Self-compassion and self-protection in two-chair technique: Consensual qualitative analysis of transcribed video-recordings

Abstract

Even though self-compassion and self-protection are associated with well-being and mental and physical health, qualitative research in this area is very rare. As no study has compared self-compassionate and self-protective responses during the two-chair technique, the aim was to analyze participants’ subjective responses in reacting to self-criticism during the technique and compare self-compassionate and self-protective statements. The research sample comprised 80 participants; 60 women and 20 men (M = 23.86; SD = 5.98). The investigation underwent consensual qualitative analysis. The results showed four main domains for self-compassion and self-protection: Cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal aspects. In several cases, the participants utilized self-compassion and self-protection simultaneously or subsequently, and both types of responses to some degree supplemented each other or were intertwined. Self-protection and self-compassion are complimentary. Only by combining these two constructs can individuals assertively protect themselves while being kind to themselves and others. In the case of self-compassion, the results confirm several findings from previous studies, but in the case of self- protection, this is the first more detailed exploration of this construct because it has not been studied sufficiently to date.