A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program.
TL;DR: The MSC program appears to be effective at enhancing self-compassion, mindfulness, and wellbeing.
Abstract: Objectives
The aim of these two studies was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program, an 8-week workshop designed to train people to be more self-compassionate.
Methods
Study 1 was a pilot study that examined change scores in self-compassion, mindfulness, and various wellbeing outcomes among community adults (N = 21; mean [M] age = 51.26, 95% female). Study 2 was a randomized controlled trial that compared a treatment group (N = 25; M age = 51.21; 78% female) with a waitlist control group (N = 27; M age = 49.11; 82% female).
Results
Study 1 found significant pre/post gains in self-compassion, mindfulness, and various wellbeing outcomes. Study 2 found that compared with the control group, intervention participants reported significantly larger increases in self-compassion, mindfulness, and wellbeing. Gains were maintained at 6-month and 1-year follow-ups.
Conclusions
The MSC program appears to be effective at enhancing self-compassion, mindfulness, and wellbeing.
Citations
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Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai1, Vanderbilt University Medical Center2, Southern California University of Health Sciences3, University of California, Davis4, University of Massachusetts Medical School5, Harvard University6, Brown University7, New York University8, Stanford University9, Princeton University10, West Virginia University11, University of Michigan12
TL;DR: The difficulties of defining mindfulness are discussed, the proper scope of research into mindfulness practices is delineated, and crucial methodological issues for interpreting results from investigations of mindfulness are explained.
Abstract: During the past two decades, mindfulness meditation has gone from being a fringe topic of scientific investigation to being an occasional replacement for psychotherapy, tool of corporate well-being, widely implemented educational practice, and "key to building more resilient soldiers." Yet the mindfulness movement and empirical evidence supporting it have not gone without criticism. Misinformation and poor methodology associated with past studies of mindfulness may lead public consumers to be harmed, misled, and disappointed. Addressing such concerns, the present article discusses the difficulties of defining mindfulness, delineates the proper scope of research into mindfulness practices, and explicates crucial methodological issues for interpreting results from investigations of mindfulness. For doing so, the authors draw on their diverse areas of expertise to review the present state of mindfulness research, comprehensively summarizing what we do and do not know, while providing a prescriptive agenda for contemplative science, with a particular focus on assessment, mindfulness training, possible adverse effects, and intersection with brain imaging. Our goals are to inform interested scientists, the news media, and the public, to minimize harm, curb poor research practices, and staunch the flow of misinformation about the benefits, costs, and future prospects of mindfulness meditation.
847 citations
TL;DR: The present meta-analysis finds an overall magnitude of the relationship between self-compassion and well-being of r = .47, and the relationship was stronger for cognitive and psychologicalWell-being compared to affective well- Being.
Abstract: Background
Self-compassion describes a positive and caring attitude of a person toward her- or himself in the face of failures and individual shortcomings. As a result of this caring attitude, individuals high in self-compassion are assumed to experience higher individual well-being. The present meta-analysis examines the relationship between self-compassion and different forms of well-being.
Method
The authors combined k = 79 samples, with an overall sample size of N = 16,416, and analyzed the central tendencies of effect sizes (Pearson correlation coefficients) with a random-effect model.
Results
We found an overall magnitude of the relationship between self-compassion and well-being of r = .47. The relationship was stronger for cognitive and psychological well-being compared to affective well-being. Sample characteristics and self-esteem were tested as potential moderators. In addition, a subsample of studies indicated a causal effect of self-compassion on well-being.
Conclusions
The results clearly highlight the importance of self-compassion for individuals’ well-being. Future research should further investigate the relationship between self-compassion and the different forms of well-being, and focus on the examination of possible additional moderators.
622 citations
Cites methods from "A pilot study and randomized contro..."
...Participants learn self-compassionate thinking and behavior techniques over several days and sessions (e.g. Mindful Self-Compassion; Neff & Germer, 2013)....
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TL;DR: The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) has been criticized for problems with psychometric validity as discussed by the authors, and the use of an overall selfcompassion score that includes items representing the lack of self-compassion has been called into question.
Abstract: Recently, the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) has been criticized for problems with psychometric validity. Further, the use of an overall self-compassion score that includes items representing the lack of self-compassion has been called into question. I argue that the SCS is consistent with my definition of self-compassion, which I see as a dynamic balance between the compassionate versus uncompassionate ways that individuals emotionally respond to pain and failure (with kindness or judgment), cognitively understand their predicament (as part of the human experience or as isolating), and pay attention to suffering (in a mindful or over-identified manner). A summary of new empirical evidence is provided using a bi-factor analysis, which indicates that at least 90 % of the reliable variance in SCS scores can be explained by an overall self-compassion factor in five different populations, justifying the use of a total scale score. Support for a six-factor structure to the SCS was also found; however, suggesting the scale can be used in a flexible manner depending on the interests of researchers. I also discuss the issue of whether a two-factor model of the SCS—which collapses self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness items into a “self-compassion” factor and self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification items into a “self-criticism” factor—makes theoretical sense. Finally, I present new data showing that self-compassion training increases scores on the positive SCS subscales and decreases scores on the negative subscales, supporting the idea that self-compassion represents more compassionate and fewer uncompassionate responses to suffering.
519 citations
Cites background or methods or result from "A pilot study and randomized contro..."
...As reported in Neff and Germer (2013), the intervention group demonstrated significant increases in mean levels of happiness (14...
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...…to decrease depression, anxiety, stress, rumination, self-criticism, perfectionism, and body shame (Albertson et al. 2014; Mosewich et al. 2013; Neff and Germer 2013; Shapira and Mongrain 2010; Smeets et al. 2014); and to engender healthier physiological response to stress (Arch et al. 2014)....
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...Almost all of the practices taught in the 8-week MSC program (Germer and Neff 2013), which is designed to increase self-compassion skills in daily life, address compassionate and uncompassionate behaviors simultaneously....
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...The same pattern of results have been obtained in studies examining self-compassion interventions, which have also been found to increase optimism, happiness, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and body appreciation; to decrease depression, anxiety, stress, rumination, self-criticism, perfectionism, and body shame (Albertson et al. 2014; Mosewich et al. 2013; Neff and Germer 2013; Shapira and Mongrain 2010; Smeets et al. 2014); and to engender healthier physiological response to stress (Arch et al....
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...For this reason, I reanalyzed the data obtained in a randomized controlled trial of Mindful SelfCompassion (MSC) (Neff and Germer 2013) to more closely examine changes in subscale scores and their link to enhanced wellbeing....
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TL;DR: Mindful Self-Compassion is an 8-week training program, meeting 2.5 hours each week, designed to help participants cultivate self-compassion, and contains a variety of meditations and informal practices for use in daily life.
Abstract: Self-compassion is conceptualized as containing 3 core components: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus overidentification, when relating to painful experiences. Research evidence demonstrates that self-compassion is related to psychological flourishing and reduced psychopathology. Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an 8-week training program, meeting 2.5 hours each week, designed to help participants cultivate self-compassion. MSC contains a variety of meditations (e.g., loving-kindness, affectionate breathing) as well as informal practices for use in daily life (e.g., soothing touch, self-compassionate letter writing). A detailed clinical case illustrates the journey of a client through the 8 weeks of MSC training, describing the key features of each session and the client's response.
478 citations
Cites background or methods or result from "A pilot study and randomized contro..."
...We recently developed a program to teach self-compassion skills to the general population, called Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC; Neff & Germer, 2013)....
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...Neff and Germer (2013) recently conducted a randomized controlled study of the MSC program that compared outcomes for a treatment group (N = 24; 78% female; mean [M] age = 51.21) to a waitlist control group (N = 27; 82% female; M age = 49.11)....
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...Neff and Germer (2013) found that the MSC program raised participants’ self-compassion levels by 43%....
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...This observation is consistent with empirical evidence that life satisfaction continues to increase between 6 months to 1 year after the program ends (Neff & Germer, 2013)....
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TL;DR: This paper provides a framework to define the essential characteristics of the family ofMBPs originating from the parent program MBSR, and the processes which inform adaptations of MBPs for different populations or contexts.
Abstract: There has been an explosion of interest in mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. This is demonstrated in increased research, implementation of MBPs in healthcare, educational, criminal justice and workplace settings, and in mainstream interest. For the sustainable development of the field there is a need to articulate a definition of what an MBP is and what it is not. This paper provides a framework to define the essential characteristics of the family of MBPs originating from the parent program MBSR, and the processes which inform adaptations of MBPs for different populations or contexts. The framework addresses the essential characteristics of the program and of teacher. MBPs: are informed by theories and practices that draw from a confluence of contemplative traditions, science, and the major disciplines of medicine, psychology and education; underpinned by a model of human experience which addresses the causes of human distress and the pathways to relieving it; develop a new relationship with experience characterized by present moment focus, decentering and an approach orientation; catalyze the development of qualities such as joy, compassion, wisdom, equanimity and greater attentional, emotional and behavioral self-regulation, and engage participants in a sustained intensive training in mindfulness meditation practice, in an experiential inquiry-based learning process and in exercises to develop understanding. The paper's aim is to support clarity, which will in turn support the systematic development of MBP research, and the integrity of the field during the process of implementation in the mainstream.
462 citations
Additional excerpts
...…programs such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes et al. 2011), Compassion Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2009), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (Linehan, 1993), Mindful Self Compassion (Neff & Germer, 2013) and developments in the field of Positive Psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)....
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...MBP developments are nested within a wider context of empirical developmentswithin psychology, medicine, health care and education which include ‘mindfulness-informed’ programs such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes et al. 2011), Compassion Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2009), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (Linehan, 1993), Mindful Self Compassion (Neff & Germer, 2013) and developments in the field of Positive Psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)....
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References
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01 Dec 1969TL;DR: The concepts of power analysis are discussed in this paper, where Chi-square Tests for Goodness of Fit and Contingency Tables, t-Test for Means, and Sign Test are used.
Abstract: Contents: Prefaces. The Concepts of Power Analysis. The t-Test for Means. The Significance of a Product Moment rs (subscript s). Differences Between Correlation Coefficients. The Test That a Proportion is .50 and the Sign Test. Differences Between Proportions. Chi-Square Tests for Goodness of Fit and Contingency Tables. The Analysis of Variance and Covariance. Multiple Regression and Correlation Analysis. Set Correlation and Multivariate Methods. Some Issues in Power Analysis. Computational Procedures.
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TL;DR: The difficulties inherent in obtaining consistent and adequate diagnoses for the purposes of research and therapy have been pointed out and a wide variety of psychiatric rating scales have been developed.
Abstract: The difficulties inherent in obtaining consistent and adequate diagnoses for the purposes of research and therapy have been pointed out by a number of authors. Pasamanick12in a recent article viewed the low interclinician agreement on diagnosis as an indictment of the present state of psychiatry and called for "the development of objective, measurable and verifiable criteria of classification based not on personal or parochial considerations, but on behavioral and other objectively measurable manifestations." Attempts by other investigators to subject clinical observations and judgments to objective measurement have resulted in a wide variety of psychiatric rating scales.4,15These have been well summarized in a review article by Lorr11on "Rating Scales and Check Lists for the Evaluation of Psychopathology." In the area of psychological testing, a variety of paper-and-pencil tests have been devised for the purpose of measuring specific
35,176 citations
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TL;DR: The STAI as mentioned in this paper is an indicator of two types of anxiety, the state and trait anxiety, and measure the severity of the overall anxiety level, which is appropriate for those who have at least a sixth grade reading level.
Abstract: The STAI serves as an indicator of two types of anxiety, the state and trait anxiety, and measure the severity of the overall anxiety level.The STAI, which is appropriate for those who have at least a sixth grade reading level, contains four-point Likert items. The instrument is divided into two sections, each having twenty questions. Approximately 15 minutes are required for adults to complete the both STAI. The number on the scale is positively correlated to the anxiety related to in the question.
24,997 citations
TL;DR: The Perceived Stress Scale showed adequate reliability and, as predicted, was correlated with life-event scores, depressive and physical symptomatology, utilization of health services, social anxiety, and smoking-reduction maintenance and was a better predictor of the outcome in question than were life- event scores.
Abstract: This paper presents evidence from three samples, two of college students and one of participants in a community smoking-cessation program, for the reliability and validity of a 14-item instrument, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), designed to measure the degree to which situations in one's life are appraised as stressful. The PSS showed adequate reliability and, as predicted, was correlated with life-event scores, depressive and physical symptomatology, utilization of health services, social anxiety, and smoking-reduction maintenance. In all comparisons, the PSS was a better predictor of the outcome in question than were life-event scores. When compared to a depressive symptomatology scale, the PSS was found to measure a different and independently predictive construct. Additional data indicate adequate reliability and validity of a four-item version of the PSS for telephone interviews. The PSS is suggested for examining the role of nonspecific appraised stress in the etiology of disease and behavioral disorders and as an outcome measure of experienced levels of stress.
23,500 citations