Embodying loving kindness: Examining self-compassionate writing tasks and body satisfaction among transgender and non-binary people

Abstract

Using an experimental posttest-only control group design, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of self-compassionate writing exercises on transgender and non-binary participants’ body satisfaction, gender identity pride, and internalized transphobia. A total of 238 transgender people participated in this study (Mage = 28.27, SD = 8.12). Participants were randomly assigned to a self-compassionate writing task focusing on their gender identity, a self-compassionate writing task focusing on their body image as a transgender person (i.e., gendered body image), and a control condition, which required them to write about a neutral day in their lives. Results demonstrated that those in the gendered body image self-compassionate condition reported higher state-level effects of body satisfaction following the intervention than those in the control condition. No significant effects were observed for condition on state-level gender identity pride or internalized transphobia. Results also demonstrated that non-binary participants reported higher levels of gender identity pride than trans femme participants. Exploratory post-hoc analyses revealed that gender identity pride moderated the effect of condition on body satisfaction. Compared to those in the control condition, participants in the gendered body self-compassionate condition with moderate and high levels of gender identity pride reported higher levels of body satisfaction. Results demonstrate potential beneficial effects of brief self-compassionate writing exercises on transgender peoples’ body satisfaction.