Stress reduction through self-compassion -
Responses are made on a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from 0 to 3 points, where high scores indicate a high level of anxiety and depression, respectively. This 5-item short scale Diener et al.
Responses are made on a seven-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1—Strongly disagree to 7—Strongly agree. Evaluation of the total scores is divided into seven categories: 31—5: Extremely satisfied ; 26—30 Satisfied ; 21—25 Slightly satisfied ; 20 Neutral ; 15—19 Slightly dissatisfied ; 10—14 Dissatisfied ; and 5—9 Extremely dissatisfied.
This study has utilized a randomized design and repeated measurements, taken pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up, within subjects. To account for individual changes over time and test for differences in change rates between the groups, we applied mixed-effects growth curve modeling e.
First, to assess changes in the entire sample across all three measurement points, a basic time-model Model 1 was estimated for each measure. This model includes random effects for intercept and slope, as well as a fixed effect of Time. Time was coded 0 for pre-treatment, 1 for post-treatment, and 2 for follow-up.
Next, a second model Model 2 was estimated to test for group differences. The group variable, coded 0 for the physical exercise group and 1 for the compassion intervention group, was entered as a fixed effect to control for possible differences in baseline score, as well as in interaction with Time to test for group differences in rate of change across assessment points.
To account for possible non-linearity over time, a quadratic term i. An unstructured structure was assumed in all models. Data analyses were conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle: all randomized participants were included, and models were estimated on all available data, using Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimation REML.
This approach to estimation provides unbiased estimates under the less restrictive assumption that missing data are Missing at Random MAR; Enders, All statistical calculations were performed utilizing the SPSS v.
Prior to main analysis, all variables were inspected, and met basic assumptions of normality without outliers; thus, no corrections were deemed necessary. The primary significance level was set to 0. Table 1 presents the descriptive results of the study variables for the compassion intervention group and physical exercise group, respectively, at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
Table 2 displays the results of our multi-level growth modeling. Model 1 indicated that both perceived stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression, significantly decreased over time in the whole sample.
When both groups were modeled together, there was no significant change over time in self-compassion SCS. Model 2 tested for testing between group differences. At baseline, the group estimate was non-significant for all measures, indicating no significant pre-treatment group differences.
All estimates of change in life satisfaction SWLS were non-significant in both models. In this randomized controlled study, we evaluated effects of a psychological intervention based on a compassion program, compared to an active control condition involving physical exercise, on employee stress, mental ill-health, self-compassion and life satisfaction.
The findings showed a significant, small to moderate decrease in perceived stress, and in symptoms of anxiety and depression, in both groups at follow up, but showed no significant increase in life satisfaction in any of the groups. Importantly, the results showed that only the compassion intervention group demonstrated a significant and moderate increase in self-compassion.
These results align with previous studies implying self-compassion is a coping strategy that can be developed through training Neff and Germer, ; Kirby et al.
This line of reasoning is further supported by a recent study showing that developing compassion can act as an antidote to compassion fatigue and empathic distress Trzeciak and Mazzarelli, This increased capacity for self-compassion could, in turn, be argued to decrease the risk for mental ill-health, as previous findings have shown a negative association between self-compassion and mental ill-health MacBeth and Gumley, Considering the negative effects of mental health problems in the workplace, both regarding individual suffering and organizational costs, effective interventions are indeed needed.
Because previous studies on compassion interventions have mainly involved healthcare professionals or employees working in caring-focused environments, evaluating the impacts of compassion training in other work contexts is important Kotera and Van Gordon, The findings of the present intervention study contribute to existing knowledge by focusing on professionals in both a public service agency and a private company in the financial sector.
Strengths of this study include that the intervention took place at the workplace level; it was a randomized controlled trial; the control group was active; and both participants and researchers were blinded to group allocation. The compassion intervention was also facilitated by trained psychologist and therapists, which is a requirement for conducting this particular intervention.
Our findings indicate that the compassion intervention was not significantly more effective than physical exercise on perceived stress, mental ill-health, or life satisfaction. Nevertheless, the small effect sizes in favor of the compassion intervention regarding stress and mental ill-health suggest this may be due to the limited sample size.
Since the sample was non-clinical, effect sizes might be expected to be small, which should be taken into consideration for the planning of future studies. Another potential interpretation is that the compassion intervention did not target these outcomes as operationalized and measured by the scales used in the present study.
Regarding perceived stress, the compassion training might target other types of stressors, such as emotional suffering. For mental ill-health, it might be the case that the scale used did not capture more subtle changes in mental health; it was developed for clinical populations, while the present study included healthy employees in the working population.
The follow-up period of 3 months might be too short to capture changes in life satisfaction; one might speculate that a longer follow-up period could have resulted in a larger effect.
For instance, Ferrari et al. This study also includes some limitations. Recruitment of participants was conducted by the respective HR departments of the participating organizations and was not supervised by the research team, therefore no screening was done before the start of the intervention besides the inclusion criteria that participants were to have felt a subjective experience of perceived stress.
The small sample size and corresponding low statistical power may reduce the accuracy, reliability, and generalizability of the results.
Because this was a first, exploratory test of the novel compassion intervention we did not apply correction for family-wise error rate; thus, results should be interpreted with caution. There was only limited information collected regarding sociodemographic factors, aside from gender.
Longer follow-up periods, for example 6 and 12 months, would have been valuable to investigate potential long-term impacts of the compassion intervention as well as larger samples to effectively test if the compassion intervention outperforms physical exercise as an active control.
Longer periods would also be beneficial when measuring adherence and engagement in both the intervention and control groups. Lastly, four participants dropped out between baseline and post-intervention in the compassion intervention group.
In the control group, there were no dropouts. However, no significant differences were observed between the dropouts and the other participants regarding either baseline levels, gender or organizational affiliation. Because the models were estimated using Restricted Maximum Likelihood Estimation REML , which provides unbiased estimates under the assumption of MAR Enders, , the dropouts and missing data are unlikely to have significantly impacted the results.
In future intervention studies investigating compassion within organizations, it would be of interest to include additional groups; for example, dividing a larger sample into four groups, where two would undergo either compassion training or physical exercise, one would undergo both compassion training and physical exercise, and the fourth would be a non-active control group placed on a waiting list for the intervention proven to be most effective.
This approach would enable investigation of potential interaction effects and further effects of compassion training—for example, whether such training only results in increased physical exercise, as shown by Horan and Taylor Future studies would also benefit from including all employee levels within the organization, such as managers.
Studies would also benefit from incorporating such key organizational outcomes as turnover, sick-leave, innovation, performance, collaboration, engagement, and quality of service from the perspectives of both the company and its customers or clients.
Outcome measures could be targeted toward working conditions, such as job demands, job control, social support, job satisfaction, and work-related stress. Finally, compassion within organizations could be studied simultaneously at both the individual and collective levels; first, self- compassion can be regarded in the individual as both capacity and responsibility, and second, it could be argued that these individual-level factors need to be lifted to the collective and organizational levels in order to address potential structural problems in an organization where compassion is lacking.
This can be considered as crucial to both employees and organizations, as previous findings have shown associations between self-compassion and multiple work-related outcomes: for example, psychological strength and job performance Reizer, ; job satisfaction Abaci and Ardi, ; coping successfully with uncertain and challenging situations; increased professional well-being; and reduced work-related exhaustion Babenko et al.
Further related findings have included enhanced resilience Delaney, ; increased self-improvement motivation Breines and Chen, ; improved interpersonal and social relationships Crocker and Canevello, , ; and improved quality of team-based relational exchange and compassion toward others, through increases in trust and the feeling of social safety Pinard et al.
The findings of the present study can be considered an important contribution to the notion that psychotherapeutic-based interventions in the workplace can improve employee well-being Goetzel et al. The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.
The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the regional ethics committee in Stockholm. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual s for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.
CA, WO, and SE designed the study and acquired funding. CA sampled the data. PL analyzed the data in collaboration with CA. CA, WO, SE, PL, ES, CM, and KLB contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
CA and KLB was supported by the organizations that took part in the study. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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In a new column, the Practical Psychologist is here to answer your mental health questions. This week: a second exercise you can do right now to build more self-compassion. Well-being expert and physician David Sandweiss explores the art of mindful breathing. By incorporating just three conscious breaths into our day, we can transform the way we experience the world, offering a path to clarity, calm, and a deeper connection with the present moment.
Whether we are navigating a patient death, a negative or unexpected outcome, a medical mistake, or a challenging interpersonal conflict, RAIN is an easy-to-remember tool that provides an opportunity to cultivate compassionate attention to our suffering, enabling us to respond effectively.
an inititaive from University of Utah. About Submission Guidelines All Articles. Emily Izzo and Marcie Hopkins, U of U Health. We can be so hard on ourselves. Contributors from the Resiliency Center share how self-compassion, the practice of being kind and fair to yourself during times of stress, can improve your well-being and resilience.
Quick Tips. Mindfulness in Medicine Toolkit. Myths What the research 1 suggests: Self-compassion is a form of self-pity. Self-compassionate people tend to brood less about their misfortune.
When we go through major life crises, self-compassion appears to make all the difference in our ability to survive and even thrive. Self-compassion strengthens personal accountability. Mindfulness Classes. For supported practice, take a Mindfulness in Medicine or Self-Compassion Course.
Click here for more info. The three elements of self-compassion Though each element can be practiced individually, self-compassion includes a combination of mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness.
What it is Mindfulness is being aware of and acknowledging our emotions. Why it works Labeling thoughts, feelings, or sensations has a powerful effect on the brain. How to practice mindfulness 1. Mindful habits.
Common humanity. What it is We tend to feel alone during challenging experiences or emotions. Why it works Recognizing your common humanity helps you connect with others, access the depth of your emotions, and develop compassion.
What it is When we consider our own needs we are being kind to ourselves. Why it works Caring for your pain helps to minimize harm while helping you bounce back faster. How to practice self-kindness 1. Say no; ask for help. Self-compassion is available when you need it most.
Further Reading. Tips for practicing self-compassion It may feel awkward or challenging at first to turn towards pain and offer support to yourself. Suggestions for practicing self-compassion with teams Talk about it.
Watch this mindfulness meditation led by Trinh Mai to guide your self-compassion break. Research done at a Canadian university looked at first-year college students and their stressors. These stressors included the challenges of school as well as feeling a sense of loneliness caused by being away from home.
The study found students who reported higher levels of self-compassion were more energetic, optimistic, and motivated.
These findings suggest self-compassion itself is an effective coping strategy to stress 2. Feeling safe and connected are basic human needs required for good health and survival. Along with this, self-compassion elicits the desire to connect with others and aids in added health benefits like reduced stress response and improved immune function.
Opposite of self-compassion is the negative reaction to adversity known as rumination. In this opposed state, rather than being kind, our thoughts are dark and judgmental.
Physiologically, we see adverse effects with rumination, including an increase in heart rate, stress, and changes in the brain where fear and aggression are activated.
By strengthening our response to challenges with self-compassion, we can feel both safe and connected in what will come next 3, 4. Greater life satisfaction and the ability to tolerate stress are both seen with the practice of self-compassion 1. We can strengthen our ability to be compassionate towards ourselves with these three components: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.
With self-kindness, we are supportive and soothing in our moments of suffering. Self-kindness may be talking to ourselves like we speak to a friend.
Self-compassoin and mental ill-health Stress reduction through self-compassion considerable trhough for both individuals and Self-compasson. Although interventions targeting compassion and self-compassion have been Anti-inflammatory skincare to thrpugh stress and benefit teduction health, related research in organizational settings Carbohydrates for endurance limited. We investigated the effects of a 6-week psychological intervention utilizing compassion training on stress, mental health, and self-compassion. The findings show promising results regarding the ability of compassion training within organizations to decrease stress and mental ill-health and increase self-compassion. In Sweden the cost of stress SOU, :5 is high in many organizations, and stress-related mental ill-health is a leading cause of long-term sick-leave Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Schedule a COVID Anti-inflammatory skincare or booster Anti-inflammatory skincare Log in to myPennMedicine or Ac target levels us 8am to 5pm, Self-compasion through Friday, at Metabolic Anti-inflammatory skincare Bariatric Surgery Blog. Maija Stress, PhD, throough licensed thriugh and member of the Penn Bariatrics team, shares information on how to use self-compassion in times of stress. Bruzas designed a week self-compassion and mindfulness program for health behavior change. Many of us are going through emotionally difficult experiences. You may feel like your regular eating and exercise routines have been disrupted. Self-compassion includes showing yourself compassion and cutting yourself some slack during times of perceived inadequacy, failure, or suffering.
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