Research paper
Serpell L, Amey R, Kamboj SK. The role of self-compassion and self-criticism in binge eating behaviour. Appetite. 2020 Jan 1;144:104470. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2019.104470. Epub 2019 Oct 3. PMID: 31586596.
Why we cite it
An RCT in a clinical-level population (women with BN or BED symptoms) finding that self-compassion, against self-critical rumination, was associated with improved food-related self-regulation after negative mood. Cravings and physiological cue reactivity did not differ before the taste test; after it, the self-compassion group reported wanting the food less (the discussion: ”the self-compassion strategy reduced food cravings after eating and total food consumption”), rated it less pleasant, and ate fewer calories. (Corrected 2026-09-10 from ”despite not reducing food cravings or physiological cue reactivity. This dissociation between cravings and actual eating behavior is the key finding — self-compassion doesn’t eliminate the desire to eat but changes the behavioral response to that desire”. The no-difference result is scoped to before the taste test, and the paper reports a reduction after it. The abstract states the null without that scope — ”led to similar self-reported food cravings” — so a record built from the abstract copied the abstract’s own widening.) (A sentence calling this ”One of the few experimental studies comparing self-compassion directly to self-critical rumination in an eating disorder population” was removed 2026-09-10: it is a claim about the prior literature, which the paper does not make and this library has not surveyed.) Cited by one knowledge file, `ksc01` (as of 2026-09-10).
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104470 · PubMed 31586596 · Publisher