigma, and self-stigma was negatively associated with attitudes toward counseling. A multigroup analysis did not find differences between males and females for the model. The results of this study have implications for professionals who work with college student-athletes and suggest that efforts should aim to reduce stigma and examine alternative factors that might improve attitudes toward mental health help-seeking.

Self-Compassion and Psycho-Physiological Recovery From Recalled Sport Failure

Failure inherent to high-performance sport can precipitate emotional distress that can impair athletes’ performance and physical and mental health. Identifying factors that allow athletes to manage failure to sustain their health is critical. Self-compassion, treating oneself kindly in response to failure, may help athletes manage failure; it buffers against negative affective psychological responses, yet athletes often fear self-compassion. It is unknown whether the benefits of self-compassion extend to athletes’ physiological responses to failure and whether fear of self-compassion has an influence on psychological and physiological responses to failure, beyond self-compassion. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of self-compassion on athletes’ psychological and physiological responses when recalling a sport failure and determine if fear of self-compassion exerted unique effects, beyond self-compassion. Participants (n = 91; M age = 21) were university or national-level athletes. In this laboratory-based, observational study, athletes were connected to a multi-modal biofeedback system to measure physiological responding at baseline, during a stress induction (imagining a past performance failure), and during a recovery period. Physiological responding was assessed according to athletes’ high-frequency heart rate variability (HRV), indexing parasympathetic nervous system activity, during the stress induction and recovery phase. Next, to assess psychological reactivity, athletes completed a series of scales (behavioral reactions, thoughts, and emotions). Regression analyses revealed that self-compassion predicted athletes’ HRV reactivity to the stress induction (β = 0.30, p < 0.05). There was no relationship between self-compassion and HRV recovery. Further, self-compassion predicted adaptive behavioral reactions (β = 0.46, p < 0.01), and negatively predicted maladaptive thoughts (β = −0.34, p < 0.01) and negative affect (β = −0.39, p < 0.01). Fear of self-compassion explained additional variance in some maladaptive thoughts and behavioral reactions. Results suggest that self-compassion promotes adaptive physiological and psychological responses in athletes relative to a recalled sport failure and may have implications for performance enhancement, recovery and health outcomes. Further, addressing athletes’ fears of self-compassion may also be important in promoting optimal psychological recovery.

Kindness begins with yourself: The role of self-compassion in adolescent body satisfaction and eating pathology

OBJECTIVE

A wealth of evidence indicates that self-compassion is linked with positive psychological outcomes; however, little is known about the process through which self-compassion exerts its effect. The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the direct and indirect impact of self-compassion on body satisfaction and eating pathology in adolescents.

METHOD

Two hundred and thirty-eight students were recruited from three local high schools (M_age  = 16.49, 43.7% boys). All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-5), Body Areas Satisfaction Scale (BASS), and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire - Adolescent Version (EDE-Q) at baseline. The SCL-5, BASS, and EDE-Q were completed 4 months later.

RESULTS

Self-compassion was positively associated with body satisfaction and negatively associated with psychological distress and eating pathology in boys and girls at both time points. Longitudinal conditional process analyses revealed that self-compassion predicted changes in body satisfaction and eating pathology through changes in psychological distress for girls only. Notably, self-compassion was higher in boys than in girls.

DISCUSSION

Results underscore how self-compassion may be an important factor to target in fostering a positive body image and preventing disordered eating in adolescents.

Facebook, body esteem, and body surveillance in adult women: The moderating role of self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth

This study examined how Facebook use and specific Facebook activities were associated with body esteem and body surveillance in adult women. This study also examined whether self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem, and the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Self-report measures were administered to adult women (N = 232) between the ages of 20 and 72 (M = 35.91) recruited through MTurk. Results indicated that Facebook appearance-exposure and Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body surveillance, whereas only Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body esteem. Overall Facebook use and Facebook intensity were not significantly associated with either body esteem or body surveillance. Self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth significantly related to body esteem and body surveillance. However, neither self-compassion nor appearance-contingent self-worth significantly moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Similarly, a lack of significant moderation was found for the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem. The importance of studying body image and Facebook activities in adult women is discussed. Additionally, the importance for researchers to examine how specific Facebook activities, beyond Facebook use, are linked with body image in this population is also highlighted.

Self-Evaluation and Depressive Symptoms: A Latent Variable Analysis of Self-esteem, Shame-proneness, and Self-criticism

This paper examined the unique associations of latent self-esteem with symptoms of depression, over-and-above latent shame-proneness (study 1) and latent self-criticism (study 2), among two samples of undergraduate students. In study 1, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed convergent and discriminant validity for most measures of shame-proneness and self-esteem. Shame-proneness and self-esteem (taken separately) were strongly related to depressive symptoms. Controlling for each other, self-esteem but not shame-proneness remained associated with depressive symptoms. In study 2, CFA showed convergent validity but not discriminant validity for measures of self-criticism and low self-esteem. Self-esteem and self-criticism (taken separately) were strongly related to depressive symptoms. Controlling for each other, however, neither construct was significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that (a) self-esteem and shame-proneness have good discriminant validity, (b) self-esteem is uniquely related to depressive symptoms above and beyond shame-proneness, and (c) self-report measures of self-criticism and self-esteem have poor discriminant validity.