Self-Compassion and Body Image

A critical link between self-compassion and body image involves taking a compassionate approach to one’s body and may be a useful strategy for overcoming some body-related challenges women athletes experience in sport. A compassionate approach to the body can help improve the positive body image of athletes in a competitive sport environment. Body self-compassion allows one to acknowledge negative feelings towards the body without overidentifying with them, which reflects a key component of self-compassion; mindfulness (Berry et al., 2010).

Body self-compassion is extending kindness and nonjudgmental attitudes to the body, despite perceived physical imperfections and limitations (Berry et al., 2010).

Three essential structures:

Self-Kindness

Appreciating one’s unique body: Choosing to appreciate body uniqueness, rather than being self-critical (Berry et al., 2010).

Common Humanity

Engaging in less social comparison: Reduced social comparison is inherent to self-compassion (Neff, 2003).

Mindfulness

Taking ownership of one’s body: Observing thoughts and feelings as they are, opposed to suppressing or exaggerating them (Neff, 2020).

A Fourth Facilitating Structure: The importance of others

Key Findings

Body self-compassion has the potential to:

  • Build confidence in the functionality of the body to perform in sport (Eke et al., 2020).
  • Facilitate engaging in less social comparison (Eke et al., 2020).
  • Harness more positive emotions in sport performance (Eke et al., 2020).

More compassionate body experiences have been linked with:

  • Lower social physique anxiety (Magnus et al., 2010; Mosewich et al., 2011).
  • Decreased objectified body consciousness, body shame, and body surveillance (Mosewich et al., 2011)
  • Decreased expectation of being evaluated negatively (Epli Koç & Ermis, 2016).

Video

Strategies

References

Alleva, J. M., Martijn, C., Van Breukelen, G. J. P., Jansen, A., & Karos, K. (2015). Expand Your Horizon: A programme that improves body image and reduces self-objectification by training women to focus on body functionality. Body Image, 15, 81–89.

 

Altman, J. K., Linfield, K., Salmon, P. G. & Beacham, A. O., (2017). The body compassion scale: Development and initial validation. Journal of Health Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1359105317718924

 

Altman, J. K., Zimmaro, L. A., & Woodruff-Borden, J. (2017). Targeting body compassion in the treatment of body dissatisfaction: A case study. Clinical Case Studies. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/1534650117731155

 

Berry, K.-A., Kowalski, K. C., Ferguson, L. J. & McHugh, T.-L. F. (2010). An empirical phenomenology of young adult women exercisers’ body self-compassion. Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, 2(3), 293-312

 

Cash, T. F., & Pruzinsky, T. (2002). Body image: A handbook of theory, research, and clinical practice. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

 

Eke, A. O., Adam, M. E. K., Kowalski, K. C., & Ferguson, L. J. (2020). Narratives of adolescent women athletes’ body self-compassion, performance, and emotional well-being. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 12(2), 175-191, doi:10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628805.

 

Epli Koç, H., & Ermiş, E. (2016). Self-compassion as a predictor of social physique anxiety in athletes. Journal of Human Sciences, 13(3), 5214-5222. DOI: 10.14687/jhs.v13i3.4120

 

Magnus, C. M. R., Kowalski, K. C., & McHugh, T. L. F. (2010). The role of self-compassion in women’s self-determined motives to exercise and exercise-related outcomes. Self & Identity, 9, 363-382.

 

Mosewich, A. D., Kowalski, K. C., Sabiston, C. M., Sedgwick, W. A., & Tracy, J. L. (2011). Self-compassion: A potential resource for young women athletes. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 33, 103-123

 

Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: an alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2, 85–101.

 

Sabiston, C. M., Pila, E., Vani, M., & Thogersen-Ntoumani, C. (2019). Body image, physical activity, and sport: A scoping review. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 42, 48-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.12.010

 

Tylka, T. L. (2011). Positive psychology perspectives on body image. In T. F. Cash & L. Smolak (Eds.), Body image: A handbook of science, practice, and prevention (2nd ed., pp. 56-64). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

 

Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. L. (2015). What is and what is not positive body image? Conceptual foundations and construct definition. Body Image, 14, 118-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.04.001.

 

Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. L. (2015). The Body Appreciation Scale-2: Item refinement and psychometric evaluation. Body Image, 12, 53-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.09.006

 

Wasylkiw, L., MacKinnon, A. L., & MacLellan, A. M. (2012). Exploring the link between self-compassion and body image in university Women. Body Image 9, 236–245. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.01.007.