Emotion-Focused Treatment for Self-Criticism in a Nonclinical Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Self-criticism is a transdiagnostic phenomenon associated with different psychopathological manifestations in clinical and nonclinical samples. This fact has led to an increase in research on its measurement and treatment. This study seeks to examine the effects of emotion-focused therapy on self-criticism in a nonclinical population through pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up questionnaires. The study was designed as a randomized control trial comparing emotion-focused therapy for self-criticism (n = 24) versus a wait-list control group (n = 28). The efficacy was evaluated using Inadequate Self and Hated Self scales of Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring scale, as well as measures of depression, general distress, and interpersonal problems. The results showed significant improvements on the inadequate self, depression, general distress, self-compassion, and self-reassuring measures at the end of the treatment for emotion-focused therapy condition in comparison with the control, with most of the changes also being maintained in the follow-up. The results show the promise of emotion-focused therapy as a way of treating self-criticism.