THE EFFECTS OF POSITIVE SELF-INSTRUCTION - A CONTROLLED TRIAL

In this article it is argued that positive self-instruction can be an important aid for the treatment of emotional disorders. A review of th e literature revealed that studies on the effects of positive self-ins truction are often unclear and generally hampered by contamination bet ween different treatment techniques. The present study tests the effec ts of positive self-instruction in isolation. A pre-post controlled tr ial with participants characterized by low self-esteem was carried out . In the experimental condition 24 participants were instructed to wri te a short positive text about themselves and to read this text twice daily for a period of 3 weeks. In the control condition 26 participant s carried out a neutral task which consisted of writing the endings of a few short stories. Positive self-instruction had positive effects o n self-esteem and on feelings of inadequacy, especially in those parti cipants who were intrinsically motivated to carry out the experimental task. The intervention had no significant effects on a number of pers onality trait measures, which negates demand characteristics as an alt ernative explanation for our findings. Implications for clinical pract ice and research are considered.