Physiological Response to Self-compassion Versus Relaxation

Compassion-focused imagery (CFI, in which one imagines receiving or giving compassion) can be an effective emotion-regulation technique but some individuals respond as if it is a threat. However, these findings have been based on tasks involving receiving compassion from others. This study sought to examine whether CFI involving self-compassion is less threatening than relaxation and whether any threat-responses decrease with practice. This study will compare the effects of CFI, relaxation and a control task and will explore their effects on self-report symptoms and physiology. It is hypothesized that CFI involving self-compassion is less threatening than relaxation and that any threat-responses decrease with practice.