Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic
Abstract Despite continuous efforts to understand self-critical inner dialogues, little is known about the best practices people use to overcome their self-critics. In this study, we aimed to analyse the self-critical cycles of participants who scored high on coping to understand the most adaptive s...
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2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02250-2 |
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| author | Bronislava Šoková Katarína Greškovičová Júlia Halamová Martina Baránková |
| author_facet | Bronislava Šoková Katarína Greškovičová Júlia Halamová Martina Baránková |
| author_sort | Bronislava Šoková |
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| description | Abstract Despite continuous efforts to understand self-critical inner dialogues, little is known about the best practices people use to overcome their self-critics. In this study, we aimed to analyse the self-critical cycles of participants who scored high on coping to understand the most adaptive strategies and responses to the self-critic. The consensual qualitative analysis was performed by a team of three researchers and one auditor. The high scorers were identified from a convenience sample of 1,683 participants. Twenty participants, 14 women and 6 men, were randomly chosen from the sample of individuals who scored high in self-reporting inventory of coping. In-depth repeat interviews were conducted with 15 participants for the main analysis, and 5 were added to check the data saturation. The results revealed three core themes – I am okay but I need improving; I am okay but improving would help; and I am not okay and it is hard to be different. Furthermore, six main types of self-critic emerged from the data: Teamster, Non-feeler, Worrier, Not good enough for self, Not good enough for others, and Hated self. Self-critic sequences included the trigger or specific situation evoking that self-critic; accompanying emotions and/ or self-awareness; a particular kind of self-criticism and self-compassionate and/or self-protective responses to the self-critic that form part of coping. The results supported the Emotion Focused Theory of change, with self-compassionate and self-protective responses being aimed at various types of self-critic. Self-critic specific nuances were also identified. The study provided the possibilities of working with different types of inner critics and could alleviate the suffering caused by them. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25484d08dd5b46deb01a7dde1f75131d |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-25484d08dd5b46deb01a7dde1f75131d2025-08-20T01:48:29ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-03-0113111210.1186/s40359-024-02250-2Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner criticBronislava Šoková0Katarína Greškovičová1Júlia Halamová2Martina Baránková3Institute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in BratislavaInstitute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in BratislavaInstitute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in BratislavaInstitute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in BratislavaAbstract Despite continuous efforts to understand self-critical inner dialogues, little is known about the best practices people use to overcome their self-critics. In this study, we aimed to analyse the self-critical cycles of participants who scored high on coping to understand the most adaptive strategies and responses to the self-critic. The consensual qualitative analysis was performed by a team of three researchers and one auditor. The high scorers were identified from a convenience sample of 1,683 participants. Twenty participants, 14 women and 6 men, were randomly chosen from the sample of individuals who scored high in self-reporting inventory of coping. In-depth repeat interviews were conducted with 15 participants for the main analysis, and 5 were added to check the data saturation. The results revealed three core themes – I am okay but I need improving; I am okay but improving would help; and I am not okay and it is hard to be different. Furthermore, six main types of self-critic emerged from the data: Teamster, Non-feeler, Worrier, Not good enough for self, Not good enough for others, and Hated self. Self-critic sequences included the trigger or specific situation evoking that self-critic; accompanying emotions and/ or self-awareness; a particular kind of self-criticism and self-compassionate and/or self-protective responses to the self-critic that form part of coping. The results supported the Emotion Focused Theory of change, with self-compassionate and self-protective responses being aimed at various types of self-critic. Self-critic specific nuances were also identified. The study provided the possibilities of working with different types of inner critics and could alleviate the suffering caused by them.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02250-2Self-criticSelf-compassionSelf-protectionSequencesConsensual qualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Bronislava Šoková Katarína Greškovičová Júlia Halamová Martina Baránková Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic BMC Psychology Self-critic Self-compassion Self-protection Sequences Consensual qualitative research |
| title | Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic |
| title_full | Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic |
| title_fullStr | Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic |
| title_short | Breaking the vicious cycles of self-criticism: a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one’s inner critic |
| title_sort | breaking the vicious cycles of self criticism a qualitative study on the best practices of overcoming one s inner critic |
| topic | Self-critic Self-compassion Self-protection Sequences Consensual qualitative research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02250-2 |
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