The benefits of being self-compassionate on days when interactions with body-focused others are frequent. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kelly, Allison C.; Miller, Kathryn E.; Stephen, Elizabeth
• Is Part Of: Body image. Volume 19(2016)
• Page Start: 195
• Page End: 203
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Self-compassion -- Body image -- Body appreciation -- Intuitive eating -- Social interactions -- Within persons; Body image -- Periodicals; Body image -- Research -- Periodicals; Body Image -- Periodicals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.10.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-1445

Abstract

Highlights: Daily levels of self-compassion influence response to daily body image threats. Interactions with body-focused others were harmful on low self-compassion days. Interactions with body-focused others were not harmful on high self-compassion days. Abstract: We examined whether a woman's level of self-compassion on a given day (within-persons) and over a week (between-persons) influenced her eating, body image, and affect in the face of frequent daily and/or weekly interactions with body-focused others. For seven nights, 92 female undergraduates reported on their daily social interactions, self-compassion, body image, eating, and affect. On days when women were less self-compassionate than usual, frequent interactions with body-focused others were associated with more body image concerns and negative affect, and less body appreciation and intuitive eating. However, these relationships were absent or inversed on days when women were more self-compassionate than usual. Self-compassion played a similar buffering role at the between-persons level. Results suggest that by treating themselves with a higher degree of self-compassion than what is typical for them, young women may be able to maintain healthier approaches to eating and body image when faced with body image threats.