The Impact of Self-directed Voice of Love Messages on Anger: A Pilot Study

Context • Buddhist texts direct practitioners to generate a feeling of love to stop the affliction of anger. Modern self-help practices and clinical psychology have demonstrated that generating emotions of love can reduce anger. More studies are needed, however, to identify the active components of interventions and their applicability in clinical populations. Objective • The study investigated the hypothesis that enhancing self-love through frequent listening to recorded self-loving messages can reduce anger. Design • The pilot study was designed to measure changes in anger level between baseline and postintervention in the course of 12 wk. Setting • The study occurred at Moa Oasis, Israel. Participants • Participants were adults enrolled in a program of study on advanced Tibetan Buddhism. Intervention • Participants were directed to record statements expressing love and appreciation of themselves in their own voices, inserting their names as the recipients of the messages. Participants listened to their recording for 2 min every morning, for 12 wk. Outcome Measures • At baseline and postintervention, the participants completed a self-reported questionnaire, the clinical anger score (CAS). Every 2 wk, they completed the short dimensions of anger reactions (DAR-5) scale to assess temporal changes in anger. Results • Eighty-six participants, 69 women and 17 men with a median age of 45 y and a range from 20 to 70 y, enrolled in the study. Fifty-six completed all designated tests. The mean CAS score decreased significantly, from 10.4 to 6.7 (P < .001). The analysis of variance demonstrated a time-X-practice effect, with 6 wk of practice being necessary to achieve a significant reduction in the DAR-5 score. Conclusions • The present study provided encouraging preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of a daily regimen of listening to a short recording of self-love and appreciation in reducing anger. The findings indicate that the technique merits replication in larger controlled studies. If supported, it could be applied in conflict resolution.