Reductions in experiential avoidance explain changes in anxiety, depression and well‐being after a mindfulness and self‐compassion (MSC) training

Abstract

Objective: The mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) protocol has shown efficacy in reducing mental illness symptoms and increasing well-being. However, little is known on how the positive outcomes are produced. This study explores how reductions in experiential avoidance following MSC training may explain changes in the participants' levels of anxiety, depression, and well-being. Methods: The 8-week protocol-based MSC training was delivered to 50 participants, and pre-to post-intervention changes in anxiety, depression, and well-being were measured. A series of mediation models were conducted, with changes in self-compassion as predictor, changes in experiential avoidance as mediator, and changes in mental health and well-being as outcome variables. Point estimates and bootstrap-corrected 95% confidence intervals were calculated to analyse indirect effects through experiential avoidance, by means of structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Following MSC training, participants increased their levels of self-compassion, reduced experiential avoidance, and enhanced mental health (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms) and well-being scores. Increases in self-compassion were associated with decreases in experiential avoidance, which in turn were connected with changes in anxiety, depression, and well-being from pre-to posttraining. The indirect path through changes in experiential How to cite this article:

The Benefits of Self-Compassion in Mental Health Professionals: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research

“… 46 The connections between self-compassion and such processes (ie lower experiential avoidance, higher tolerance to uncertainty) could contribute to explain self-compassion beneficial effects. For instance, Yela et al 8 found that the reductions in experiential avoidance after a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program delivered to a community sample accounted for changes in depression, anxiety and well-being in a study conducted. However, this suggestion is yet to be tested in a mental health professionals’ sample.…”

“…2,3 Specific interventions aimed to cultivate self-compassion skills, such as the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program 4,5 have even been designed. In addition, this particular training protocol, or adaptations of it, have been demonstrated as effective in several studies carried out in community samples [6][7][8] and clinical settings. 9 However, the use of interventions and trainings aimed at cultivating mental health professionals' self-compassion is not a widespread practice yet.…”

Cyber Dating Abuse Victimization and Experiential Avoidance Among Chinese Female Adolescents: The Roles of Self-Compassion and Interpersonal Flexibility

“…A cross-sectional study demonstrated that low self-compassion may increase avoidance of emotional experiences, which is a particularly problematic emotion regulation strategy (Bakker et al, 2019). Moreover, longitudinal research based on 8-week mindfulness and self-compassion training found that increases in self-compassion were associated with decreases in experiential avoidance between pre- and post-intervention (Yela et al, 2021). Self-compassion training aims to cultivate acceptance, which refers to the ability to allow experiences in the present moment, whether pleasurable, neutral, or painful, to be just as they are (Germer, 2005).…”

Mindfulness skills and experiential avoidance as therapeutic mechanisms for treatment-resistant depression through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and lifestyle modification

“…With an increased understanding, the most determining components can be enhanced and consequently the effectiveness of these programs can be strengthened and optimized ( van der Velden et al, 2015 ; Alsubaie et al, 2017 ). Several mechanisms in the context of MBCT have been proposed and three overlapping yet distinct factors have received considerable consensus: mindfulness skills, self-compassion, and (reduced) experiential avoidance ( Gu et al, 2015 ; Collado-Navarro et al, 2021 ; Medlicott et al, 2021 ; Yela et al, 2022 ). Mindfulness has been defined as awareness that arises through purposefully paying attention to the present moment and doing so without judgment ( Cebolla et al, 2012 ; Parmentier et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Overall, past research examining potential mechanisms of mindfulness-based programs are largely limited to methodologically flawed designs ( Gu et al, 2015 ). For example, there are few studies that have evaluated proposed mechanisms longitudinally (e.g., before, during, and after delivering the intervention) ( Yela et al, 2022 ). Additionally, there are few studies that have investigated clinical MDD populations with TRD and, as a result, there is only preliminary and insufficient evidence evaluating mechanisms at this time.…”