EFFECTIVENESS OF EMOTION FOCUSED TRAINING FOR SELF-COMPASSION AND SELF-PROTECTION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH INCREASED NARCISSISM

Martina Baránková1* , Katarína Vaďurová1

martina.barankova@fses.uniba.sk

1 Institute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in
Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Abstract

Objective: The goal of the study was to map out the effectiveness of a 14-day online intervention (EFT-SCP) focused on self-compassion and self-protection in people with an increased level of narcissism.
Method: The research sample consisted of 63 participants, 19 men and 44 women, aged 21 to 70 years (M = 32.49; SD = 15.73). Participants were randomly assigned to intervention group (N = 32) or to the passive control group (N = 31).
Results: The results indicate that the self-compassion level in the experimental group did not increase following the intervention. However, the same group scored significantly lower on self-criticism after taking part in the intervention.
Conclusion: Short term online intervention was able to decrease self-criticism in subclinical population with increased traits of narcissism but was not effective in increasing self-compassion. It seems that in individuals with increased narcissism, it could take longer to develop kind and warm feelings towards self, connected to self-compassion. The process of decreasing self-criticism was effective and could be the starting point for further cultivating of self.

Please cite this article as: Baránková, M., & Vad’urová, K. (2022). EFFECTIVENESS OF EMOTION FOCUSED TRAINING FOR SELF-COMPASSION AND SELF-PROTECTION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH INCREASED NARCISSISM. Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 22(1), 169-182.

DOI: 10.24193/jebp.2022.1.9

Published online: 2022/03/01
Published print: 2022/03/01

Keywords: narcissism, self-criticism, self-protection, self-compassion