The role of self-compassion and its individual components in adaptive responses to dietary lapses

• Published in: Appetite 2023-11, Vol.190, p.107009-107009, Article 107009
• Main Authors: Hagerman, Charlotte J., Ehmann, Marny M., Taylor, Lauren C., Forman, Evan M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral weight loss treatment; Diet; Dietary lapses; Ecological momentary assessment; Empathy; Humans; Mindfulness; Overweight; Self-Compassion; Weight Loss
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107009

Dietary lapses (i.e., instances of dietary non-adherence) are common during weight loss attempts, and compromise success in two ways: increasing caloric intake and demoralizing the participant, sometimes leading them to abandon their weight control goals altogether. Efforts to understand and prevent demoralization have received almost no research attention. Self-compassion has high potential to promote adaptive responses to these setbacks because it reframes “failure” and promotes self-improvement. Past research shows that when participants experience a lapse, those practicing higher self-compassion report higher self-efficacy and intentions to continue dieting. The current study extended this literature to examine whether self-compassion in response to a lapse would predict lower likelihood of a subsequent same-day lapse and greater reports of perceived control over weight management behaviors. We also examined whether the individual facets of self-compassion, including self-kindness (treating oneself the way one would a friend); common humanity (the understanding that everyone has struggles); and mindfulness (non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings) are associated with these outcomes. Participants (N = 140) enrolled in a behavioral weight loss trial completed 6 ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys a day for seven days. Total self-compassion and each facet of self-compassion individually were all associated with less negative affect after a lapse. None of the self-compassion variables predicted the likelihood of participants reporting a lapse again that day. However, higher total self-compassion and higher self-kindness after a lapse were both associated with greater perceived self-control over weight management behaviors in the hours following. Common humanity and mindfulness, respectively, were not associated with reports of perceived control. Results suggest that self-compassion following dieting setbacks may prevent goal disengagement, and that self-kindness is the facet most strongly associated with adaptive responses to these setbacks.