The phenomenology of self-critical thinking in people with depression, eating disorders, and in healthy individuals

Thew, Graham R., Gregory, James D., Roberts, Kate and Rimes, Katharine A. 2017. The phenomenology of self-critical thinking in people with depression, eating disorders, and in healthy individuals. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 90 (4) , pp. 751-769. 10.1111/papt.12137

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Abstract

Objectives To explore the phenomenology of self‐criticism, and the relationship with constructs such as rumination and perfectionism. Design The study followed a three‐group (Depression, n = 26; Eating Disorder, n = 26; Non‐clinical, n = 26) mixed methods design. Method Participants completed a set of questionnaires and were interviewed about the occurrence, impact, and content of self‐critical thinking, along with their beliefs about self‐criticism. Results Both clinical groups reported more frequent, persistent, and less controllable self‐criticism compared to controls, present on average 50–60% of the time. They reported a negative impact on mood, and a moderately severe impact on daily activities. They indicated greater desire to change self‐criticism whilst judging it more difficult to reduce. Habitual self‐criticism was highly correlated with lower self‐esteem, lower self‐compassion, greater rumination, and greater negative perfectionism. Compared to those with depression, the eating disorder group reported harsher self‐criticism, felt it was more part of their personality, and was more beneficial. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of exploring people's beliefs about their self‐criticism, and imply that treatment for self‐criticism may be more challenging with people with eating disorders than people with depression.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	2044-8341
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	7 May 2021
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 12:47
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/140944

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