A Randomized Controlled Study of Writing Interventions on College Women’s Positive Body Image

Abstract

College women are at risk for body dissatisfaction, but enhancing the positive aspects of body image can serve as a protective factor. Self-compassion has been associated with body appreciation and may protect against negative body image. This study tested the effect of a self-compassion writing intervention on positive body image and affect and explored self-compassion as a mediator between writing group and positive body image. We used a randomized controlled design to compare self-compassion writing (n = 51), traditional expressive writing (n = 50), and control writing (n = 51) interventions in college women. Participants were mostly European-American (82%) with a mean age of 19. Participants wrote online for 20 min once a week for three consecutive weeks. Results indicated that negative and positive affect decreased for all three groups. There were no differences between groups on positive body image or affect; however, the self-compassion writing group reported greater increases in self-compassion (F = 3.48, p < 0.05, η_p² = 0.05). Moreover, mediator models revealed that the effect of group (self-compassion vs. traditional/control writing) on body appreciation and body image quality of life was mediated by self-compassion. Overall, the findings indicate that self-compassion writing increased self-compassion, and greater increases in self-compassion were associated with greater increases in positive body image and positive affect.

Appendix

Writing Intervention Instructions

General Writing Intervention Instructions

You have been randomly assigned to one of three types of writing exercises. Please write for 20 min in a quiet, comfortable, and private spot. Do not worry about grammar, spelling, or style. Don’t worry about deleting. The only rule is that once you begin writing, please continue to write until the 20 min has passed. If you run out of things to say, just repeat what you have already written. Your writing will be kept confidential and only members of the research team will review the writing. Please note that no one on the research team will be reading your writing on a regular basis. If for any reason you feel you need to contact the researchers, please do so at trisha.raque-bogdan@du.edu.

[For second and third writing sessions] Even though the directions are the same as your previous writing session, we know that you may have thought of other things that you might want to include. You can write in a way that builds upon your previous writing sessions.

Self-Compassion Instructions

For the three writing sessions, we would like you to write about your body image from a self-compassionate perspective. Self-compassion means to be kind to yourself and to be less self-critical or self-blaming. Try to write in a way that expresses understanding, kindness, and concern to yourself the way you might express concern to a friend who has expressed similar feelings. Write about the many ways you can think of in which other people also experience similar feelings to the ones you describe. We would like you to write whatever comes to you, but make sure the writing provides you with what you need in order to feel understood and not alone in your experiences related to your body image. We realize that individuals may feel a wide range of emotions about their bodies, and we want you to write from the perspective of someone who is accepting of these emotions.

Traditional Expressive Writing Instructions

For the three writing sessions, we would like you to write about your deepest feelings associated with your body image. Really let go and explore your feelings and thoughts about it, and how it relates to your past, present, and future, to relationships with loved ones, and your identity. Write whatever comes to you.

Control Condition Writing Instructions

For this writing session, please describe your events of the day in a factual and detail oriented way. Your description should focus on information only, and should not include comments regarding your thoughts or feelings about these events. Do not pay attention to spelling or grammar. Please be as detailed as possible, and write for the full 20 min.