The impact of self-compassion writing on chronic disease self-efficacy

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic and unpredictable condition associated with substantial psychological burden. Self- efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to manage health-related challenges—is a key predictor of effective chronic disease management, and prior research suggests that self-compassion may provide emotional and cognitive resources that support self-efficacy. The present study examined whether a brief self-compassion writing intervention could increase self-efficacy for managing IBD. Adults with IBD (N = 83) completed a negative IBD-related recall task before being randomly assigned to either the self-compassion writing condition or the control condition. Participants then completed measures of self-compassion and self-efficacy for managing chronic disease. Contrary to our hypotheses, the self-compassion writing task did not significantly increase self-efficacy or self-compassion relative to the control condition, suggesting that the manipulation was insufficient to shift these constructs. However, in line with hypotheses, correlational analyses revealed a moderate positive association between self-compassion and self-efficacy, indicating that individuals who reported greater self-compassion also reported greater confidence in managing their condition. In other words, although a brief, single-session self-compassion writing may not be sufficient to enhance IBD-specific self-efficacy, self- compassion and self-efficacy are meaningfully related in this clinical population. These findings are consistent with theories of chronic disease management and warrant further research into psychological self-management techniques for those with IBD.