Self-compassion, post-event processing, and willingness in diverse samples

Although there is work that has supported the benefits of self-compassion for social interaction, this work has been limited in scope (i.e., most of this work compares self-compassion with inactive controls) and diversity. Our research will compare self-compassion to other potentially helpful conditions to evaluate differential effects on post-event processing. We will compare a self-compassion induction to cognitive restructuring and examine the effect on post-event processing. Past research has shown that self-compassion results in less post-event processing than those assigned to a control condition (Blackie & Kocovski, 2018a). However, it is unclear how self-compassion compares to other strategies, such as cognitive restructuring, for reducing post-event processing, and its impact on future social engagement. It is important to understand which strategies may be most effective for reducing this negative rumination, and whether this influences anxiety for future social situations. Although past research has shown that there were no significant differences between those assigned to a self-compassion induction and those assigned to a cognitive restructuring exercise on levels of trait social anxiety (Stevenson et al., 2019) or levels of distress related to a past situation (Burnham & Kocovski, 2024), it is unclear how these strategies compare to one another post-event. This is important to investigate, as post-event processing has been shown to predict future social apprehension (Blackie & Kocovski, 2016). In this study (N = 159; sufficient of detecting a small effect of 0.25 with 80% power), participants will be recruited from Cape Breton University and Wilfrid Laurier University. Participants who identify as a racial/ethnic minority will be asked to come to the lab, complete a variety of baseline measures, including a demographic questionnaire (assessing age, race/ethnicity, and gender identity), as well as trait measures of social anxiety (Social Phobia Inventory, Connor et al., 2000), self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form, Raes et al., 2011), and post-event processing (Post-Event Processing Inventory – Trait form, Blackie & Kocovski, 2017). Following this, participants will deliver a three-minute impromptu speech, which will be recorded on video camera. They will be asked to rate their level of anxiety prior to and during the speech (Subjective Units of Distress Scale, Wolpe, 1969). The purpose of the video recording is to induce feelings of social anxiety. Participants will then be randomly assigned to a self-compassion (n = 53), cognitive restructuring (n = 53), or control condition (n = 53). Those in the self-compassion condition will complete a self-compassion induction developed in previous research (Neff et al., 2021; and supported for use in social anxiety research, Siegel & Kocovski, 2020). Participants respond to prompts designed to elicit the three key elements of self-compassion (self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness). Those in the cognitive restructuring condition will complete a reappraisal exercise to challenge their unproductive thinking surrounding social situations (Burnham & Kocovski, 2024). Finally, those in the control condition will be asked to complete a control writing exercise (as per Neff et al., 2021). Those in all three conditions will be asked to spend ten minutes on their respective task. Immediately after, a manipulation check will be administered. The following day, participants will report levels of post-event processing since delivering their speech (Post-Event Processing Inventory – State form, Blackie & Kocovski, 2017). They will then complete measures of willingness to engage in future social situations (one-item measure developed by the authors for the present study) and fear of future social situations (Public Speaking Anxiety Scale [revised], Bartholomay & Houlihan, 2016). It is hypothesized that those in the self-compassion and cognitive reappraisal condition will not significantly differ from one another on post-event processing or willingness to engage in future social situations and fear of upcoming social situations, but both will be superior to a control condition. Of importance, this hypothesis will be tested using a more diverse sample than past research on self-compassion in the context of social anxiety. The findings from this study will illustrate that self-compassion represents a useful alternative for reducing post-event processing and fear of social situations, and increasing willingness toward future social situations is equally as effective as one other approach (i.e., reappraisal). The findings will also highlight how individuals from different cultures respond to prompts designed to increase self-compassion, thereby reducing post-event processing.