Effect of adding a compassion-focused intervention on emotion, eating and weight outcomes in a commercial weight management programme. (September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Duarte, Cristiana; Gilbert, Paul; Stalker, Carol; Catarino, Francisca; Basran, Jaskaran; Scott, Sarah; Horgan, Graham; Stubbs, R James
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 26:Number 10(2021)
• Page Start: 1700
• Page End: 1715
• Publication Date: 2021-09
• Subjects: compassion-focused therapy -- light touch digital intervention -- obesity -- overweight -- weight management programme; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105319890019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

Abstract

This study examined whether adding a compassion-focused light touch digital intervention into a commercial multicomponent weight management programme improved eating behaviour, self-evaluation and weight-related outcomes. The compassion intervention significantly reduced binge eating symptomatology and dropout, and improved psychological adjustment and self-evaluation, but did not affect weight outcomes. Compassion, self-reassurance and reductions in shame and self-criticism mediated the effect of the intervention on reductions of binge eating symptomatology. Negative self-evaluation, binge eating symptomatology, susceptibility to hunger and eating guilt were significant predictors of dropout. Findings suggest that compassion-based digital tools may help participants better manage binge eating symptomatology and self-evaluation in weight management interventions.