Mindful Self-compassion and Perfectionism
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindful Self-compassion Intervention to Improve Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism, Depression, Anxiety, and Unhealthy Body Image in College Students
1 other identifier
interventional
379
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The study is a randomized controlled study. A total of 200 students will be invited to participate in a 5-session mindful self-compassion course aimed at increasing self-compassion and reducing maladaptive perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and unhealthy body image. Self-compassion is the ability to show oneself kindness in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, and suffering by attending to distressing experiences with kindness, mindfulness, and the ability to recognize these as a part of a shared humanity. Twelve participants will be randomly selected for pre- and post interviews to qualitatively evaluate outcome. Ten participants with high perfectionistic tendencies will be selected to participate in a narrative life story interview.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Feb 2018
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
January 16, 2018
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
February 3, 2018
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
March 5, 2018
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
May 14, 2019
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
May 14, 2019
CompletedAugust 17, 2021
August 1, 2021
1.3 years
January 16, 2018
August 16, 2021
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Change in perfectionism
Adaptive perfectionism as measured by the "Personal Standards" subscale and maladaptive perfectionism/evaluative concerns perfectionism as measured by "Doubts about Actions" and "Concern over Mistakes" subscales of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Personal Standards consists of seven items (6 items for "pure personal standards"), Doubt about Actions consists of four items, and Concern over Mistakes consists of 9 items. All items are on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to disagree with higher scores indicating most perfectionistic tendencies. Full range: 20-100 with higher scores representing more perfectionistic tendencies. Evaluative concerns perfectionism range: 13-65, higher scores indicate more evaluative concerns perfectionism. Personal standards range: 7-35 with higher scores indicating higher personal standards.
Baseline (two for control group), one week prior to intervention, every week for four weeks until completion of intervention (including one week after last session), 6 months after intervention
Secondary Outcomes (4)
Change in body image
Baseline (two for control group), one week prior to intervention, one week after last session, 6 months after intervention
Change in depressive tendencies
Baseline (two for control group), one week prior to intervention, every week for four weeks until completion of intervention (including one week after last session), 6 months after intervention
Change in anxiety
Baseline (two for control group), one week prior to intervention, every week for four weeks until completion of intervention (including one week after last session), 6 months after intervention
Change in self-compassion
Baseline (two for control group), one week prior to intervention, every week for four weeks until completion of intervention (including one week after last session), 6 months after intervention
Study Arms (2)
Control group
NO INTERVENTIONReceiving no intervention (control groups will be offered the intervention after the experimental group has completed the course)
Active group
EXPERIMENTALReceiving Mindful Self-Compassion intervention
Interventions
Mindful self-compassion is a course developed by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer designed to cultivate self-compassion as measured by three subcategories: self-kindness, mindfulness, and a sense of common humanity. This study will shorten the original 8-week course to 5 sessions, and will include interventions and lectures aimed directly toward addressing evaluative concerns perfectionism.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- College/university students
You may not qualify if:
- N/A
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Bergen
Bergen, Hordaland, 5020, Norway
Related Publications (18)
Avalos L, Tylka TL, Wood-Barcalow N. The Body Appreciation Scale: development and psychometric evaluation. Body Image. 2005 Sep;2(3):285-97. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.06.002. Epub 2005 Aug 26.
PMID: 18089195BACKGROUNDRaes F, Pommier E, Neff KD, Van Gucht D. Construction and factorial validation of a short form of the Self-Compassion Scale. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2011 May-Jun;18(3):250-5. doi: 10.1002/cpp.702. Epub 2010 Jun 8.
PMID: 21584907BACKGROUNDDundas I, Binder PE, Hansen TGB, Stige SH. Does a short self-compassion intervention for students increase healthy self-regulation? A randomized control trial. Scand J Psychol. 2017 Oct;58(5):443-450. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12385. Epub 2017 Aug 28.
PMID: 28850726BACKGROUNDFrost, R.O., Marten, P., Lahart, C., Rosenblate R. The dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14 (1990), pp. 449-468.
BACKGROUNDSpielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., & Jacobs, G. A. (1983). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
BACKGROUNDBech P, Rasmussen NA, Olsen LR, Noerholm V, Abildgaard W. The sensitivity and specificity of the Major Depression Inventory, using the Present State Examination as the index of diagnostic validity. J Affect Disord. 2001 Oct;66(2-3):159-64. doi: 10.1016/s0165-0327(00)00309-8.
PMID: 11578668BACKGROUNDChang, E. C., Linn, N. J., Herringshaw, A. J., Sanna, L. J., Fabian, C. G., Pereraa, M. J., & Marchenkoa, V. V. (2011). Understanding the link between perfectionism and adjustment in college students: Examining the role of maximizing. Personality and Individual Differences, 50(7), 1074.
BACKGROUNDNeff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and identity, 2(3), 223-250. doi:10.1080/15298860309027
BACKGROUNDBardone-Cone AM, Sturm K, Lawson MA, Robinson DP, Smith R. Perfectionism across stages of recovery from eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2010 Mar;43(2):139-48. doi: 10.1002/eat.20674.
PMID: 19308994BACKGROUNDBoone L, Soenens B, Luyten P. When or why does perfectionism translate into eating disorder pathology? A longitudinal examination of the moderating and mediating role of body dissatisfaction. J Abnorm Psychol. 2014 May;123(2):412-8. doi: 10.1037/a0036254.
PMID: 24886015BACKGROUNDWade TD, Tiggemann M. The role of perfectionism in body dissatisfaction. J Eat Disord. 2013 Jan 22;1:2. doi: 10.1186/2050-2974-1-2. eCollection 2013.
PMID: 24764525BACKGROUNDBraun TD, Park CL, Gorin A. Self-compassion, body image, and disordered eating: A review of the literature. Body Image. 2016 Jun;17:117-31. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.03.003. Epub 2016 Mar 31.
PMID: 27038782BACKGROUNDBreines, J., Toole, A., Tu, C., & Chen, S. (2014). Self-compassion, body image, and self-reported disordered eating. [Journal; Peer Reviewed Journal]. Self and identity, 13(4), 432-448.
BACKGROUNDKelly AC, Tasca GA. Within-persons predictors of change during eating disorders treatment: An examination of self-compassion, self-criticism, shame, and eating disorder symptoms. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Jul;49(7):716-22. doi: 10.1002/eat.22527. Epub 2016 Apr 6.
PMID: 27061929BACKGROUNDKelly AC, Vimalakanthan K, Carter JC. Understanding the roles of self-esteem, self-compassion, and fear of self-compassion in eating disorder pathology: an examination of female students and eating disorder patients. Eat Behav. 2014 Aug;15(3):388-91. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.04.008. Epub 2014 May 10.
PMID: 25064287BACKGROUNDPisitsungkagarn K, Taephant N, Attasaranya P. Body image satisfaction and self-esteem in Thai female adolescents: the moderating role of self-compassion. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2014;26(3):333-8. doi: 10.1515/ijamh-2013-0307.
PMID: 24114894BACKGROUNDAlbertson, E., Neff, K., & Dill-Shackleford, K. (2015). Self-Compassion and Body Dissatisfaction in Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Meditation Intervention. Mindfulness, 6(3), 444-454. doi:10.1007/s12671-014-0277-3
BACKGROUNDWoodfin V, Molde H, Dundas I, Binder PE. A Randomized Control Trial of a Brief Self-Compassion Intervention for Perfectionism, Anxiety, Depression, and Body Image. Front Psychol. 2021 Dec 9;12:751294. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.751294. eCollection 2021.
PMID: 34955971DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Per-Einar Binder, PhD
University of Bergen
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
January 16, 2018
First Posted
March 5, 2018
Study Start
February 3, 2018
Primary Completion
May 14, 2019
Study Completion
May 14, 2019
Last Updated
August 17, 2021
Record last verified: 2021-08