Can sensory and semantic priming enhance the effects of guided self-compassion meditation? A proof-of-concept study.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2024 Ivana Buric, Maja Wrzesien, Jelica Milojičić et al. 1 citation
Self-compassion supports psychological health and can be improved through meditation, but it is unclear how to make meditation more effective. In a study with 71 students, a 3-minute sensory or semantic priming task was given before a 15-minute guided self-compassion meditation. Sensory priming reduced self-criticism more than semantic priming or a control condition, though the self-criticism scale had reliability issues. Neither priming type changed self-compassion, positive affect, or negative affect, nor did they boost the meditation's effects on these measures or the appeal of the meditation. The study was underpowered, with post hoc power estimates from 0.20 to 0.42, but offers preliminary insights for future research.