Loving-kindness (metta) meditation (LKM) is a widely utilized self-compassion intervention with numerous biopsychosocial benefits. Yet a smaller, emerging body of evidence suggests that LKM is difficult and various barriers impact its accessibility and effectiveness. Relational Frame Theory provides a behavioral and contextual perspective of language and cognition that may help clarify how LKM may yield receptivity or rejection of the practice itself. Prior research examining the role of language in LKM identified specific metta phrases more likely to evoke a coordinated (i.e., sameness/agreement) or oppositional (i.e., rejection/lacking) response, and found that indices of psychological suffering predicted oppositional responding (Underwood, 2023). Yet, it remains unclear whether these verbal relations impact LKM’s utility and acceptability. This study aimed to address this issue by evaluating the effectiveness of a brief, 15-minute LKM intervention and utilized a novel, idiographic method to examine how specific metta phrases impacted psychological, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The two most favorable and two least favorable metta phrases from prior research were used. Undergraduates (N = 88) were randomized to a top choice phrase condition n = 47 or last choice phrase condition n = 41. Participants completed validated measures of distress and well-being pre- and post-intervention. Results showed significant pre-to-post intervention improvements in state self-compassion, positive affect, and negative affect for both groups. Exploratory analyses revealed that participants who responded to their metta phrase with a frame of coordination were more receptive to the LKM and rated it as more beneficial and effective in generating feelings of kindness and compassion compared with participants who responded with a frame of opposition. These findings suggest that, although relational frames of coordination predict more favorable immediate experiences, both groups reaped similar benefits overall. Discussion clarifies language’s role in LKM and proposes ways to tailor LKM for improved accessibility and impact.
Shannon B. Underwood (Wed,) studied this question.