What do recent developments in the area of self-compassion have to offer the treatment of social anxiety?

A variety of recent literature has considered the impact of self-compassion on<br/>mental health. Further research is needed, but the evidence to date suggests<br/>that self-compassion is associated with psychological well-being (Neff, 2003a;<br/>Neff, Kirkpatrick, Rude, 2007; Neff, Rude, Kirkpatrick, 2007), and that enhancing<br/>self-compassion can buffer against social-evaluative concerns (Leary, Tate,<br/>Allen, &amp; Adams, 2007, Neff, 2003a). Additionally, when enhancing selfcompassion<br/>as been used as part of a treatment for mental health problems,<br/>symptoms have reduced (Gilbert &amp; Procter, 2006; Linehan, Heard, &amp; Armstrong;<br/>1999; Lee, 2005; Mayhew &amp; Gilbert, 2008; Teasdale, Segal, Williams,<br/>Ridgeway, Soulsby, &amp; Lau, 2000). The following paper explores the role that<br/>self-compassion may have in the aetiology and maintenance of social phobia. In<br/>order to do this, current aetiological and maintenance models are reviewed, and<br/>hypotheses made about how self-compassion may impact on these processes.<br/>Evidence from both clinical and nonclinical studies is used to support these<br/>hypotheses, and further research is suggested.<br/><br/>In the second paper some of these hypotheses are tested. In this study,<br/>evaluations of performance, post-event processing, and anxiety were measured<br/>in a socially anxious analogue group, following a stressful social situation. These<br/>scores were then compared to those of other socially anxious participants who<br/>did not undergo a self-compassion induction. Results showed no differences in<br/>levels of post-event processing or anxiety between the groups. However,<br/>participants in the self-compassion group rated their performance more closely<br/>to the rating of an independent observer than participants in the other groups.<br/>This suggests that increasing self-compassion facilitated greater objectivity<br/>when evaluating participants? own performances of a socially stressful task.<br/>Implications for the treatment of social phobia are discussed, and suggestions<br/>are made for further research.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Thomas, Sara

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stopa, Lusia