The Effect and Mechanism of Self-compassion on Reducing Materialism: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Self-Compassion Intervention
Phase: NA
Conditions: Self-Compassion, Group B
Sponsor: Beijing Normal University

The Effect and Mechanism of Self-compassion on Reducing Materialism: A
Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Self-Compassion Intervention
ID (IRB Number): 202206260077
The Date of the Document: March 12, 2024

The Effect and Mechanism of Self-compassion on Reducing Materialism: A
Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Self-Compassion Intervention
Study protocol
The current study provided an initial investigation of the effect of
self-compassion on reducing materialism and explored the basic psychological needs
and self-esteem as potential mechanisms. Two studies would be conducted. Study 1
explored the relationships among variables with cross-sectional data, to explore the
relationship between self-compassion and materialism, and test the mediating role of
basic psychological needs and self-esteem. Study 2 developed a new online self-help
self-compassion intervention and conducted a randomized control trial (i.e.,
intervention group and waitlist group) to further explore the casual effect of
self-compassion on materialism, with the mediating effect of basic psychological
needs and self-esteem.
Study 1
Study 1 is a cross sectional study to explore the relationships between
variables with natural daily data.
Participants: A total of 394 participants were recruited from websites. The
inclusion criteria was having no current or previous mental disorder diagnosis. And
only the participants who agree with the informed consent can continue to fill in the
questionnaire.
Measures: The Chinese Version of Self-compassion Scale (SCS-C; Chen et
al., 2011) was used to measure the self-compassion level of participants. The

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965) was used to measure
self-esteem using 10 items. The Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs Scale
(BMPN; Sheldon & Hilpert, 2012) was used to measure basic psychological needs.
The Material Tendencies Scale (MTS; Zhang & Xiao, 2019) was used to measure
materialism.
Data collection and analysis: the data would be analysed by SPSS 26.0 and
Mplus. In order to expore the relationship between variables, the correlation of
variables would be conducted with SPSS 26.0. Additionlly, mediation effect was
analyzed by Mplus.
Expected results: (1) self-compassion was significantly correlated with
materialism, and positively correlated with basic psychological needs, self-esteem; (2)
the mediating effect of basic psychological needs and self-esteem would be supported,
and the pathway from basic psychological needs to self-esteem would also be
supported.
Time plan: Recruiting and filling out the questionnaires: November 1, 2020 to
November 15, 2020
Study 2
Study 2 was an interventional study, and we conducted a randomized control
trial (i.e., intervention group and waitlist group) to test the casual relationship between
self-compassion and materialism, and the mediating role of basic psychological needs
and self-esteem.
Participants: 381 participants registered for the study, and 309 met the

inclusion criteria, who filled the pretest. And participants would be randomly assigned
to intervention group (n = 154) or waitlist group (n = 155). The inclusion criteria were
as follows: (1) consented to accept randomization, finish the intervention and fill out
questionnaires and (2) had no current or previous mental disorder diagnosis.
Measures: the measurement used in study 2 were consistent with study 1.
Data collection and analysis: the data would be analysed with SPSS 26.0 and
Mplus. 2 (conditions) × 2 (times) ANOVAs were conducted to test the effect of the
intervention. The mediation effect was analyzed by Mplus to test the mediating role of
self-esteem, basic psychological needs and self-esteem.
Expected results:
(1) compared
with
waitlist, the
intervention
could
significantly enhance self-compassion, self-esteem, basic psychological needs, and
decrease materialism; (2) the change of self-compassion mediates the group and all
other variables; (3) there would exist three mediating ways from self-compassion to
materialism: basic psychological needs, self-esteem, and the pathway from basic
psychological needs to self-esteem.
Time plan:
Recruiting: December 14, 2020 to December 20, 2020
Pretest: December 24, 2020 to December 29, 2020
Intervention conducted: January 4, 2021 to January 17, 2021
Posttest: January 25, 2021 to January 31, 2021
Follow up test: March 8, 2021 to March 14, 2021