A qualitative study of the understanding and use of ‘compassion focused coping strategies’ in people who suffer from serious weight difficulties

Abstract

Background: The physical and psychological health problems associated with obesity are now well documented, as is the urgency for addressing them. In addition, associations between quality of life, depression, self-esteem, self-criticism, and obesity are now established indicating a need for a better understanding of the links between self-evaluation, affect-regulation and eating behaviours. Methods: Compassion has now been identified as a major source of resilience, helpful self-relating and affect regulation. Thus this study used semi-structured interviews to explore the understanding and experiences of compassion in 2 overweight men and 10 women seeking help for weight problems. The interviews examined people's understandings of compassion, their recall of experiences of compassion in childhood, their current experiences of receiving compassion from others, being compassionate to others, being self-compassionate, and whether they would be compassionate or self-critical for relapses in overeating. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis (Qual Res Psychol, 3:77-101, 2006).

Processes of change in quality of life, weight self-stigma, body mass index and emotional eating after an acceptance-, mindfulness- and compassion-based group intervention (Kg-Free) for women with overweight and obesity

“…These findings support previous research that emphasises the importance of developing acceptance, mindfulness and compassion-based skills, in people living with overweight and obesity O'Reilly et al, 2014;Gilbert et al, 2014), focused in improving health-related behaviours and quality-of-life, even without significant weight changes (e.g., Tylka et al, 2014). They also add to the existent knowledge by revealing the effectiveness of integrating components from different yet related approaches in people with overweight and obesity in order to promote quality-of-life and tackle weight self-stigma.…”

Finding the link between internalized weight-stigma and binge eating behaviors in Portuguese adult women with overweight and obesity: The mediator role of self-criticism and self-reassurance

“…In fact, some evidence points out that when people with overweight and obesity experience setbacks, they tend to become self-critical and have difficulty in being self-compassionate. In turn, this is linked with struggles in maintaining healthy behaviors (e.g., Gilbert et al, 2014). Thus, this calls for the importance of exploring the role of self-reassurance in binge eating in patients with overweight and obesity.…”

“…These approaches specifically aim to promote the development of a self-to-self-relationship characterized by a kind, caring and supportive attitude, instead of being critical, punitive and harsh towards oneself (Gilbert et al, 2014;Neff, 2003). In fact, some evidence points out that when people with overweight and obesity experience setbacks, they tend to become self-critical and have difficulty in being self-compassionate.…”

The Impact of Self-Criticism and Self-Reassurance on Weight-Related Affect and Well-Being in Participants of a Commercial Weight Management Programme

“…Many individuals enter weight loss regimes with cycles of early success followed by relapse, which can be associated with a sense of failure, inefficacy, shame and self-criticism [42,43]. The recent NICE guidance on managing overweight and obesity in adults emphasizes that lifestyle weight management services should protect people's physical and mental well-being [44].…”