The link between self‐compassion and psychotic‐like experiences: A matter of distress?

Objectives: Self‐shaming and self‐criticism have been shown to contribute to the emergence of distressing psychotic symptoms and psychotic‐like experiences (PLEs). In contrast, a self‐compassionate mindset may protect against negative evaluations in response to PLEs leading to less distress. This study explores the association between self‐compassion, the frequency of PLEs, and their associated distress. Design: The study used a correlational, cross‐sectional design on a German community sample. Methods: A total of 234 participants completed the self‐compassion scale (SCS), the Peters' Delusions Inventory, and a modified version of the Launay–Slade Hallucination Scale that measures frequency and distress of hallucinatory experiences. Pearson correlations between SCS and frequency of PLEs as well as between SCS and PLE‐distress were compared. Additionally, network analyses of SCS and PLE‐measures were calculated. Results: Self‐compassion was associated with less‐frequent PLEs and with less PLE‐distress, with stronger correlations between self‐compassion and PLE‐distress. The network analysis showed the self‐compassion facets isolation and overidentification to be the closest links to PLE‐distress. Conclusions: Self‐compassion is associated with less PLE related distress. Prevention programmes and interventions that target the negative facets associated with lack of self‐compassion may be promising. However, future studies need to explore the causal role of self‐compassion facets in the formation of PLE‐distress. Practitioner points: Low levels of self‐compassion are associated with being more distressed by psychotic experiences.As the self‐compassion facets isolation and overidentification are most strongly related to distress, prevention and intervention programmes may benefit from focusing on these negative facets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]