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Abstract
Eating disorders represent a significant mental health problem with broad consequences for the lives of suffers. Outcome studies report modest recovery rates, with authors seeking to identify additional maintaining factors to inform more effective interventions. The inability to direct feelings of compassion towards the self has been identified as a potential factor influencing mental health problems. To date the capacity for self-compassion has not been investigated in relation to eating disorder psychopathology.
Aims and objectives. The current research represents a preliminary investigation of the relationship between self-compassion and eating disorder psychopathology. The aim was to explore and consider the associations between self-compassion, self-criticism, clinical perfectionism and eating disorder psychopathology.
Method. The study adopted a quantitative observational design in which data were collected using five self-report questionnaires. Participants completed the scales measuring self-compassion, self-criticism, mood, clinical perfectionism and eating disorder psychopathology, via a secure website. A total of 176 adults affiliated to the University of East Anglia were recruited to take part in the study.
Results. Within the current study significant relationships were identified between all research variables. Negative associations between self-compassion, clinical perfectionism and eating disorder psychopathology were observed. A direct relationship between self-compassion and eating disorder psychopathology was not found and it appeared that mood better explained the observed association. Depression was found to be influential across identified relationships, but could not be used to explain the observed associations. Both self-criticism and self-compassion were found to predict unique variation in clinical perfectionism.
Conclusions. The current study represents the first to explore self-compassion in relation to eating disorder psychopathology. The findings indicate that the relationship between these variables are complex and may not be direct. The observed associations with clinical perfectionism suggest that both self-compassion and self-criticism represent potential maintaining factors. This may be of particular relevance in eating disorders where perfectionism serves to maintain the core psychopathology. A maintenance model is proposed to consider how the findings may relate theoretically to current literature. The potential clinical implications are discussed and proposals for further research outlined.
