Heart Rate Activity & Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of heart rate variability reactivity in response to Compassion Focused Therapy for people with eating disorders: A feasibility study
IRAS ID
142667
Contact name
Kenneth Goss
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Research summary
Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders (CFT-E) targets feelings of shame and self-criticism. These feelings are common in people with eating difficulties, and CFT-E has been developed to help these people manage the distress associated with feelings of shame and self-criticism. CFT-E helps people to become more self-soothing through the use of taught skills, relaxation and guided imagery. The CFT-E treatment programme has been shown to influence how people with eating difficulties think and feel, but less is known about how developing feelings of compassion affects the body. The main model of compassion suggests that feeling compassionate towards oneself or others stimulates the body in a way that is soothing and calming (Gilbert, 2010), but there is little evidence to support this claim.
The current study is interested in measuring heart rate activity whilst individuals undertake CFT-E therapy group practices as normal. This will help us to understand what goes on in the body when people practice being compassionate and how this links to individual treatment outcomes, for example how people feel about themselves and their eating behaviours. The findings from this study will help us to understand how people with eating difficulties respond to the CFT-E treatment programme. This information can be used to further develop the treatment programme and will allow us to provide evidence-based therapy.
People with eating difficulties receiving treatment at a specialist eating disorder service will be invited to take part in the study. Taking part will involve the participants wearing a heart rate monitor during three of their group CFT-E treatment sessions. Participants will also be asked to complete additional questionnaires at each monitored session and will be invited to a focus group at the end of the study.
References:
Gilbert, P. (2010). Compassion focused therapy. The CBT distinctive features. London, England: Routledge.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/0050
Date of REC Opinion
18 Feb 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion