Citation

Naismith I, Zarate Guerrero S, Feigenbaum J. Clin. Psychol. Psychother. 2019; 26(3): 350-361.

Affiliation

Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/cpp.2357

PMID

30715768

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cultivating self-compassion is increasingly recognized as a powerful method to regulate hyperactive threat-processes like shame and self-criticism, but fear of self-compassion (FSC) can inhibit this. These difficulties are under-explored in personality disorder (PD) despite their prevalence. Furthermore, little evidence exists regarding how these factors relate to adverse childhood events (ACEs) and attachment.

METHOD: 53 participants with a diagnosis of PD completed measures including childhood abuse/neglect, invalidation, early warmth, self-compassion, shame, self-criticism, FSC, and anxious/avoidant attachment.

RESULTS: Self-compassion was predicted uniquely by low early warmth; self-inadequacy by invalidation and abuse; whereas FSC was predicted by multiple ACEs. FSC and self-compassion were significantly correlated with self-criticism and shame, but not with one another.

CONCLUSIONS: Low self-compassion and high FSC appear to be distinct problems, substantiating physiological models proposing distinct threat and soothing systems.

RESULTS are consistent with theories positing that low self-compassion has distinct origins to shame, self-criticism and FSC.

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Language: en

Keywords

Child abuse; Child neglect; Compassion; Personality disorders; Self-compassion; Self-criticism