An Open Trial of a Brief, Self-Compassion Intervention Targeting Thwarted Belongingness and Perceived Burdensomeness.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is a global health concern and developing brief and accessible interventions that can reduce suicide risk is crucial. Thwarted belongingness (TB; i.e., feeling like one doesn't belong) and perceived burdensomeness (PB; i.e., feeling like one is a burden on others) are associated with suicidality, and changes in these constructs predict changes in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Self-compassion is a multifaceted construct that involves being open and kind to oneself and can be taught through brief writing tasks. Low self-compassion has been associated with TB, PB, and suicidal ideation, suggesting that enhancing self-compassion may decrease suicide risk. Thus, we conducted an open trial of a brief, online self-compassion intervention targeting TB and PB. METHOD: Undergraduate students (N = 132) viewed an educational video on self-compassion and completed self-compassion writing tasks over the course of one week. RESULTS: Reactions to the intervention were positive, and participants reported significantly higher self-compassion scores following the intervention. However, TB and PB scores did not change from the baseline to the post-intervention assessment. CONCLUSIONS: This open trial demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a fully online, brief self-compassion intervention, but its impact on reducing suicide risk should be assessed further using a randomized controlled design.

Self-compassion may be useful for targeting thwarted interpersonal needs.A brief, online, self-compassion intervention is feasible and acceptable.Further research is needed on the impact of self-compassion on suicide risk.

The role of negative evaluation fears on associations between societal appearance pressures and disordered eating in university students.

Objective: Previous research demonstrates that sociocultural appearance pressures and internalization of appearance ideals lead to disordered eating (DE); however, only a subset of individuals exposed to these influences develop clinically significant DE. Identifying moderators of these associations may increase efficacy of targeted preventions for eating disorders. This study investigated whether the fear of negative evaluation (FNE) moderates these associations. Participants: 567 university students participated between November 2019 and 2020. Methods: Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing appearance pressures, internalization of appearance ideals, FNE, and DE. Results: There was a significant interaction between appearance pressures and FNE in relation to DE. Individuals with high appearance pressures and high FNE had the highest levels of DE. The interaction between internalization of appearance ideals and FNE did not significantly contribute to DE. Conclusions: Eating disorder prevention programs that address FNE and appearance pressures may have beneficial effects, particularly for university students with heightened FNE.