Differences in Electromyography during Self-Compassionate and Self-Critical Imageries According to the Level of Self-Criticism

Jana Koróniová,Zuzana Džongová,Júlia Halamová

doi:10.31577/sp.2020.04.810

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze changes in muscle activity between high and low self-critical participants during the imagery of self-compassion, self-protection, and self-criticism. Muscle activity was measured by the Biopac MP36 while participants were listening to the imagery audio recording. Levels of self-criticism were measured by The Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS; Gilbert et al., 2004). From overall number of 110 participants, 30 participants were selected for further analysis based on their extreme level of self-criticism. The research sample consisted of 15 participants with high level of self-criticism and 15 with low level of self-criticism. The results showed that participants with higher levels of self-criticism had similar levels of muscle activity during the self-critical and self-protective phases of imagery. However, during the last self-compassionate imagery, participants with lower self-criticism returned to the baseline EMG levels, while those with higher self-criticism remained at high EMG levels. The results showed lower muscle activity in low self-critics while imagining inner compassionate part meaning. Therefore, low self-critics are probably better able to calm themselves down compared to high self-critics.

Highlights

Both self-compassion and self-criticism have been widely discussed and researched psychology topics during the last few years (e.g., Seppälä et al, 2017)
The present study explores the differences in EMG muscle activity related to levels of self-criticism measured by Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) during self-critical, self-protective, and self-compassionate imagery
The results showed that the EMG values increased significantly in the self-critical sequence of the imagery compared to the Baseline values

Summary

Introduction

Both self-compassion and self-criticism have been widely discussed and researched psychology topics during the last few years (e.g., Seppälä et al, 2017). There are studies dealing with self-compassion and self-criticism interventions on a physiological level, they are rather scarce (e.g., Halamová, Koróniová, Kanovský, Kenésy Túnyiová, & Kupeli, 2019). Our major aim is to fill the gap on the physiology level using Electromyography (EMG), because this indicator, in comparison with heart rate variability (HRV; Kirby, Doty, Petrocchi, & Gilbert, 2017), seems to have been left out even though the link between emotions and muscle activity appears to be obvious (Künecke, Hildebrandt, Recio, Sommer, & Wilhelm, 2014). We expected that EMG could be a relevant indicator for measuring the level of self-compassion and self-criticism. In comparison with the more often examined physiological indicators such as HRV, using EMG could broaden the field of measuring intervention effectivity by muscle activity

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion