Self‐Compassion Online: A Pilot Study of an Internet‐Based Self‐Compassion Cultivation Program for Psychology Trainees

Abstract

This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness and acceptability of online self-compassion training as a positive, integrated, and meaningful way of reducing distress and promoting self-compassion and happiness among trainee psychologists.

Self–Compassion is Best Measured as a Global Construct and is Overlapping with but Distinct from Neuroticism: A Response to Pfattheicher, Geiger, Hartung, Weiss, and Schindler (2017)

“…For instance, after 8 weeks of mindful self‐compassion training (Neff & Germer, ) participants reported a 30% increase in compassionate and a 33% decrease in uncompassionate responding toward the self (Neff, , ). This pattern has been observed for a wide variety of methodologies such as self‐compassion meditation training (Albertson et al, ; Toole & Craighead, ; Wallmark, Safarzadeh, Daukantaitė, & Maddux, ); online psycho‐education (Finlay‐Jones, Kane, & Rees, ; Krieger, Martig, van den Brink, & Berger, ); affect training (Hildebrandt, McCall, & Singer, ); imaginal exposure therapy (Hoffart, Øktedalen, & Langkaas, ); self‐compassion field training (Khorami, Moeini, & Ghamarani, ); compassion‐based Kg‐Free weight reduction training (Pinto‐Gouveia et al, ); compassion‐focused therapy (Beaumont, Irons, Rayner, & Dagnall, ; Kelly & Carter, ); compassionate mind training (Arimitsu, ; Beaumont, Rayner, Durkin, & Bowling, ); and mindful self‐compassion (Finlay‐Jones, Xie, Huang, Ma, & Guo, , Friis et al, , see Footnote 2; Neff, ). Mindfulness‐based interventions also yield a simultaneous increase in compassionate SCS subscale scores and a decrease in uncompassionate SCS subscale scores: for example, mindfulness‐based stress reduction (Birnie, Speca, & Carlson, ; Raab, Sogge, Parker, & Flament, ); mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (Kuyken et al, , see Footnote 2); and Koru (Greeson, Juberg, Maytan, James, & Rogers, ).…”

Can Self‐Compassion Promote Healthcare Provider Well‐Being and Compassionate Care to Others? Results of a Systematic Review

“…There is increasing interest in the use of self‐compassion, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness training as strategies to improve medical students’ and healthcare providers’ well‐being and ability to provide compassionate care (Boellinghaus et al., ; Raab, ). The current search revealed 22 articles reporting on interventions purported to increase self‐compassion in healthcare providers, 16 of which were empirical studies (Shapiro, Astin, Bishop, & Cordova, ; Shapiro, Brown & Biegel, ; Moore, ; Rimes & Wingrove, ; Newsome, Waldo, & Gruszka, ; Bazarko, Cate, Azocar, & Kreitzer, ; Bond et al., ; Erogul, Singer, McIntyre, & Stefanov, ; Marx, Strauss, & Williamson, ; Gauthier, Meyer, Grefe, & Gold, ; Raab, Sogge, Parker, & Flament, ; Beaumont, Irons, Rayner, & Dagnall, ; Finlay‐Jones, Kane, & Rees, ; Dos Santos et al., ; Duarte & Pinto‐Gouveia, ; Rao & Kemper, ), with mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions being the most common educational technique (Kabat‐Zinn, ) (Table ).…”

“…Results from these intervention studies were mixed, with some studies reporting a significant increase in self‐compassion (Shapiro et al., , ; Rimes & Wingrove, ; Newsome et al., ; Bazarko et al., ; Bond et al., ; Erogul et al., ; Marx et al., ; Raab et al., ; Beaumont et al., ; Duarte & Pinto‐Gouveia, ; Finlay‐Jones et al., ; Rao & Kemper, ), and others reporting no significant change (Moore, ; Gauthier et al., ; Dos Santos et al., ). While many researchers posit that MBSR and related interventions increase self‐compassion and thus reduce work‐related stress and improve positive affect in healthcare providers, few have identified the underlying mechanisms.…”

Examining the Efficacy of an Online Program to Cultivate Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Skills (Mind-OP): Randomized Controlled Trial on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk

“…In the final psychoeducational video, participants are invited to practice selfkindness in relation to a specific stressful event or situation. This video prompts participants to complete an adapted Self-Compassion Break exercise, as inspired by Neff and other colleagues' work in the area (Finlay-Jones et al, 2017;Kirby, 2017;Neff & Germer, 2013). The final guided meditation invites participants to complete a loving-kindness meditation directed entirely toward self at different developmental timepoints (e.g., "imagine yourself as a 5-year old child").…”

“…Smeets et al (2014) found that those randomized to a brief online self-compassion intervention evidenced significant increases in self-compassion, mindfulness, optimism, and selfefficacy, and decreases in rumination compared to those randomized to an active control condition. In another trial, researchers found that participants receiving a self-guided online selfcompassion intervention reported significant increases in self-compassion and happiness, and significant decreases in perceived stress, depression, and anxiety (Finlay-Jones, et al, 2017).…”