@article {Gilbert:2006:0889-8391:183, title = "Self-Criticism and Self-Warmth: An Imagery Study Exploring Their Relation to Depression", journal = "Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy", parent_itemid = "infobike://springer/jcogp", publishercode ="springer", year = "2006", volume = "20", number = "2", publication date ="2006-06-01T00:00:00", pages = "183-200", itemtype = "ARTICLE", issn = "0889-8391", eissn = "1938-887X", url = "https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/springer/jcogp/2006/00000020/00000002/art00008", doi = "doi:10.1891/jcop.20.2.183", keyword = "SELF-CRITICAL, WARMTH, DEPRESSION, IMAGERY, SELF-REASSURANCE, SOOTHING", author = "Gilbert, Paul and Baldwin, Mark W. and Irons, Chris and Baccus, Jodene R. and Palmer, Michelle", abstract = "When things go wrong for people, those who are self-critical, compared to those who self-reassure, are at increased risk of psychopathology. However, little is known of the internal processes involved in self-criticism and self-reassurance, such as the ease of eliciting critical imagery, and the power, emotion and vividness of self-criticalness and self-reassurance. This study used a self-imagery task to investigate trait self-criticism and trait self-reassurance in relation to the ease and clarity of generating self-critical and self-reassuring images, and the felt power and emotion of self-critical and self-reassuring imagery. We also explored these in relation to depressive symptoms in students. Results suggested that trait self-criticism is associated with ease and clarity in generating hostile and powerful self-critical images, while trait self-reassurance is associated with ease and clarity of generating warm and supportive images of the self. Data analysis using structural equation models also suggests that difficulties in generating self-reassurance and compassionate images about the self with self-directed warmth, may also contribute to depressive symptoms. Thus self-critics may not only suffer for elevated negative feelings about the self but may also struggle to be able to generate self-supportive images and feelings for the self, and these difficulties could be a focus of therapeutic interventions.", }