Understanding Self-Criticism: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Approaches

Self-criticism (SC) is a central transdiagnostic factor in several psychopathological conditions, influencing the development and maintenance of symptomatology. The importance of this construct has stimulated quantitative and qualitative research about it. The main purpose of this systematic review is to highlight which qualitative methods have been used most frequently and which are most suitable for studying SC.

We conducted a systematic search by searching the following databases to identify publications: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ERIC (all years up to and including January 2024). We aggregated search terms into two concepts for all databases: "self-criticism" and "qualitative analysis".

After removing duplicates, we screened a total of 852 records, resulting in the identification of 28 full-text articles that we assessed for eligibility. Upon closer examination, there was consensus that 16 of those studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extracted from the included studies revealed the lack of a shared approach regarding qualitative analysis of SC. Some studies employed a top-down coding approach, others used a bottom-up coding approach, and a few combined both methods. Consensual qualitative research and thematic analysis have been used most widely in the field. Furthermore, the data revealed no consensus among researchers on the conceptualization of SC. SC categories identified through qualitative analysis frequently do not align with existing theoretical models, and these categories are rarely re-examined in subsequent studies.

There is a need to test existing theoretical models of SC through qualitative analysis and to develop new models that should be examined with qualitative and quantitative methods in different clinical populations to fully capture the complexity and multidimensionality of SC.