The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Group Counseling Using Compassionate Imagery and Compassionate Letter Writing Techniques on Students’ Body Image

Abstract

Negative body image remains a prevalent psychological concern among adolescents, characterized by body dissatisfaction and persistent self-criticism regarding physical appearance. This condition highlights the need for interventions that address the underlying emotional mechanisms associated with negative body image. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Compassion Focused Group Counseling (CFGC) using Compassionate Imagery and Compassionate Letter Writing techniques in improving senior high school students' body image. A quantitative quasi-experimental approach employing a randomized two-factor pretest–multiple posttest group design was used. The participants consisted of 16 students from SMA Teuku Umar Semarang selected through purposive sampling and assigned to two experimental groups. Data collection was carried out using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire–Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS), developed by Cash (2000) and subsequently translated into Indonesian through a series of adaptation stages, resulting in 28 items that were deemed valid. Data were analyzed using Mixed Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (Mixed ANOVA). The findings indicated that Compassion Focused Group Counseling using both Compassionate Imagery and Compassionate Letter Writing effectively improved students' body image, and these improvements were maintained at the follow-up assessment. Furthermore, no significant difference in effectiveness was found between the two techniques. These findings suggest that both techniques are equally effective and may serve as evidence-based interventions for improving students' body image within school guidance and counseling services.