A Randomised Controlled Trial Examining the Effects of Self-Compassion Meditations on Women's Body Image.
Amy J De Wet, Ben R Lane, Kate E Mulgrew
Body image December 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.07.009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 70 |
| Population | Young adult women aged 17-35 |
| Interventions | Self-compassion meditations Nature-focused guided imagery meditations |
| Duration | 1-week intervention, pre- and post-test measures |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Appearance-contingent self-worth Body appreciation Body shame Self-compassion |
| Key findings | Both self-compassion and nature-focused guided imagery meditations significantly improved self-compassion and body appreciation and reduced body shame, with no difference between groups. |
Abstract
Although research has suggested that body image improves following self-compassion meditation training, studies have been limited due to the use of a wait-list control group. This study therefore compared the effects of self-compassion meditations to an active control group. Seventy young adult women (17-35 years) were randomly assigned to receive either self-compassion or nature-focused guided imagery meditations. Over one week, participants engaged in two meditations and completed pre- and post-test measures of trait self-compassion, body appreciation, body shame, and appearance-contingent self-worth. A mixed design analysis of variance revealed a main effect of time; women in both meditation groups demonstrated significant increases in self-compassion and body appreciation, and significant reductions in body shame. No effect was found for appearance-contingent self-worth. There were no interactions or main effects for group. Self-compassion may improve body image in women, although there was no evidence for an advantage of self-compassion over guided imagery meditations. Common elements between self-compassion and guided imagery may be a mechanism for improving body image. However, further research is warranted to isolate the effects of these meditations from other specific and non-specific treatment effects. (This study was pre-registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618001814268).