Understanding and Intervening With State Shame and Self-criticism

Self-Criticism Clinical Trial

Official title: How Best to Understand and Intervene With State Shame and Self-criticism: A Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing Two Theoretical Perspectives

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the momentary effects of a one-session intervention (compassion-based, logic-based, or placebo control) on individuals with high or low trait self-criticism. The main questions it aims to answer are:

After a momentary shame induction, will a compassion-based intervention and a logic-based intervention both be more beneficial than a placebo control condition in terms of therapeutic outcomes?

Will the compassion-based intervention most effectively increase soothing affect, state self-compassion, and state self-reassurance?

Will the effects of these two interventions (1) differ as a function of the individual's trait self-criticism, and (2) will this be due to differing indirect effects of the intervention on safe/soothed feelings based on trait self-criticism?

Participants will first complete a set of baseline measures. Two to seven days later, they will be randomly assigned to one of three study conditions (i.e., compassion-based, logic-based, placebo control) after a brief shame induction. Participants will be asked to complete a set of questionnaires both before and after the shame induction as well as post-intervention.

This research will help us understand how best to intervene with the shame and self-criticism.

Clinical Trial Description

This clinical trial consists of a two-part online study. Part 1 of this study collects baseline measures and screen out ineligible participants. Part 2 of this study will compare the momentary effects of a brief (10-15 minute) one-session online intervention (compassion-based, logic-based, or placebo control) after a shame induction. Participants assigned to the compassion-based intervention will be asked to engage in a self-compassion exercise, where they will be asked to write about and experience their feelings while connecting to their compassionate self. Participants assigned to the logic-based intervention will be asked to engage in a logic-based exercise that was adapted from a thought record often completed during CBT treatment. Participants assigned to the placebo control condition will be asked to listen to a portion of an audio recording of "The Hobbit." All conditions will involve audio recordings, and all participants will be asked to re-read what they wrote about their shame, engage in a writing task, and then re-read what they wrote during the intervention writing task. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Self-Criticism

• NCT number: NCT06200675
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Waterloo
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 17, 2023
• Completion date: December 31, 2023