Objectives
The primary aim of this study was to explore different methods of inducing self-compassion in individuals with elevated social anxiety.
Methods
Three methods of inducing self-compassion were compared as follows: a writing tool, an audio meditation, and an interview. Participants (N = 167; students with high social anxiety) were asked to write about a social situation in which they felt judged and were then randomly assigned to one of the three induction conditions or a control condition. Subsequently, state self-compassion was assessed.
Results
Participants reported significantly higher state self-compassion in the written condition than both the interview and control conditions (η2 = 0.10, medium effect).
Conclusion
The present study informs future work examining the impact of self-compassion inductions on social anxiety outcomes, suggesting the continued use of written self-compassion inductions.
