Distorted body image in women: Emotion focused training for self-compassion and self-protection as an effective instrument for its moderation
 
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Institute of Applied Psychology Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
 
 
Submission date: 2021-07-15
 
 
Final revision date: 2021-12-07
 
 
Acceptance date: 2021-12-14
 
 
Online publication date: 2022-06-19
 
 
Publication date: 2022-06-19
 
 
Corresponding author
Martina Baránková   

Institute of Applied Psychology Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia
 
 
Arch Psych Psych 2022;24(2):30-40
 
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ABSTRACT
Aim of the study:
Dissatisfaction with one’s own body represents one of the main sources of suffering for women in various age categories. One of the potential factors reducing dissatisfaction with one’s own body is self-compassion. The aim of this study was to determine if a short-term two-week emotion focused training for self-compassion and self-protection, will reduce self-criticism in women, increase their self-compassion and improve satisfaction with their own body image.

Subject or material and methods:
The research sample consisted of 64 women aged 18-55 years, mean age 31.73 yrs. (SD = 8.48), randomized into experimental and control group. Self-compassion, self-criticism and body shape dissatisfaction were measured before and after the intervention.

Results:
Data analysis indicated significant changes in the degree of self-compassion, self-criticism and dissatisfaction with body image on the part of the group undergoing intervention.

Discussion:
Similarly as in previous research, emotion focused training for self-compassion and self-protection turned out to be the effective tool for increasing compassion, decreasing self-criticism and enhancing body dissatisfaction.

Conclusions:
The study confirms the assertion that cultivating self-compassion can lower dissatisfaction with body image, and at the same time, it proves that cost-effective, distance intervention, without direct contact with a specialist, can be effective.

eISSN:2083-828X
ISSN:1509-2046
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