The Friend Within: Self-Compassion and its Relation to Healthy Eating Attitudes and Social Desirability

Abstract

The present study examines relationships between self-compassion, eating attitudes, social desirability and other measures including Body Mass Index and Grade Point Average. Research employed previously validated scales and other methods in a self-report questionnaire format, and participants included 254 female college undergraduates at Princeton University. Results indicate a significant link between higher levels of self-compassion and lower social desirability bias, as well as healthier eating attitudes. Higher levels of social desirability bias were also significantly related to more unhealthy eating attitudes. Findings indicate potential for the application of self-compassionate teachings in intervention settings such as treatment programs and therapies, perhaps in conjunction with work to reduce social desirability bias, in an effort to promote healthy eating attitudes and prevent disordered eating behaviors and attitudes. Particularly in the given population, this reduction in disordered eating attitudes is crucial for improving wellbeing.