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Published on: May 31, 2021
Self-compassion in the face of shame and body image dissatisfaction: implications for eating disorders
Cláudia Ferreira1, José Pinto-Gouveia, Cristiana Duarte
1CINEICC - Cognitive-Behavioural Research Centre, University of Coimbra, Portugal. claudiaferreira@fpce.uc.pt
Abstract:
The current study examines the role of self-compassion in face of shame and body image dissatisfaction, in 102 female eating disorders' patients, and 123 women from general population. Self-compassion was negatively associated with external shame, general psychopathology, and eating disorders' symptomatology. In women from the general population increased external shame predicted drive for thinness partially through lower self-compassion; also, body image dissatisfaction directly predicted drive for thinness. However, in the patients' sample increased shame and body image dissatisfaction predicted increased drive for thinness through decreased self-compassion. These results highlight the importance of the affiliative emotion dimensions of self-compassion in face of external shame, body image dissatisfaction and drive for thinness, emphasising the relevance of cultivating a self-compassionate relationship in eating disorders' patients.
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