title: A wait-list randomized controlled trial of loving-kindness meditation programme for self-criticism.
abstract: Self-criticism is a vulnerability risk factor for a number of psychological disorders, and it predicts poor response to psychological and pharmacological treatments. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of a loving-kindness meditation (LKM) programme designed to increase self-compassion in a sample of self-critical individuals. Thirty-eight individuals with high scores on the self-critical perfectionism subscale of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale were randomized to an LKM condition (n = 19) or a wait-list (WL) condition (n = 19). Measures of self-criticism, self-compassion and psychological distress were administered before and immediately following the intervention (LKM or WL). WL participants received the intervention immediately after the waiting period. Both groups were assessed 3 months post-intervention. Intent-to-treat (n = 38) and per-protocol analyses (n = 32) showed significant reductions in self-criticism and depressive symptoms as well as significant increases in self-compassion and positive emotions in the LKM condition compared with the WL condition. A follow-up per-protocol analysis in both groups together (n = 20) showed that these gains were maintained 3 months after the intervention. These preliminary results suggest that LKM may be efficacious in alleviating self-criticism, increasing self-compassion and improving depressive symptoms among self-critical individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-criticism plays a major role in many psychological disorders and predicts poor response to brief psychological and pharmacological treatments for depression. The current study shows that loving-kindness meditation, designed to foster self-compassion, is efficacious in helping self-critical individuals become less self-critical and more self-compassionate. The study also suggests that practising loving-kindness may reduce depressive symptoms and increase positive emotions.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shahar
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Ohad
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szsepsenwol
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Sigal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zilcha-Mano
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Netalee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haim
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zamir
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.|Muda Center for Mindfulness Science and Society, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Simi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levi-Yeshuvi
authors.affiliation: Muda Center for Mindfulness Science and Society, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Nava
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levit-Binnun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008149:Love; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: loving-kindness meditation; randomized clinical trial; self-compassion; self-criticism