title: Are improvements in shame and self-compassion early in eating disorders treatment associated with better patient outcomes?
abstract: Compassion-focused therapy (CFT; Gilbert, 2005, 2009) is a transdiagnostic treatment approach focused on building self-compassion and reducing shame. It is based on the theory that feelings of shame contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology, whereas self-compassion contributes to the alleviation of shame and psychopathology. We sought to test this theory in a transdiagnostic sample of eating disorder patients by examining whether larger improvements in shame and self-compassion early in treatment would facilitate faster eating disorder symptom remission over 12 weeks. Participants were 97 patients with an eating disorder admitted to specialized day hospital or inpatient treatment. They completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire, Experiences of Shame Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale at intake, and again after weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12. Multilevel modeling revealed that patients who experienced greater decreases in their level of shame in the first 4 weeks of treatment had faster decreases in their eating disorder symptoms over 12 weeks of treatment. In addition, patients who had greater increases in their level of self-compassion early in treatment had faster decreases in their feelings of shame over 12 weeks, even when controlling for their early change in eating disorder symptoms. These results suggest that CFT theory may help to explain the maintenance of eating disorders. Clinically, findings suggest that intervening with shame early in treatment, perhaps by building patients' self-compassion, may promote better eating disorders treatment response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Allison C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Jacqueline C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borairi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; compassion-focused therapy; eating disorders; maintenance factors; self-compassion; shame; transdiagnostic; treatment