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Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W., Compare, A., Zangeneh, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Buddhist-derived loving-kindness and compassion meditation for the treatment of psychopathology: A systematic review. Mindfulness, 6, 1161-1180.
Abstract
Although clinical interest has predominantly focused on mindfulness meditation, interest into the clinical utility of Buddhist-derived loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM) is also growing. This paper follows the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and provides an evaluative systematic review of LKM and CM intervention studies. Five electronic academic databases were systematically searched to identify all intervention studies assessing changes in the symptom severity of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (text revision fourth edition) Axis I disorders in clinical samples and/or known concomitants thereof in subclinical/healthy samples. The comprehensive database search yielded 342 papers and 20 studies (comprising a total of 1,312 participants) were eligible for inclusion. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was then used to assess study quality. Participants demonstrated significant improvements across five psychopathology-relevant outcome domains: (i) positive and negative affect, (ii) psychological distress, (iii) positive thinking, (iv) interpersonal relations, and (v) empathic accuracy. It is concluded that LKM and CM interventions may have utility for treating a variety of psychopathologies. However, to overcome obstacles to clinical integration, a lessons-learned approach is recommended whereby issues encountered during the (ongoing) operationalization of mindfulness interventions are duly considered. In particular, there is a need to establish accurate working definitions for LKM and CM.
... Dabei stellt die Metta-Meditation, die auch als Loving Kindness-Meditation oder als Meditation der liebevollen Güte bekannt ist [Salzberg, 1995;Heidenreich et al., 2020], die meistgenutzte Intervention zur Erreichung dieses Ziels dar [Stefan und Hofmann, 2019]. Durch das Einüben von Metta-Meditation soll eine Geisteshaltung kultiviert werden, sich selbst und anderen Personen mit bedingungslosem Wohlwollen zu begegnen [Bodhi, 1994;Shonin et al., 2015]. Wohlwollen sich selbst gegenüber wird dabei als eine grundlegende Voraussetzung gesehen, um anderen Menschen gegenüber bedingungslos wohlwollend sein zu können [Khyentse, 2007]. ...
... Die Wünsche können so formuliert werden, dass man sich selbst oder anderen Sicherheit, Glück, Gesundheit, ein Leben ohne Beschwernisse und/oder Freiheit von Leid wünscht [Graser und Stangier, 2018]. Es existieren auch Meditationspraktiken und Therapieprogramme, welche Mitgefühls-und Metta-Meditation miteinander verbinden [Lee et al., 2017;Shonin et al., 2015]. ...
... Die Arbeitsgruppe um Stangier et al. [2022] hat mit der Wohlwollenfokussierten Therapie (WFT) ein [Hofmann et al., 2015;Shahar et al., 2015;Shonin et al., 2015;Reilly und Stuyvenberg, 2023]. Ein potenzieller Wirkmechanismus, der möglicherweise beiden Verfahren zugrunde liegt, ist die gezielte Evokation positiver Emotionen [Fredrickson et al., 2008;Hofmann et al., 2011;Förster und Kanske, 2022]. ...
Einleitung: Mit der Compassion Focused Therapy und der Metta-basierten Therapie liegen zwei Verfahren vor, deren zentraler Ansatzpunkt die Förderung von Mitgefühl und Wohlwollen sich selbst und anderen gegenüber ist. Ziel der vorliegenden systematischen Literaturübersicht ist, den aktuellen Forschungsstand zur Wirksamkeit der beiden Verfahren für die Reduktion psychopathologischer Symptomatik sowie zur Steigerung des Selbstmitgefühls zu untersuchen. Methodik: Es wurde eine systematische Literaturrecherche auf den Datenbanken Google Scholar, PubMed, PsycINFO und Web of Science durchgeführt, um diejenigen Studien zu identifizieren, die entweder Compassion Focused Therapy oder Metta-basierte Therapie in einer klinisch relevanten Stichprobe anwendeten. Ergebnisse: Es konnten 21 Studien mit einem randomisierten, kontrollierten Design identifiziert werden. Insgesamt wurden die Daten von 1’102 Versuchspersonen in die systematische Literaturübersicht miteinbezogen. Für beide Verfahren lässt sich eine Verbesserung der psychopathologischen Symptomatik und des Selbstmitgefühls feststellen. Nach aktueller Studienlage besteht eine höhere Evidenzlage für die Wirksamkeit der Compassion Focused Therapy im Vergleich zur Metta-basierten Therapie. Schlussfolgerung: Beide Verfahren stellen eine sinnvolle Erweiterung des psychotherapeutischen Verfahrensrepertoires dar. Zugleich zeigte sich jedoch auch ein deutlicher Unterschied zwischen beiden Verfahren, sodass innerhalb der Compassion Focused Therapy ein breiteres Spektrum an kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutischen Methoden zum Einsatz kommt, die auch für zukünftige Weiterentwicklungen der Metta-basierten Therapie in Erwägung gezogen werden sollten.
... Galante et al. (2014) [20] conducted a meta-analysis on kindness-based meditations and report that they show moderate effect sizes in reducing depression, and increasing mindfulness, compassion, and self-compassion. In a later review, Shonin et al. (2015) [21] state that participants engaging in LKM display improvements in: (1) positive and negative affect, (2) psychological distress, (3) positive thinking, (4) interpersonal relations, and (5) empathic accuracy. They conclude that the practice of LKM may be useful in the treatment of various psychopathologies. ...
... Galante et al. (2014) [20] conducted a meta-analysis on kindness-based meditations and report that they show moderate effect sizes in reducing depression, and increasing mindfulness, compassion, and self-compassion. In a later review, Shonin et al. (2015) [21] state that participants engaging in LKM display improvements in: (1) positive and negative affect, (2) psychological distress, (3) positive thinking, (4) interpersonal relations, and (5) empathic accuracy. They conclude that the practice of LKM may be useful in the treatment of various psychopathologies. ...
... However, the mediation analysis did further support the antidepressant effect of LKM on depression through a direct path. Meta-analyses have implied the crucial role that self-compassion plays regarding depressive symptomology [21,35]. Johnson and O'Brien (2013) [33] were even able to display the antidepressant effect of self-compassionate coping with difficult experiences directly. ...
Aim: We are interested in whether the LKM intervention has the potential to decrease depression and increase self-compassion. Self-compassionate coping was examined as a mediating variable. Methods: A sample of 57 university students underwent a pretest-posttest design. Self-compassion was measured with the Self-Compassion Scale, depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire – 9, and self-compassionate coping was assessed using the Self-Compassionate Coping Measure. Participants completed all measures at both pre and posttest. Between both measurement moments there were 12 days in which participants followed either the LKM or a control exercise daily. Repeated measures ANOVAs and a simple mediation analysis were performed. Results: Over time, both groups decreased in their depression and increased in their self-compassion scores. Assignment to the LKM condition did not result in significantly higher self-compassion scores compared to control. We found a significant effect of LKM for depressive symptoms only when controlling for successfully completed homework exercises. Self-Compassionate coping did not emerge as significant mediator in our statistical analysis. Conclusion: The results indicate a mixed picture regarding the efficacy of LKM in reducing depression and increasing self-compassion. Both conditions were possibly too similar and involved helpful elements. Further research into the antidepressant utility of LKM is warranted to understand the exact mechanisms of action.
... For example, a qualitative study using Grounded Theory found that HCPs and medical patients conceptualize clinical empathy as 'a sense of connection' between the HCP and individual receiving care, as well as involving 'perspective taking' and the expression of genuine concern [65]. Two other linked qualitative studies using Grounded Theory propose an empirical model of compassion in healthcare comprising both cognitive/affective and behavioural components virtues, relational space, virtuous response, seeking to understand, relational communicating, attending to needs, and patient-reported outcomes [66,67]. Another scoping review reported that compassion is comprised of seven dimensions; collectively, these include cognitive/affective (understanding) and behavioural elements (attentiveness, listening, confronting, involvement, helping, and presence) [51]. ...
... Our review also included two studies that addressed compassion fatigue [28,42]. We recognize that compassion fatigue should not be conflated with empathy and compassion, as this may imply that being compassionate or empathic is inherently 'tiring' or can 'deplete over time' [67]. However, we have included studies on compassion fatigue as we recognize that it may result in impairments to one's ability to deliver 'quality patient care' [58]. ...
... A limitation of our study is including only studies published in the English language. Given that compassion features prominently in traditional philosophical and healing systems in Asia [67], relevant, non-English language literature may have been overlooked. Scoping reviews are useful as a means of providing an overview on the range, extent and nature of research on a given topic, a relative strength, but are limited in their ability to comment upon study quality, or to recommend policy or practice [68]. ...
The purpose of this review is to scope the literature on the conceptualization, use, and outcomes associated with empathy and/or compassion in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Eligible studies included quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research that presented primary data on the conceptualization, use, and outcomes associated with empathy and/or compassion in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Relevant studies were identified through CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PEDRO. Twenty-four studies were included (participant n = 3715): 13 quantitative, six mixed-methods, and five qualitative. In qualitative analysis, empathy and/or compassion were conceptualized as both intrinsic and exhibitory where self-compassion was examined as an intervention for patients, improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life were reported. Survey data suggested that when rehabilitation health care providers were perceived to be more empathic, patients reported greater treatment satisfaction, acceptance, adherence, and goal attainment. Individuals receiving and health care providers who deliver rehabilitative care conceptualize empathy and compassion as valuable in physical medicine and rehabilitation settings, with cognitive and behavioural elements described. Health care provider empathy and compassion-based interventions may influence outcomes positively in this context. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms of action of empathy and compassion and effectiveness in physical medicine and rehabilitation settings.
... Kindness-and compassion-based interventions (KCBIs) have been shown to improve adults' health, psychological wellbeing, and interpersonal relationships (Galante et al., 2014;Shonin et al., 2015) and to impact positively on prosociality in non-clinical adult samples, for example, improving affective empathy, perspective-taking, empathic accuracy, empathic concern, compassion, altruism, and prosocial behaviour (e.g. Böckler et al., 2018;Mascaro et al., 2013). ...
... Recent systematic reviews of research on KCBIs have reported benefits including enhanced emotional wellbeing, mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, and interpersonal skills, in both clinical and non-clinical populations (Galante et al., 2014;Kirby et al., 2017;Shonin et al., 2015). The reviews by Galante et al. (2014) and Kirby et al. (2017) were limited to adult populations, and although Shonin et al. (2015) included both adults and children in their review, only two of the 20 studies included in their review examined effects on children and the authors did not offer distinct conclusions for adults and children, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the effects of KCBIs on wellbeing in children. ...
... Recent systematic reviews of research on KCBIs have reported benefits including enhanced emotional wellbeing, mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, and interpersonal skills, in both clinical and non-clinical populations (Galante et al., 2014;Kirby et al., 2017;Shonin et al., 2015). The reviews by Galante et al. (2014) and Kirby et al. (2017) were limited to adult populations, and although Shonin et al. (2015) included both adults and children in their review, only two of the 20 studies included in their review examined effects on children and the authors did not offer distinct conclusions for adults and children, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the effects of KCBIs on wellbeing in children. ...
Objectives
Interventions involving kindness- and compassion-based meditation (KCBM) have been shown to have various benefits for adults, and there is growing interest in using KCBMs with children. This systematic review explores the effects of KCBM on wellbeing, prosociality, and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents.
Methods
Studies were eligible if they examined interventions that contained a proportion of KCBM above a set threshold, included child participants only, used any or no control group, and included at least one outcome measure related to wellbeing, prosociality, or cognitive functioning. Studies were assessed for quality using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, and findings were synthesised narratively.
Results
A systematic literature search of 11 databases up to February 2020 identified 3,073 papers. Ten studies were eligible for inclusion in the review, including 807 children. There was evidence of improvements in wellbeing in 47% of wellbeing outcome measures (including stress, anxiety, depression, negative affect, markers of inflammation, mindfulness, and self-compassion). Prosociality and cognitive functioning (visual perception and motor accuracy) were examined in 1 study each, and there was evidence of improvements in both outcomes. Effect sizes ranged from small to large. There was some evidence that interventions were more effective with younger, non-clinical populations and where intervention teachers were experienced. Study quality was generally weak.
Conclusions
There was no strong evidence base for positive effects of KCBM with children. However, the findings of the review are encouraging given the early stage of development of the field, and further research is warranted. Recommendations for future research include more robust methodological design, improved reporting, and a focus on developmental mechanisms of change.
Systematic Review Registration
PROSPERO CRD42014013065.
... LKM is designed to cultivate feelings of unconditional kindness and compassion toward oneself or others (Shonin, Van Gordon, Compare, Zangeneh, & Griffiths, 2015). It involves the silent repetition of phrases expressing wishes for well-being, happiness, and freedom from hate or suffering. ...
... It involves the silent repetition of phrases expressing wishes for well-being, happiness, and freedom from hate or suffering. MBIs and LKM are both associated with psychological benefits and promoting well-being (Kim et al., 2022;Shonin et al., 2015). As evidenced by overlapping psychological and neurobiological effects, they may have the potential to synergize with psychedelic therapy and MDMA-AT in unique ways. ...
Background and aims
Psychedelic and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy are at the forefront of new treatment models for mental illnesses such as PTSD and depression, as well as improving well-being. Mindfulness meditation and loving-kindness meditation have also gained research traction, showing promise for enhancing emotional regulation and psychological well-being. This paper explores the therapeutic convergence of these modalities, highlighting their neurobiological, psychological, and phenomenological overlap, and suggesting potential bidirectional synergy as a foundation for psychedelic or MDMA-assisted therapy.
Methods
A narrative and theoretical review of the current literature was conducted, examining the neurobiological, psychological, and phenomenological effects of MDMA, psychedelics, and meditation. Studies focusing on their potential synergy and mechanisms of action were prioritized and used as a backing for a theoretical framework.
Results
Psychedelics may improve psychological flexibility, prosocial behaviors, empathy, and neuroplasticity. Meditation research suggests similar benefits, including enhanced decentering capacity, emotional regulation, and well-being. Both modalities influence overlapping neural circuitry, particularly the amygdala, hippocampus, and default mode network. Integrating meditation with MDMA or psychedelic-assisted therapy may stabilize insights gained during altered states of consciousness, promote sustained therapeutic benefits, and minimize distress during therapy.
Conclusions
The convergence of meditation and psychedelics or MDMA-assisted therapy is a novel and promising approach for enhancing mental health treatments. Future research should investigate structured protocols combining these modalities, focusing on optimizing “set and setting” and long-term integration practices.
... Although compassion and loving-kindness have been an important feature of meditation across a wide range of traditional spiritual practices [79], it is only relatively recently that such techniques have been widely incorporated into secular, therapeutic interventions to address mental health problems and promote physical health and wellbeing [21,80]. A substantial body of research has now accumulated attesting to the benefits of compassion-based interventions both as forms of psychotherapy and in their more traditional role as meditative practices in both novice and expert meditators [19,81,82]. With these developments, progress has also been made in understanding the neuropsychological basis of compassion and processes likely at play in effecting the positive changes of such interventions [83]. ...
... Through introspection and philosophical contemplation, such as in vipassanā, flashes of intense insight or realisation may arise through or be accompanied by non-dual awareness. Similarly, compassion and LK meditation such as tonglen (meaning sending and receiving) may allow such states to be reached through inner cultivation of altruistic and compassionate awareness [19]. Zazen, too, with its focus on nonjudgemental observation of thoughts and feelings as they arise, may also be practised in a more inwardly focussed way; through quieting the mind and cultivating deep awareness, the practitioner may reach a state where the boundary between self and experience ceases to be (Fig. 3). ...
During the last four decades there has been a significant growth of interest in mindfulness-based practices and their potential to foster improvements in health, wellbeing and human functioning in a variety of clinical and nonclinical populations. With this growth has come a renewed interest in understanding the psychological processes involved as well as the neuropsychological mechanisms by which such practices operate and effect transformative personal experiences and positive change. The current perspective paper (i) presents a basic taxonomy of meditation types and the structure and function of the processes believed to be involved, (ii) describes these components in terms of key neuroanatomical regions of interest, and (iii) critically appraises current findings regarding EEG measures as they relate to different aspects of meditation, functional activity and connectivity across regions of interest. The correlates between mindfulness and EEG are well described in terms of attentional and interoceptive processes and neuroanatomical regions of interest. To a lesser extent, there is also a growing understanding of such correlates for meditation techniques centred on compassion and loving-kindness meditation. However, the same does not apply to wisdom-based and null-state meditation practices where consistent associations between neuropsychological processes and EEG characteristics have proven elusive. These latter practices are viewed by many as key to fostering the deeper transformative experiences underlying psychological and spiritual development, and although studies of null-state meditation have yielded promising theoretical developments, more research is required. Future research could also benefit from better standardisation of EEG measures and analytic techniques to allow more robust metanalyses, and greater consistency of terminology regarding the fundamental components of meditation practice.
... In general, compassion-based interventions are thought to facilitate prosocial action by (1) reducing the negative and reactive emotional responses that can result in empathic distress and avoidance, and (2) enhancing kindness towards oneself and others, and a concern for the well-being of all others, as well as disliked others (Hofmann et al., 2011;Weng et al., 2017). Such interventions most commonly include loving-kindness meditation [LKM] which involves the visualization and focus on directing phrases of loving kindness toward oneself and others (e.g., "may you be at ease"), and/or compassion meditation [CM], a form of LKM directed towards suffering others (e.g., "may you be free from suffering) (Hofmann et al., 2011;Salzberg & Kabat-Zinn, 2004;Shonin et al., 2015). Research on the effects of compassionbased interventions indicates potential benefits for children and adolescents (for a review, see Perkins et al., 2022), but this research remains in its infancy and there is little understanding of the effects on prosocial behaviors. ...
... Despite the lack of research on compassion interventions among youth, a growing body of evidence shows various benefits for adults (Hofmann et al., 2011;Luberto et al., 2018). Short-and long-term compassion interventions (Fredrickson et al., 2008;Klimecki et al., 2014), as well as brief single-session (i.e., 7-20 min) LKM, compared to controls can result in reduced negative affect and enhanced positive affect (Hutcherson et al., 2008;Kirby & Baldwin, 2018;Shonin et al., 2015), which facilitate people's thoughtaction repertoires, believed to increase approach-related behaviors (Fredrickson, 2001;Fredrickson et al., 2008). Indeed, LKM and CM type compassion-based interventions have also been found to increase compassionate and prosocial responses to others' distress (Ashar et al., 2016;Condon et al., 2013;Weng et al., 2015). ...
Bullying remains a significant social problem among youth and many school interventions focus on increasing bystander defending in order to reduce bullying. In this study, we employed a between-groups experimental design to examine the differential effects of brief empathy and compassion activation on different bystander responses to bullying, including (1) empathic distress, empathic anger, compassion, and (2) intended bystander behaviors (i.e., passive bystanding, aggressive defending, and prosocial defending). Participants were 110 adolescents (Mage = 13.99, SD = 0.88, age range = 13–16 years; 49.1% females), randomly assigned to an experimental group that involved a 10-min visualization exercise that focused on increasing empathy [EM] or compassion [CM], or to an active control condition [FI]. Following the visualization exercise, students viewed four short bullying videos, followed by completing self-report measures of empathy-related responses and intended bystander behaviors. Analysis of variance [ANOVAs] revealed that adolescents in the CM condition reported less empathic distress and empathic anger in response to the bullying videos than the EM and FI groups. Yet, there were no further differential effects between the three conditions on responses to the bullying videos, which emphasizes the need for future research to assess more comprehensive interventions for increasing adolescents’ compassion and prosocial defending.
... Many studies have also reported that LKCMs can reduce negative emotions, although these effects are less consistent than those for positive emotions (e.g., [11,23]). Nowadays, LKCM trainings have been initially applied in treating several mental disorders such as depression or PTSD, and most of these applications are related to improvements in emotions and attitudes (see [14,35,36]). Additionally, some researchers have also explored the pragmatic functions of LKCM training that benefit one's ability or resources in daily life; for example, enhancing emotional learning or building interpersonal resources (e.g., [10,11,17,38]). To summarize the extant research, the most researched outcomes are kind attitudes and subjective well-being, while their effectiveness in relation to other pragmatic benefits is also promising. ...
The primary purpose of the Loving-kindness and Compassion Meditations (LKCM) in Buddhism was the cultivation of kindness, but many modern LKCM trainings focused on happiness, and even used the “kindness for happiness” strategy that advocate cultivation of kindness for the benefit of happiness. This study investigated whether cultivating kindness was lesser desired than enhancing happiness for potential trainees, and it impacts on LKCM training. Study 1 recruited 583 university students, study 2 involved 1075 participants from a 4-week online LKCM training. The measures included interest in meditation trainings that focused on emotional happiness, kind attitudes and other effects. Two studies cohesively supported kind attitudes were the least desired effects, and study 2 showed that higher interest in meditations on Subjective well-being predicted increases in personal happiness. In summary, this study provided first evidence that trainees’ preference on potential effects of LKCM existed and linked with effects of training. It suggested the hedonic bias in modern positive psychology is facilitated by trainees, and encouraged further attention in the philosophical and ethical issues in the trainings. The intervention program has been retrospectively registered with the PRS on May 17, 2024, under registration number NCT06424951.
... Its methods have been found to diminish personal biases related to self-processing and support the maintenance of subjective well-being [148]. Practitioners aim to cultivate meta-awareness (self-awareness), the ability to modulate their behaviour (self-regulation), and build qualities such as interpersonal skills, and empathic accuracy [149]. ...
The journey to actualise our full potential is a complex one but there is research to suggest it is marked with signs along the way. Following an investigation of the literature, a theoretical framework made up of five major stages and their markers is proposed. It is suggested that in Stage 1, the conventional sense of self, well-being pivots on the experiences of pleasure and pain. In Stage 2 (Mindfulness) a new level of nonjudgmental objectivity develops where thoughts can be seen as passing mental events. With practice, Stage 3 awakening events may occur, leading to an interruption of the sense of a continuous self. Over time, these intermittent states may stabilise, leaving a default of the ongoing awakened state of Stage 4, an altruistic, peaceful resting state with no discernible sense of self, and increased functionality. Finally, after a seemingly infinite amount of practice, the rare uninterrupted blissful state of perfected enlightenment, along with unlimited capacities, occurs (Stage 5). With the increase now in evidence-based mindfulness research, we are able to evaluate the psychology of enlightenment and its associated stages. If we can translate methods and outcomes into psychological language and find common ground with western concepts of happiness and human potential, we may find antidotes to our mental health inquiry, that can raise the bar from coping to contentment.
... This perspective adds to the inscrutability of dissecting satori. Collectively, the literature fails to acknowledge the association between the Chinese Mahāyāna Bodhichitta ("awakened mind") and kenshõ [79,80]. The Chan heritage of mu (nothingness) as the metaphorical birthplace of the awakening mind or Bodhicitta is connected to the "absolute emptiness" of śūnyatā [81,82]. ...
This narrative review scrutinises the Zen-Buddhist concept of satori (enlightenment), critiquing its theoretical foundations in the literature, as well as comparing it to other Buddhist-frameworks, particularly Tibetan Dzogchen. Via a framework seeking conceptual coherence, interpretations of satori are explicated to place satori contextually in both the literature, historical milieu and Buddhist-philosophical tenet. In the Chan Buddhist tradition, śūnyatā (emptiness or voidness) is a crucial pretext for the satori transcendence experience sown in transcending all dualities. This is echoed in the Zen pursuit of complete nothingness of both being and non-being. Once purified of delusion, satori is to awaken to the origin of liberation, karma and dharma – no longer bound by the predicaments of worldly dualism or limitations imposed by vocabulary and language. In the same way tranquillity of the mind is experienced as bliss in kenshõ, satori, Dzogchen or rigpa — states of oneness are described as eudemonic (inducing happiness). When unconstrained by its inexplicability, satori emerges as a bridge of expansion from the self (stifled by ignorance and delusion) towards reformulation of self-concept (nonself) into blissful transcendence.
... Other-focused concern refers to a concerned state for other people, such as showing empathy, compassion, and kindness towards other people (Kraus & Sears, 2009;Neff & Pommier, 2013). It originates from Buddhist psychology, which suggests that people should build the capacity of compassion, loving, kindness, joy, equanimity, and acceptance not only for oneself but also for others (Hofman et al., 2011;Kraus & Sears, 2009;Shonin et al., 2015). In contrast to self-centeredness, being other-focused highlights an individual's QIN and WANG | 3 ability and willingness to care about the well-being of others. ...
There are plenty of cute products in the marketplace even in difficult times. Yet, cute products do not always capture people's attention. Does insecure economic perception affect people's choice of cute products? To address this unexamined research gap, we propose that economic insecurity negatively influences cute product choice preference via the serial mediation effects of other‐focused concern and the need to connect with others. Desire for emotional support is proposed to moderate the focal relationship. We demonstrate these effects using four studies. Studies 1a and 1b tested the causal relationship between primed economic insecurity and choice preference towards cute products as well as ruling out several possible mechanisms (i.e., sense of control, affect, parental caring motives, risk aversion, the desire for cuteness, and the need for protection). Study 2 demonstrated that other‐focused concern and the need to connect with others serially mediated the above effect. Study 3 explored the moderating effect of desire for emotional support. Companies that manufacture cute products can benefit from our findings on how to communicate with consumers in times of economic downturn.
... We expect that the Buddhism-based institutional environment might result in less vertical executive pay dispersion, and our arguments are twofold. First, the Buddhism-based institutional environment advocates people's demonstration of selfless love and kindness toward others (Marques, 2010;Shonin, Van Gordon, Compare, Zangeneh, & Griffiths, 2015). Emphasis on consideration for others inspires people to share their wealth instead of accumulating property for their own sake (Gill & Lundsgaarde, 2004;McCleary & Barro, 2006;Scheve & Stasavage, 2006). ...
This study extends the extant literature on executive pay dispersion by exploring the cultural-cognitive social determinants. We investigate how religious institutional environments, including Buddhism- and Confucianism-based institutions, shape vertical executive pay dispersion. We theorize that a Buddhism-based institutional environment is negatively related to vertical executive pay dispersion. In contrast, we propose competing hypotheses regarding how a Confucianism-based institutional environment affects vertical executive pay dispersion. With a sample of Chinese public firms, we find that both Buddhism- and Confucianism-based institutional environments are negatively associated with a firm's vertical executive pay dispersion. Supplementary analyses show that the aforementioned main effects are attenuated when a firm is embedded by a communist party branch and has a younger CEO.
... Mindfulness practices often incorporate elements of compassion and loving-kindness towards oneself and others. Shonin, Van Gordon, Compare, Zangeneh & Griffiths (2015) highlight that mindfulness cultivates a sense of interconnectedness and empathy, fostering a compassionate workplace culture characterized by mutual support and understanding. By attending to the needs and experiences of colleagues with kindness and empathy, employees contribute to a positive organizational climate that nurtures trust, cooperation, and collective well-being. ...
Purpose: The general objective of this study was to the effects of mindfulness training on stress reduction and well- being in the workplace. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the effects of mindfulness training on stress reduction and well- being in the workplace. Various studies demonstrated that employees who underwent mindfulness programs reported lower stress levels, improved emotional well-being, increased job satisfaction, and a positive organizational culture. These findings supported the integration of mindfulness practices into workplace wellness initiatives, providing employees with effective tools for managing stress and fostering a healthier work environment. The studies highlighted mindfulness as a valuable intervention for enhancing both individual well-being and organizational outcomes. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Self- Determination theory, Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Job Demands- Resource (JD-R) model may be used to anchor future studies on the effects of mindfulness training on stress reduction and well- being in the workplace. The study made significant contributions to theory, practice, and policy. It validated and expanded theories such as Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, demonstrating how mindfulness fulfills intrinsic needs and serves as a resource for managing job demands. Recommendations for practice included continuous and tailored mindfulness programs for organizations to integrate into workplace wellness initiatives. Policy implications emphasized the cost-effectiveness of mindfulness interventions and the need for their inclusion in corporate wellness policies. The study also highlighted directions for future research, including longitudinal studies and exploration of the mechanisms through which mindfulness influences organizational factors. Ethical considerations were addressed, emphasizing voluntary participation and privacy. Overall, the study provided a roadmap for organizations to create healthier, more resilient workplaces through mindfulness training.
... Following previous systematic reviews that assess the impact and effectiveness of MBIs and meditative practices (Kriakous et al., 2021;Lomas et al., 2019;Shonin et al., 2015), this review also assessed the quality and risk of bias of the included studies using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (QATQS; National Collaborating Centre for Methods & Tools, 2008). Following the assessment of selection bias, study design, confounders, blinding, data collection methods, and withdrawal and dropouts, a global score of strong (1), moderate (2), or weak (3) was calculated for each study. ...
The objective of this evaluative systematic review was to analyse the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) that incorporate Buddhist wisdom practices on prosocial behaviour, and provide insights into their underlying mechanism, potential benefits, and applications.
A systematic literature search was conducted using three electronic databases up until 1 December 2023. Data on the participants in the MBIs, the structure, and how Buddhist teachings were integrated were collected. The impact on prosocial behaviour was analysed, along with evaluating overall study quality and the validity of the measures used for assessing changes in prosocial behaviour.
Collectively, the 12 eligible studies (n = 2185) suggest that incorporating the Buddhist wisdom practices of contemplating interdependence, emptiness, and perspective-taking on self and others may enhance prosocial behaviour through various mechanisms, such as (i) developing a sense of interdependence and common humanity, (ii) fostering the altruistic desire to help others, and (iii) experiencing a state of oneness. However, concerns were raised about the overuse and reliability of self-report measures for accurately assessing prosocial behaviour, as well as in respect of discerning the effectiveness of different meditation practices that are integrated into MBIs.
Overall, the findings of this systematic literature review reinforce the perspective that wisdom-based meditation practices contribute to prosocial behaviour. However, to enhance the understanding of the underlying causes of prosocial behaviour, future studies should isolate the effects of different meditation practices incorporated within MBIs. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that future studies assessing the impact of MBIs on prosocial behaviour employ a range of diverse measures, such as self-reported psychometric scales in combination with real-world morally relevant scenarios.
PROSPERO: Registration No. CRD42023426411.
... Studies of both healthy adults and specific clinical samples have found that compassion meditation may impact key socio-emotional domains, such as increasing social connection and its associated effects on psychosocial functioning, increasing empathy, and reducing negative interpersonal beliefs and biases (Roca et al., 2021;Shonin et al., 2015;Zhou et al., 2022). Compassion meditation appears promising for promoting healthy aging and may even confer protective benefits against agerelated health conditions (Klimecki et al., 2019) or buffer against negative effects of loneliness among older adults . ...
Objectives:
Older Veterans are at elevated risk for psychological distress and may encounter barriers to accessing mental health services. Compassion Meditation (CM) promotes positive emotions and outcomes among distressed individuals; thus, we conducted a preliminary feasibility study of CM among distressed older Veterans.
Methods:
Participants included 25 Veterans aged 55+ (M = 69.0, SD = 10.6) with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, recruited from primary care, mostly male (76.0%), and White (60.0%). CM consisted of 10 groups, which were transitioned from in-person to telehealth due to COVID-19. Feasibility indices included rates of intervention initiation and completion, and attendance. Participants completed measures of symptom severity and well-being pre- and post-intervention.
Results:
Of 25 enrolled participants, 88.0% (n = 22) attended at least one session, and 52% (n = 13) completed the intervention (attended six or more sessions). Among intervention completers, the average number of sessions attended was 9.46. Seven Veterans withdrew from intervention due to difficulties engaging via telehealth.
Conclusions:
These findings support the feasibility of CM training in older Veterans with psychological distress, though dropouts highlighted potential need for additional strategies to facilitate telehealth participation.
Clinical implications:
Older Veterans appear amenable to meditation-based practices, provided they are easy to access.
... In this approach, caring feelings are directed first toward oneself, then to an expanding circle of beings (i.e., loved ones, acquaintances, strangers, then all beings without distinction). Several meta-analyses showed the benefits of LKM delivered through various frequencies and intensities on positive and negative effects, well-being, psychological distress, positive thinking, interpersonal relationships, and empathy in the general population [69][70][71]. In oncology settings, recent studies also explored the benefits of this approach. ...
Self-compassion consists of an attitude of self-support and self-benevolence. In the general population, increased self-compassion has been associated with well-being and decreased psychopathology. In oncology, higher self-compassion has also been linked with various benefits, such as lower emotional distress, fatigue, body-image disturbances, and sleep difficulties. Self-compassion also seems to foster treatment adherence. Various interventions based on self-compassion have recently been designed and tested in different clinical and non-clinical populations. They are particularly relevant in oncology, as patients are increasingly interested in complementary approaches to help them manage their symptoms and difficulties benevolently and without judgment. In this review, we described various self-compassion-based interventions that have been or will be proposed to patients with cancer, as well as their first results. The main interventions that have been tested are compassion-focused therapy, the combination of self-hypnosis and self-compassion learning, mindful self-compassion training, cognitively-based compassion training, and loving-kindness meditation. Other interventions include a self-compassion-focused writing activity, a mobile self-compassion application, and a self-compassion group therapy focused on the fear of cancer recurrence. Many of these studies were quasi-experimental or protocols. However, existing results tend to suggest the benefits of these interventions to improve different symptoms often endured by patients with cancer. Further research is needed to conduct rigorous studies on these approaches and to determine how and for whom they are efficient.
... Consistent practice has been shown to lead to increased connection with self (Hutcherson et al., 2008) by counteracting mental habits such as aversion (Salzberg, 2011) and self-criticism (Feliu-Soler et al., 2017;Shahar et al., 2015). A meta-analysis by Zeng et al. (2015) showed that these types of practices may promote positive emotionality, and systematic reviews have found that they significantly reduce mental health problems (Shonin et al., 2015) and enhance prosociality (Luberto et al., 2018; see also . As such, the befriending element of MBCT derivatives likely results in increased connection to self, others and world. ...
Objectives
The mindfulness-informed intervention that has so far received the most attention as an adjunct to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), but little remains known about potential synergies between psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and mindfulness-based interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This paper examines and evaluates the therapeutic compatibility of MBCT with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and their potential synergies.
Methods
This study represents a narrative review of the current literature on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and MBCT.
Results
We demonstrate how MBCT targets core processes including acceptance, being present, concentration, decentering and embracing difficulties — and outline why strengthening these capacities with systematic meditation training may prove invaluable during the preparation, dosing and integration phases of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Conclusions
MBCT’s emphasis on systematic training in mindfulness meditation and fostering nonjudgmental presence aligns well with the states of consciousness induced by psychedelics, highlighting its potential to enhance various stages of both the psychedelic experience and subsequent integration. By equipping individuals with effective mindfulness and cognitive restructuring techniques, MBCT may offer advantages beyond those provided by ACT, such as the ability to skillfully navigate and manage challenging experiences that can emerge during different phases of the psychedelic experience and integration. This suggests that MBCT’s unique approach may complement psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in ways that ACT may not fully address, particularly in the context of handling challenging experiences.
... CBCT® (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training) is one of the most studied "compassion for other" group programs leading to symptom reduction and various health-related outcomes (Desbordes et al., 2012;Desbordes et al., 2014;Mascaro et al., 2018;Mascaro et al., 2013;Pace et al., 2009;Pace et al., 2010;Shonin et al., 2015). Current clinical trials employing CBCT® focus on breast cancer survivors (Gonzalez-Hernandez et al., 2018), HIV immune non-responders (Titanji et al., 2022), African-American suicide attempters (LoParo et al., 2018), and PTSD in veterans (Lang et al., 2020), all indicating promising results. ...
Background:
Studies have shown that depression and interpersonal relationships are interdependently connected and that including the intimate partner in treatment for depression has beneficial effects. Given evidence that compassion is both an interpersonal quality and a sufficient treatment target, the goal of this study was to examine the effects of a compassion-based, contemplative treatment for couples employing a multi-method approach for evaluation.
Methods:
In a pre-post-follow-up design, n = 53 different-sex couples including women with current depression were randomly assigned to a 10-week-long CBCT®-fC (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training/intervention for couples) or treatment-as-usual (TAU) condition. Multi-level linear regression models and post-hoc contrasts were calculated to determine changes in depressive symptoms, mindfulness and self-compassion, interpersonal functioning and neuroendocrine markers collected during a partnership appreciation task (PAT) in the laboratory before and after CBCT-fC treatment.
Results:
While CBCT-fC led to a comparable decrease of depressive symptoms as TAU, the training specifically increased self-compassion and mindfulness versus TAU. Interestingly, interpersonal functioning did not improve, which was also reflected in participants' preferred self-focus in-between-session practices, instead of practices with interpersonal focus. There were no group-specific changes in psychobiological stress-marker reactivity.
Conclusions:
CBCT-fC was effective in decreasing current depressive symptomatology and increasing mindfulness, and self-compassion. Especially the motivation to participate, such as improving interpersonal functioning, should be addressed and intrinsic motives of the partners to be involved. In highly burdened individuals, self-regulation may need to be improved before co-regulation can be addressed, which would requiring longer treatments. Facilitating factors for engaging in the practice between-sessions seem meaningful.
... The Christian verse declares, 'Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other' (Ephesians 4:32). In Buddhism, loving-kindness (Metta) is a traditional concept that encourages acts of compassion towards all sentient beings (Shonin, Van Gordon, and Compare et al. 2015). ...
Kindness in online learning extends beyond empathy, encompassing practical actions. This study investigates lecturer responsiveness as a form of kindness, specifically focusing on how availability, accessibility, and flexibility are perceived by students. These elements of responsiveness contribute to enhancing the quality of lecturer-student interactions. The research explores the impact of these aspects of lecturer kindness on the effectiveness and dynamics of online education.
... Moreover, these early reviews did not explore the factors that moderated the effects of LKCM on anxiety. Two recent systematic reviews summarized the clinical application of LKCM training (Graser & Stangier, 2018;Shonin et al., 2015), but these reviews did not highlight anxiety among people with nonclinical experiences of anxiety. Moreover, both reviews covered various clinical outcomes and thus did not further illustrate factors that may impact anxiety reduction. ...
Objectives
It is debatable whether loving-kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) effectively reduces anxiety, and previous studies have reported inconsistent findings. This study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of LKCM on anxiety.
Method
Studies that took LKCM as the main body and measured anxiety as an outcome were included. There were no exclusion criteria for sample characteristics or control groups.
Results
Among 327 empirical studies published up to March 2022 on LKCM, 59 measured anxiety as an outcome. Meta-analyses showed that LKCM interventions are effective in reducing anxiety (d = -0.28, k = 19, n = 1284 for randomized controlled trials; d = -0.48, k = 26, n = 1177 for nonrandomized trials; d = -0.58, k = 6, n = 503 for laboratory experiments). The heterogeneity was high between studies. Subgroup analyses for randomized controlled trials found that studies combining loving-kindness meditation and mindfulness meditation outperformed studies adopting loving-kindness meditation alone. Moreover, studies with waitlist controls had greater effect sizes than studies with active controls. The type of anxiety, participant characteristics, protocol, or length of intervention had no statistically significant moderating effects. Individual studies supported mindfulness and self-compassion as important mechanisms, but the amount of meditation practice made a limited contribution.
Conclusions
LKCM interventions can be effective in reducing anxiety. The incremental value of combining mindfulness meditation with loving-kindness meditation is encouraging. More research is needed, especially on specific populations suffering from anxiety disorders.
Preregistration
PROSPERO CRD42021245515
... Goetz et al. [7] defined compassion as the feeling that arises when witnessing another's suffering and motivates a subsequent desire to help. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate that compassion has an important role to play in the treatment of disorders such as depression and anxiety and the improvement of well-being in healthy individuals [8][9][10]. ...
Introduction
The efficacy of interventions based on mindfulness and compassion has been demonstrated in both clinical and general population, and in different social contexts. These interventions include so-called attentional and constructive meditation practices, respectively. However, there is a third group, known as deconstructive meditation practices, which has not been scientifically studied. Deconstructive practices aim to undo maladaptive cognitive patterns and generate knowledge about internal models of oneself, others and the world. Although there are theoretical and philosophical studies on the origin of addiction to the self or on the mechanisms of action associated with the deconstruction of the self, there are no randomized controlled trials evaluating these techniques in either a healthy population or clinical samples. This study aims to evaluate the effect of three deconstructive techniques by comparing them to mindfulness in the general population.
Methods and analysis
A randomized controlled clinical trial will be conducted with about 240 participants allocated to four groups: (a) mindful breathing, (b) prostrations, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition; (c) the Koan Mu, according to Zen Buddhist tradition; and (d) the mirror exercise, according to Toltec tradition. The primary outcome will be the qualities of the non-dual experience and spiritual awakening, measured by the Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory, assessed at pre- and post-treatment and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Other outcomes will be mindfulness, happiness, compassion, affectivity and altered state of consciousness. Quantitative data will be compared using mixed-effects linear regression models, and qualitative data will be analysed through thematic analysis and using the constant comparative method from grounded theory.
Ethics and dissemination
Approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Aragon, Spain. The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed specialized journals, and brief reports will be sent to participants on request.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05317754. Registered on August 2,2022.
... In contrast to MBM, where the goal is to develop attentive awareness and acceptance of one's experiences (i.e., mindfulness), the goal of LKM is to intentionally generate positive emotions linked with compassionate desires (Hofmann et al., 2011). Although commonly included within MBIs, research suggests that LKM may also be parsed from MBIs and stand alone as an effective intervention for increasing positive emotions, decreasing negative emotions, and enhancing interpersonal relationships (Galante et al., 2014;Shonin et al., 2015). Given the nature of LKM, we anticipated that repeated practice of this exercise would differentially activate other therapeutic processes beyond mindfulness properspecifically, social connectedness, positive affect, and self-compassion. ...
Objective
Mindful breathing meditation (MBM) and loving-kindness meditation (LKM) are common components of effective mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). This study examined the differential effects of MBM and LKM on purported therapeutic process variables and mental health outcomes via component analysis.
Method
The research design was a randomized controlled trial with four conditions: MBM, LKM, combined (MBM + LKM), and a relaxation control. All conditions consisted of 10-min. audio-recorded guided meditations that were self-implemented over the course of two weeks. Participants were college undergraduates (N = 52).
Results
Findings indicated statistically significant and very large main effects of time, regardless of condition. Statistically significant time by condition interactions were only observed for one process variable (i.e., defusion) and one mental health outcome (i.e., depression). Follow-up descriptive evaluation of between-group effect sizes indicated patterns of favorable effects for MBM and LKM over the combined and relaxation control conditions. Treatment integrity and treatment acceptability data indicated very favorable social validity across conditions.
Discussion
We conclude that our findings make a modest yet value-added contribution to the MBI component analysis literature, suggesting differentiated performance among isolated MBM and LKM exercises compared to combined and control conditions. Yet further research is warranted to improve upon the limitations of this study.
... Compassionate training and meditation practice increased activation of brain regions associated with inferring emotions in others [89]. A review of the relationship of compassionate meditation on mental health showed a practice in compassionate meditation was related to improvements in affect, depression, anxiety, and anger regulation [91]. Meditation promotes prosocial behavior and alters cortical activation in regions associated with social cognition and emotional regulation [92,93]. ...
Simple Summary
Compassion fatigue is when those in helping professions experience burnout and secondary traumatic stress in excess of the compassion satisfaction derived in interactions inherent to their occupation. It appears in medical professions and animal care workers and other occupations. This study was a preliminary assessment of the prevalence of compassion fatigue in chimpanzee caregivers using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL-V) survey. Levels of compassion satisfaction were high but levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress were elevated indicating potential problems in this workforce. Compassion fatigue is associated with intention to leave the profession, poor mental health, and has a negative effect on the individuals receiving care. This article suggests ways to maintain compassion satisfaction and mitigate burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
Abstract
Compassion fatigue is defined as “traumatization of helpers through their efforts at helping others”. It has negative effects on clinicians including reduced satisfaction with work, fatigue, irritability, dread of going to work, and lack of joy in life. It is correlated with patients’ decreased satisfaction with care. Compassion fatigue occurs in a variety of helping professions including educators, social workers, mental health clinicians, and it also appears in nonhuman animal care workers. This study surveyed caregivers of chimpanzees using the ProQOL-V to assess the prevalence of compassion fatigue among this group. Compassion satisfaction is higher than many other types of animal care workers. Conversely, this group shows moderate levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress; higher levels than other types of animal care workers and many medical professions. While compassion fatigue has an effect on the caregiver’s experience, it has potential to affect animal welfare. Caregivers are an integral part of the chimpanzee social network. Compassion fatigue affects the caregiver’s attitude, this could in turn affect the relationship and degrade the experience of care for captive chimpanzees. Compassion fatigue can be mitigated with professional development, mindfulness training, interrelationships among staff, and specialized training. This preliminary assessment indicates the work ahead is educating caregivers about compassion fatigue and implementing procedures in sanctuaries to mitigate burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
... Past scholarship has paid attention to the emotions elicited by this practice. Many experimental studies have demonstrated that LKM increases positive emotions after both brief and long interventions (Aspy & Proeve, 2017;Feldman et al., 2010;Galante et al., 2014;Shonin et al., 2015;Zeng et al., 2015), notably compassion and love (Hutcherson et al., 2008;Leiberg et al., 2011). However, less attention has been given to the potential negative emotions elicited by LKM. ...
Our understanding of the emotions elicited by loving-kindness meditation (LKM) at early stages of practice is limited, despite the influence that these emotions may have on later engagement. Past work suggests that LKM may elicit emotional ambivalence at early stages of the practice, but it is still unclear whether the content of LKM activates this ambivalence and who is more likely to experience it. Given the specific content of LKM, we defend that this meditation is likely to elicit empathetic emotions, both positive (compassion and gratitude) and negative (guilt), to a greater extent than an active control. Guilt is likely to be elicited by memories of incidents where naïve meditators were not able to experience compassion and/or by the difficulties in sending compassionate love to disliked others during the meditation. Furthermore, individuals with greater self-discrepancy and lower self-esteem are more likely to experience guilt. These hypotheses were tested in two experimental studies with community and student samples (n = 55 and n = 33, respectively) and This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
... Loving-kindness is an explicit focus of MBSR program (Santorelli et al., 2017), and given that MBP instructors are commonly trained in MBSR the identification of this CPC by instructors could be a reflection of this shared training background. Although there is existing research that has explored the effects of loving-kindness practices among adults (Shonin et al., 2015;Zeng et al., 2015), to date, these practices have not been carefully studied among youth and thus represent a novel area for future research. ...
Objectives
The implementation of mindfulness-based programming/interventions (MBP) for youth, and corresponding research, has proliferated in recent years. Although preliminary evidence is promising, one pressing concern is that the heterogeneity of MBP for youth makes it difficult to infer the essential constituent program elements that may be driving specified outcomes (i.e., core program components (CPCs)).
Methods
This research employed the Delphi method to survey expert MBP scientists and instructors to identify consensus of CPCs of MBP for youth.
Results
The study’s advisory board identified scientists based on topical publication record and peer nomination. Delphi Round 1 surveyed scientists (n = 19) to name and define potential CPCs of MBP for youth; responses were qualitatively analyzed yielding 22 MBP categorical codes. Delphi Round 2 recruited MBP instructors (n = 21) identified by scientist participants and peer instructor nomination. In Rounds 2 and 3, the full participant sample (scientists and instructors) were asked to consider the preceding Round’s results and whether each of the 22 identified codes were an essential CPC of MBPs for youth. Final Round 3 results indicated consensus (≥ 75% endorsement) of 9 of the 22 identified codes as CPCs of MBP for youth, including self-awareness, non-judging, focused attention, orienting to present moment, acceptance, compassion, somatic awareness, non-reacting, and decentering. Two additional codes (skillful responding and loving-kindness) were indicated by the instructor subgroup only.
Conclusions
These findings are the first to report expert consensus of identified CPCs of MBP for youth, and results have significant implications for future youth MBP evaluation, implementation, and curriculum development.
... Entonces, promover intervenciones eficaces que redirijan el comportamiento en una dirección más salutogénica, podría promover el desarrollo de nuevos hábitos (15). En este sentido, las intervenciones que incluyen prácticas de integración cuerpo-mente resultan prometedoras, porque favorecen la regulación emocional y porque disminuyen los síntomas asociados con la ansiedad, la angustia y la depresión, beneficiando la afectividad positiva y las habilidades interpersonales (3,24,29,30). Estas prácticas involucran la activación de ciertos circuitos sensoriales y motores que favorecen la articulación armónica entre capacidades cognitivas, afectivas y corporales (31). ...
Introducción:
recientes investigaciones provenientes de diversos campos emergentes como la psiconeuroinmunología, la medicina integrativa o la epigenética han dado cuenta de la estrecha vinculación entre los estados emocionales y la salud. El objetivo fue evaluar la eficacia de una intervención basada en la realización de prácticas de integración cuerpo-mente sobre la regulación emocional.
Materiales y métodos:
en 102 participantes, de entre 34 y 65 años de edad, se analizaron cambios en la Escala de Afectividad Positiva y Negativa (PANAS), antes y después de participar en la intervención propuesta, que se realizó durante ocho encuentros de seis horas de duración cada uno, a lo largo de cuatro meses.
Resultados:
se encontró un aumento en la afectividad positiva y una disminución en la afectividad negativa luego de la intervención. El índice de afectividad (i. e. afectividad positiva/afectividad negativa) se incrementó de una relación 2:1 a una relación 3:1. Esta última proporción ha sido asociada con estados saludables.
Conclusiones:
el estudio contribuye a demostrar el beneficio que brindan las prácticas de integración cuerpo-mente en la regulación emocional y la afectividad positiva. Esto podría propiciar un mayor bienestar psicofísico individual y colectivo.
... With this positive finding, we are surprised to note the limited research regarding the use of LKM in clinical interventions. Implementation barriers named in a systematic review (Shonin et al., 2015) include defining the LKM construct-particularly as it differs from other meditation techniques, difficulties training instructors of European heritage in the subtler aspects of meditation practice, potential side-effects associated with poorly instructed mindfulness practices (e.g., Shapiro, 1992), and compassion fatigue. ...
Objectives
Accumulating evidence from the last two decades suggests self-compassion is central to psychological well-being and reduced psychopathology symptoms. Loving-kindness meditations (LKMs), a mindfulness practice that involves sending feelings of kindness to oneself, loved ones, and all beings, may increase feelings of self-compassion. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effect of LKMs on self-compassion in adults.Methods
Peer-reviewed journal articles and dissertations written in English with adult samples, quantitative analysis of a LKM, and measured self-compassion using the Self-Compassion Scale were included in the meta-analysis. Seven articles met inclusion criteria following a systematic search.ResultsWe found a moderate overall effect of LKMs on self-compassion (g = 0.44, p < 0.0001), indicating LKMs are effective at increasing self-compassion in adults.Conclusions
Self-compassion can be increased in adults using LKMs. Given the role of self-compassion in well-being, future research should test increasing self-compassion as a mechanism of the effect of LKMs on psychological health.
... Current psychological research offers preliminary confirmation of Buddhist teachings that can be explained by the BSET. For example, many of the emerging Buddhismrelated findings demonstrate that mindfulness (Dunning et al. 2019;Khoury et al. 2015), compassion (Hofmann, Grossman andHinton 2011;Marsh, Chan and MacBeth 2018;Shonin et al. 2015) and meditation (Lee et al. 2015;Luberto et al. 2018;Sedlmeier et al. 2012) lead to enhanced positive emotions, attention, and subjective well-being. According to BSET, these positive effects can be explained primarily by the self-nature or non-self construct. ...
The self is a fundamental construct in Western psychology, where it is closely associated with egoism. In the West, egoism is based on what is called the hedonic principle, the goal of which is to fulfill a person’s desires. In Buddhism, the parallel construct is self-enlightenment. However, the goal of developing self-enlightenment is to weaken or eliminate desires, success at which causes a state of selflessness, or the self-nature state (自性). The author’s goal in this chapter is to describe his Buddhist Self-Enlightenment Theory (BSET). His analysis of the structure of the self draws upon the Mandala Model of Self (MMS), which describes how the healthy self behaves in different cultures. In comparing and contrasting the self and self-enlightenment, including their respective functions, he refers to the four primary concepts of the MMS: biology, the ideal person, knowledge or wisdom, and action. The self acts to satisfy the person’s desires by applying the hedonic principle, that is, by pursuing pleasure. On the other hand, according to BSET, the quest for self-enlightenment is activated by the desiring self fundamentally transforming itself into the self-nature, a process which the person experiences as a change from the self state of consciousness to the self-nature state, which in Buddhism is also called the non-self or Buddha state (無我/佛). Finally, the author explores prospects for further development of his theory and future research on possible clinical applications.
... There are several CM interventions that have been examined in the literature, including compassion cultivation training, compassion-focused therapy (CFT), mindful self-compassion (MSC), and Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) (Kirby, 2017;Shonin et al., 2015). While these interventions share similarities and differences worth considering, a detailed review is beyond the scope of this manuscript. ...
Objectives
There is strong rationale and growing empirical support for compassion meditation as an alternative treatment for PTSD. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of home meditation practice, a central component of compassion meditation approaches, among veterans with PTSD participating in an adapted version of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®).
Methods
Participants were 49 veterans with PTSD as determined by clinical interview with a mean age of 46.2 (SD = 14.5) pooled from three studies (non-randomized pilot study, randomized proof-of-concept study, telehealth-delivered feasibility study). During the CBCT intervention, participants completed weekly clinical outcome assessments of PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, negative affect, and positive affect. Participants also completed a weekly practice log, including the duration of home meditation practice over the previous week. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the relationship between weekly home meditation practice and weekly change in clinical outcomes.
Results
Home meditation practice was associated with significant improvement in depression symptoms (B = − 0.03, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001), negative affect (B = − 0.04, SE = 0.01, p = 0.007), and positive affect (B = 0.03, SE = 0.01, p = 0.005) controlling for treatment session.
Conclusions
These findings underscore the importance of home meditation practice among veterans with PTSD learning compassion meditation. This preliminary evaluation should be replicated and additional research is needed to identify optimal home practice dosing to maximize adherence while achieving clinically meaningful improvement.
Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02372396.
Healthcare professionals experience great stress and are more susceptible to burnout due to high workloads and complex working procedures. This increases their risk of depression and anxiety, leading to reduced productivity, extra expenses from absenteeism, and diminished quality of care delivery. Loving-kindness and Compassion Meditation (LKCM) has been shown effective at alleviating stress and emotional burnout. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of an online 4-weekly-session LKCM training for healthcare professionals in Hong Kong, and initially evaluated its effect on their psychological well-being. Eighty-two healthcare professionals were randomly assigned to either the LKCM training group or a waitlist-control group. Feasibility and acceptance were assessed by intervention completion rate and training evaluation. Participants self-reported their psychological outcomes at baseline, post intervention and at 3 months follow-up. Of the 40 intervention group participants, 77.5% attended at least three out of four classes, with 73.5% and 91.2% of feedback indicating the course was effective and satisfactory overall. Concerning self-reported psychological outcomes, no significant between-group difference was found. However, subgroup analysis of 23 participants who were moderately or more stressed at baseline revealed significant immediate post-intervention benefits in emotional exhaustion (Cohen’s d = −1.05), personal accomplishment (Cohen’s d = 1.07), and social connectedness (Cohen’s d = 0.89) for the intervention group compared to the control group. Preliminary evidence suggested that online LKCM training is feasible and acceptable. It also demonstrated potential immediate beneficial effects in improving psychological well-being, particularly for stressed participants. These findings will guide the design and implementation of larger efficacy studies in the future.
This paper explores the transformative power of the Buddhist perspective in self-healing, rooted in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path. It emphasizes recognizing pain and self-stigma as essential milestones, highlighting compassion’s role in alleviating suffering and fostering resilience. The study underscores the significance of spiritual practices for self-regulation, enabling the identification and transformation of suffering. By integrating these principles and techniques, individuals can embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and liberation from suffering. Offering pragmatic guidance, this study serves as a valuable resource for those seeking purposeful paths to self-healing and holistic well-being.
This qualitative study presents an analysis of data taken from 16 participants who were interviewed during and 1 year after they attended a course in Cognitively‐Based Compassion Training (CBCT), a meditation course that seeks to help participants cultivate empathy and compassion. The study sought to examine what benefits, if any, participants in a CBCT course reported with regard to their understanding and practice of empathy and compassion; and secondly, if their statements in the interviews exhibited understandings and practices consonant with emotional, social, and cognitive resilience as identified in the existing literature, and consonant with empathy and compassion as defined in CBCT and in existing literature on compassion. The study found that participant interviews provided significant evidence of the development of skills identified in the literature as components of emotional, cognitive, and social resilience, and that participant descriptions and definitions of compassion closely matched those existing in the literature.
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained significant attention in mental health care settings due to their efficacy in promoting psychological well-being and managing various mental health conditions. This review examines the integration of MBIs into mental health nursing practice, highlighting their potential benefits, challenges, and future directions. Key components of MBIs, including mindfulness meditation, mindful movement, and psychoeducation, are explored within the context of nursing care. Additionally, this article discusses the evidence supporting the effectiveness of MBIs, the role of mental health nurses in delivering these interventions, and strategies for overcoming implementation barriers.
Background
The period following the pandemic has witnessed a surge in depression, distress, and anxiety, alongside a rise in digitalization. This has underscored the necessity of finding alternatives to in-person interventions for mental well-being. According to positive psychology, compassion and gratitude can alleviate anxiety and depression. This pilot study investigates the impact of a four-week self-directed online training program that emphasizes compassion and gratitude as essential components of women's psychological well-being.
Methods
For this randomized controlled trial, a sample of 51 women aged between 21 and 39 years was selected. The experimental group underwent a four-week training program on compassion and gratitude, which included psychoeducation, compassion exercises, and journaling. Participants' levels of compassion and gratitude were assessed before and after the four-week program using standardized self-report surveys.
Results
The study shows that participants in the experimental group experienced a significant improvement in both compassion and gratitude skills. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between compassion and gratitude.
Conclusion
The findings of the pilot study suggest that a brief self-directed online program aimed at cultivating compassion and gratitude can enhance factors that are crucial to women's mental well-being. Further research is necessary to examine the long-term effects of these interventions and their suitability for diverse demographics.
Trial Registration
The trail was registered 23.12.2022 at German Clinical Trails Registre. Registration ID: DRKS00030973
Przeprowadzone analizy teoretyczne i praktyczne pozwalają stwierdzić, że praktyka samowspółczucia sprzyja realizacji procesu wychowania. Kategoria samowspółczucia składa się z trzech komponentów: życzliwości, wspólnego człowieczeństwa i uważności. Ma ona pola wspólne z wrażliwością, samoprzebaczeniem i rezyliencją, co jest szczegółowo wyjaśnione w tekście. Realizacja samowspółczucia przez rodziców ma pozytywne znaczenie dla dobrostanu zarówno ich samych, jak i dzieci, m.in. w zakresie regulacji emocji, motywacji, relacji z innymi osobami, na dowód czego zostały w tekście przytoczone wyniki badań empirycznych. Praktyka samowspółczucia ma walor uniwersalności i jako taka może przyczyniać się do podnoszenia jakości procesu wychowania niezależnie od wykształcenia, statusu majątkowego czy uprzedniego przygotowania rodzica.
Objective: Positive and negative affect play critical roles in depression and anxiety treatment, but the dynamic processes of how affect changes over treatment in relation to changes in symptoms is unclear. The study goal was to examine relationships among changes in positive and negative affect with changes in depression and anxiety symptoms. Method: This secondary analysis used a combined sample (N = 196) of two trials (Craske et al., 2019, 2023) comparing positive affect treatment (PAT) to negative affect treatment. Longitudinal cross-lag panel models explored whether changes in positive and negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; Watson et al., 1988) predicted subsequent changes in depression and anxiety symptoms (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), whether symptoms predicted subsequent changes in affect, and whether treatment condition moderated these relationships. Results: Increases in positive affect predicted subsequent decreases in depression and anxiety symptoms, regardless of treatment condition. Symptoms did not reciprocally predict changes in positive affect. For individuals in PAT, decreases in negative affect predicted subsequent decreases in symptoms. Moreover, decreases in symptoms predicted subsequent decreases in negative affect, regardless of treatment condition. Conclusions: Results did not support a reciprocal relationship between positive affect and symptoms of depression and anxiety since positive affect predicted depression and anxiety symptoms but not vice versa. Results supported a reciprocal relationship between negative affect and symptoms of depression and anxiety since negative affect predicted depression and anxiety symptoms in PAT, and depression and anxiety symptoms predicted negative affect in both treatment conditions.
Ontolojik Bağımlılık Teorisi; psikopatolojiyi anlamaya yönelik Budist öğretileri temel alan bir yaklaşım olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Ontolojik bağımlılık ise bireyin; etrafından, herkesten ve her şeyden ayrı olarak dünyanın merkezinde var olduğuna inanarak kendisine bağımlı hale gelmesi şeklinde tanımlanmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı; Barrows ve ark.’nın (2022) geliştirdiği Ontolojik Bağımlılık Ölçeğinin 12 maddelik kısa formunu Türkçeye uyarlayarak geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışmalarını gerçekleştirmektir. Araştırmaya 254 (147 kadın, 107 erkek) yetişkin birey katılmıştır. Çalışma grubunun belirlenmesinde uygun örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Ontolojik Bağımlılık Ölçeğinin yapı geçerliğini sınamak için doğrulayıcı faktör analizi yapılmış ve tek faktörlü yapı doğrulanmıştır. Ölçüt bağıntılı geçerlik çalışması için Ekşi’nin (2016) Türkçeye uyarladığı Beş Faktör Narsisizm Ölçeği – Kısa Formu uygulanmış, iki ölçek arasında pozitif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuş (r=.571*, p<.01) ve kırılgan narsisizm boyutu arasında pozitif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur (r=.657, p<.01). Türkçeye uyarlaması yapılan ölçeğin tek boyutlu faktör yapısının geçerli olduğu doğrulayıcı faktör analizi ile saptanmıştır. Ölçeğin geneline ilişkin iç tutarlık katsayısının orijinal forma yakın (α=0.87) olduğu saptanmıştır. Ontolojik Bağımlılık Ölçeğinin Türkçe formunun psikometrik analizleri incelendiğinde ontolojik bağımlılığın değerlendirilmesinde geçerli ve güvenilir bir araç olduğu söylenebilir. Gelecekteki araştırmalarda daha geniş bir örneklemde çalışılabilir ve ilişkili olabilecek değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiyi ölçen çalışmalar gerçekleştirilebilir.
Anahtar kelimeler: ontolojik bağımlılık, ontolojik bağımlılık teorisi, ölçek uyarlama
Loving‐kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) have been well applied among employees to improve their health and well‐being. Existing studies on LKCM have also provided supportive evidence of its benefits and effectiveness under organizational contexts. The current meta‐analytical study aimed to systematically summarise the effects of LKCM in the workplace and to outline directions for future research and practice. Among 327 empirical studies on LKCM published until March 2022, 21 trials focussed on employees and provided sufficient information, which were included in the following meta‐analysis. The results showed that LKCM benefited eight categories of workplace outcomes. Specifically, LKCM effectively decreased employees' burnout (g = 0.395, k = 10) and stress (g = 0.544, k = 10) and facilitated their mindfulness (g = 0.558, k = 14), self‐compassion (g = 0.646, k = 12), personal mental health (g = 0.308, k = 13), job attitudes (g = 0.283, k = 4), interpersonal relationships (g = 0.381, k = 12), and psychological resources (g = 0.406, k = 6). The results of moderation analyses further indicated that the participants' job type, gender, and the focus of LKCM might differentially fluctuate the magnitude of LKCM effects. To advance research and best practice, we finally pointed out several issues that deserve attention, such as long‐term effects, underlying mechanisms, potential moderators, and outcomes or influential factors at the organizational level.
Objective:
Determine whether a novel psychosocial treatment for positive affect improves clinical status and reward sensitivity more than a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that targets negative affect and whether improvements in reward sensitivity correlate with improvements in clinical status.
Method:
In this assessor-blinded, parallel-group, multisite, two-arm randomized controlled clinical superiority trial, 85 treatment-seeking adults with severely low positive affect, moderate-to-severe depression or anxiety, and functional impairment received 15 weekly individual therapy sessions of positive affect treatment (PAT) or negative affect treatment (NAT). Clinical status measures were self-reported positive affect, interviewer-rated anhedonia, and self-reported depression and anxiety. Target measures were eleven physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and self-report measures of reward anticipation-motivation, response to reward attainment, and reward learning. All analyses were intent-to-treat.
Results:
Compared to NAT, individuals receiving PAT achieved superior improvements in the multivariate clinical status measures at posttreatment, b = .37, 95% CI [.15, .59], t(109) = 3.34, p = .001, q = .004, d = .64. Compared to NAT, individuals receiving PAT also achieved higher multivariate reward anticipation-motivation, b = .21, 95% CI [.05, .37], t(268) = 2.61, p = .010, q = .020, d = .32, and higher multivariate response to reward attainment, b = .24, 95% CI [.02, .45], t(266) = 2.17, p = .031, q = .041, d = .25, at posttreatment. Measures of reward learning did not differ between the two groups. Improvements in reward anticipation-motivation and in response to reward attainment correlated with improvements in the clinical status measures.
Conclusions:
Targeting positive affect results in superior improvements in clinical status and reward sensitivity than targeting negative affect. This is the first demonstration of differential target engagement across two psychological interventions for anxious or depressed individuals with low positive affect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Appreciative joy refers to feeling happy for others with appreciative and unenvious attitudes and is emphasized in Buddhist and Chinese culture. Empirical studies on appreciative joy have recently appeared in multiple disciplines in psychology, and it is time to summarize their findings and potential limitations. In terms of interpersonal attitudes, studies have supported that appreciative joy and appreciative joy meditation (AJM) activate altruism, promote cooperation, counter envy and influence interpersonal perceptions. As for subjective well-being, studies have consistently supported appreciative joy and AJM contribute to positive emotions, but the arousal dimension of positive emotions is still under debate. The effects of appreciative joy and AJM on other aspects of subjective well-being, as well as the underlying mechanisms, require more investigation. The prevalence of this trait across cultures and its association with emotional attachment also point to its role in ethics, virtue, and the evolution of human beings. Future studies need to develop a specific paradigm to better induce and validate appreciative joy in addition to AJM to research appreciative joy in system-informed and cross-cultural ways, and to develop theories to explain the mechanisms underlying the effects of appreciative joy.
In this article, I use arts methods to explore the concept ‘intercultural mindfulness' as performed in students’ meaning-making about their intercultural experience at a UK university. The findings identify some less discussed qualities for mindfulness such as affective openness, embodied openness, and ethical-oriented openness, generosity, energy/effort, and liberated freedom. The study addresses a critical, theoretical ground for understanding and applying mindfulness in intercultural studies. Moving beyond the common focuses on cognitive skills or competence, it enriches the existing understanding of intercultural mindfulness by being attentive to the humanistic, affective, ethical, and ideological dimensions of mindfulness.
No matter where you live and what culture you belong to, you may encounter the four big questions of human existence. Where do I come from? Why am I in this life situation? Why do I suffer? How do I find salvation? Chinese cultural heritages store wisdom for how we can successfully cope with these four questions and become an ideal person with the most optimal self-functioning. This book is hoped to provide you the Chinese wisdom for solving these big questions. That is if you find your self-nature, you will find the answer. There are two different types of self in the context of monotheistic culture and Chinese culture: Self and self-nature. The maintenance/strength of self is a very core concept in Western psychotherapy and is particularly relevant to egoism, a process that mainly draws on the hedonic principle in pursuit of desires. Contrary to this, On the basis of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist teachings, a self-enlightenment cultivating process is the very core foundation of Chinese psychotherapies aiming to minimize or extinguish the self and avoid desires, leading to egolessness or selflessness or self-nature state. To cultivate a transition from the self state to the self-nature state is termed self-enlightenment. The self-enlightenment process is the therapeutic process. The ultimate goal of therapeutic process is to attain the self-nature state, along with the authentic and durable happiness or total liberation. Western psychologists recognize the self as one of the basic motivations of the human mind. It is usually the desire for pleasure and aversion to the pain. The reasons for why the self is desire-driven and the cause of fluctuating happiness and suffering are presented. This is why we need the self-enlightenment cultivating process from the self to the self-nature state, with an aim to attain the authentic and durable happiness. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are suggested not to be considered as religions only. They are psychotherapies. It is strongly suggested to gradually accumulate your faith in wisdom of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism via approving them by the two criteria: experimentation and logic of reasoning. A cultural systematic approach was used to develop the three self-enlightenment models of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. An overview of theses three self-enlightenment models, which are the theoretic foundations of Chinese psychotherapies, along with their key concepts and psychotherapies are provided. They are suggested to be applicable to every culture. The sources of the emotional disturbances and unhappiness, therapeutic goals, process, client–therapist relationships, and techniques are provided. Thirteen applications and five suggestions for using the book are presented at the end.
Objectives:
This study examined the effects of compassion-based intervention on mental health in cancer patients by using systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Methods:
Eleven bibliographic databases were searched from their earliest data available date up to March 1, 2022. The databases were PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, WOS, Cochrane, Embase, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations, Airiti Library, and the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan.
Results:
Ten studies from 2015 to 2021 were included with a total of 771 cancer patients. Most were targeted at women with breast cancer. Brief compassion-based interventions of approximately 30 minutes were conducted by audio file, paper, and web-based self-guided writing prompts. Most were conducted after the completion of active treatment. Anxiety was the most measured outcome. Constructive compassion-based interventions with 4- to 12-week sessions were conducted by a trained facilitator. Most were conducted for patients who had undergone treatment, and depression was the most measured outcome. The meta-analysis indicated that compassion-based interventions had a significant effect of reducing depression and increasing self-compassion. Moderation analysis indicated that constructive intervention showed more benefits of increased self-compassion than brief intervention. Both face-to-face and non-face-to-face web-delivered formats had benefits for increasing self-compassion compared with the control condition.
Significance of results:
Compassion-based interventions might provide an effective strategy for improving self-compassion and depression among patients with breast cancer. Suggestions for further research and health-care providers follow.
Compassionate work can be greatly rewarding yet also costly. It can incur a cost, “the cost of caring,” commonly known as compassion fatigue. Over the last two decades, compassion fatigue has increasingly come to be recognized as a significant stress-related occupational hazard for those in the animal care community, including those who work in animal health, animal welfare, and biomedical research. Compassion fatigue arises from the duality of providing care and being exposed to trauma as a part of the work. The symptoms and consequences – personal, professional, and organizational – vary from person to person and within different contexts. In order to address compassion fatigue, it needs to be recognized. Although it cannot be prevented, it can be mitigated, transformed, and treated. This is centered in the concept of resilience, which starts with awareness of compassion fatigue, and grows with implementing personal and organizational approaches, strategies, and practices. Importantly, resilience in the animal care community can be built on the back of veterinary social work. By attending to the causes, signs, and consequences of compassion fatigue, veterinary social workers can support the health and well-being of those who work in animal care and promote personal, interpersonal, and organizational resilience.KeywordsAnimal healthAnimal welfareBiomedical researchCompassion fatigueEuthanasiaSelf-careSocial support
Research into subjective well-being (SWB) focuses on conducive life conditions, healthy cognitive-affective processes and adaptive behaviours, however, in this model, well-being fluctuates based on changing mental and physical phenomena. This inquiry explores the possibility that we can have a nondual experience of well-being that is unaffected by such movements and investigates if the literature supports this. The assertion in traditional mindfulness that the sense of self is constructed and responsible for such fluctuations is explored, along with what evidence there is that mindfulness practices deliver relevant cognitive and behavioural correlates associated with such a way of being. Proposed preconditions include (a) nondual awareness or the perception of no-self; (b) increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and increased self-lessness; (c) increased capacity to maintain (or protect) well-being including heightened emotional self-regulation and resilience to aversive stimuli. Research findings provide some evidence that the sense of self can be both constructed and deconstructed, and that mindfulness training may target psychological dimensions that could contribute to an experience of well-being that transcends the impact of life conditions. Recommendations are made for a collaborative relationship between SWB research and mindfulness to expand the inquiry into possible causes and conditions of ‘nondual well-being’.
This study proposes a counselling frame based on Buddhist ontological soteriology, rooted in the Four Noble Truths, derived from related doctrines in early Buddhism and the Yogācāra school of Buddhism. The frame is based on the main Buddhist doctrine on suffering that the Buddha emphasized– helping people in need to comprehend the nature of the person and personal identity, psychological mechanisms of dysfunction, a path to resolution, and employing skilful-meansto resolution– by clearly providing them with descriptive information and aguide on how to practice contemplation based on the presented information. The counselling frame suggested in the study aims to explore the pilot idea of applying Buddhist primary doctrines to suffering and its resolution for both the professionals and the clients.
Extrapolating from B. L. Fredrickson's (1998, 2001) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, the authors hypothesized that positive emotions are active ingredients within trait resilience. U.S. college students (18 men and 28 women) were tested in early 2001 and again in the weeks following the September 11th terrorist attacks. Mediational analyses showed that positive emotions experienced in the wake of the attacks - gratitude, interest, love, and so forth - fully accounted for the relations between (a) precrisis resilience and later development of depressive symptoms and (b) precrisis resilience and postcrisis growth in psychological resources. Findings suggest that positive emotions in the aftermath of crises buffer resilient people against depression and fuel thriving, consistent with the broaden-and-build theory. Discussion touches on implications for coping.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have become increasingly important in health care. Clinicians read them to keep up to date with their field [1],[2], and they are often used as a starting point for developing clinical practice guidelines. Granting agencies may require a systematic review to ensure there is justification for further research [3], and some health care journals are moving in this direction [4]. As with all research, the value of a systematic review depends on what was done, what was found, and the clarity of reporting. As with other publications, the reporting quality of systematic reviews varies, limiting readers' ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of those reviews.
Several early studies evaluated the quality of review reports. In 1987, Mulrow examined 50 review articles published in four leading medical journals in 1985 and 1986 and found that none met all eight explicit scientific criteria, such as a quality assessment of included studies [5]. In 1987, Sacks and colleagues [6] evaluated the adequacy of reporting of 83 meta-analyses on 23 characteristics in six domains. Reporting was generally poor; between one and 14 characteristics were adequately reported (mean = 7.7; standard deviation = 2.7). A 1996 update of this study found little improvement [7].
In 1996, to address the suboptimal reporting of meta-analyses, an international group developed a guidance called the QUOROM Statement (QUality Of Reporting Of Meta-analyses), which focused on the reporting of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials [8]. In this article, we summarize a revision of these guidelines, renamed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses), which have been updated to address several conceptual and practical advances in the science of systematic reviews (Box 1).
Box 1: Conceptual Issues in the Evolution from QUOROM to PRISMA
Completing a Systematic Review Is an Iterative Process
The conduct of a systematic review depends heavily on the scope and quality of included studies: thus systematic reviewers may need to modify their original review protocol during its conduct. Any systematic review reporting guideline should recommend that such changes can be reported and explained without suggesting that they are inappropriate. The PRISMA Statement (Items 5, 11, 16, and 23) acknowledges this iterative process. Aside from Cochrane reviews, all of which should have a protocol, only about 10% of systematic reviewers report working from a protocol [22]. Without a protocol that is publicly accessible, it is difficult to judge between appropriate and inappropriate modifications.
In the last five years, scientific interest into the potential applications of Buddhist-derived interventions
(BDIs) for the treatment of problem gambling has been growing. This paper reviews current directions, proposes
conceptual applications, and discusses integration issues relating to the utilisation of BDIs as problem gambling
treatments. Method:Aliterature search and evaluation of the empirical literature for BDIs as problem gambling treatments was undertaken. Results: To date, research has been limited to cross-sectional studies and clinical case studies and findings indicate that Buddhist-derived mindfulness practices have the potential to play an important role in ameliorating problem gambling symptomatology. As an adjunct to mindfulness, other Buddhist-derived practices are also of interest including: (i) insight meditation techniques (e.g., meditation on ‘emptiness’) to overcome avoidance and dissociation strategies, (ii) ‘antidotes’ (e.g., patience, impermanence, etc.) to attenuate impulsivity and salience- related issues, (iii) loving-kindness and compassion meditation to foster positive thinking and reduce conflict, and (iv) ‘middle-way’ principles and ‘bliss-substitution’ to reduce relapse and temper withdrawal symptoms. In addition to an absence of controlled treatment studies, the successful operationalisation of BDIs as effective treatments for problem gambling may be impeded by issues such as a deficiency of suitably experienced BDI clinicians, and the poor provision by service providers of both BDIs and dedicated gambling interventions. Conclusions: Preliminary findings for BDIs as problem gambling treatments are promising, however, further research is required.
The immediate outcomes of mindfulness meditation (MM) and loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on experimental measures of explicit and implicit self- and other-referential processing (SRP-ORP) have not been investigated previously. In this study, undergraduate students (n = 104) were randomized to a single-session practice of MM, LKM, or reading control and completed self-report measures of decentering and positive affect directed toward self and other. Participants also completed an experimental measure of valenced SRP-ORP. Practice of both meditations was associated with increased decentering and positive affect relative to reading control, although self-reported response to MM and LKM did not significantly differ. Following the meditation, whereas participants randomized to MM evidenced an expected self-positivity bias in positive affective response and reaction time during an experimental SRP-ORP task, participants randomized to LKM did not. LKM, as uniquely involving the intentional cultivation of positive emotion toward both self and other, may be associated with a relative normalization of the self-positivity bias. Individual differences in response to SRP-ORP were also examined as a function of traits related to mindfulness and loving-kindness, in addition to as a function of variability in experiential response to MM and LKM. Study limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Mindfulness has been practiced in the Eastern world for over twenty-five centuries but has only recently become popular in the West. Today, interventions such as “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy” are used within the
Western health setting and have proven to be successful techniques for reducing psychological distress. However, a limitation of such interventions is that they tend to apply the practices of mindfulness in an “out of context” manner. To overcome this, a newly formed Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) program focusses on the establishment of solid meditative foundations and integrates various support practices that are traditionally assumed to effectuate a more sustainable quality of well-being. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of MAT for improving psychological well-being in a sub-clinical sample of higher education students with issues of stress, anxiety, and low mood. Utilizing a controlled design, participants of the study (n=14) undertook an 8-week MAT program and comparisons were made with a
control group (n=11) on measures of self-assessed psychological well-being (emotional distress, positive affect, and negative affect) and dispositional mindfulness. Participants who received MAT showed significant improvements in psychological well-being and dispositional mindfulness over controls. MAT may increase emotion regulation ability in higher education students with issues of stress, anxiety, and low mood. Individuals receiving training in mindfulness meditation may benefit by engendering a broader, more ethically informed, and
compassionate intention for their mindfulness practice.
Whenever we are travelling or teaching in the West and we meet new people, they invariably initially respond in one of three ways. The first way is to immediately state or exclaim that ‘you are monks’. We haven’t quite worked out yet whether this is supposed to be a manner of greeting, an expression of shock or just a statement of fact. The second response—which also happens to be the one we prefer most—is for people to either shake our hands or to put their palms together before all parties gently bow. The third response that we frequently encounter— which brings us onto the subject of this article—is for people to forgo even saying hello and to straightaway ask the question ‘What lineage are you?’ We don’t encounter people asking this question quite so much when we are in the East, but in theWest, people seem to place a great deal of importance on establishing which particular lineage a person ‘belongs’ to.
Although empirical interest in meditation has flourished in recent years, few studies have addressed possible downsides of meditation practice, particularly in community populations. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 male meditators in London, UK, recruited using principles of maximum variation sampling, and analysed using a modified constant comparison approach. Having originally set out simply to inquire about the impact of various meditation practices (including but not limited to mindfulness) on men’s wellbeing, we uncovered psychological challenges associated with its practice. While meditation was generally reported to be conducive to wellbeing, substantial difficulties accounted for approximately one quarter of the interview data. Our paper focuses specifically on these issues in order to alert health professionals to potential challenges associated with meditation. Four main problems of increasing severity were uncovered: Meditation was a difficult skill to learn and practise; participants encountered troubling thoughts and feelings which were hard to manage; meditation reportedly exacerbated mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety; and in a few cases, meditation was associated with psychotic episodes. Our paper raises important issues around safeguarding those who practise meditation, both within therapeutic settings and in the community.
Objective:
Kindness-based meditation (KBM) is a rubric covering meditation techniques developed to elicit kindness in a conscious way. Some techniques, for example, loving-kindness meditation and compassion meditation, have been included in programs aimed at improving health and well-being. Our aim was to systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence available from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of KBM on health and well-being against passive and active control groups in patients and the general population.
Method:
Searches were completed in March 2013. Two reviewers applied predetermined eligibility criteria (RCTs, peer-reviewed publications, theses or conference proceedings, adult participants, KBM interventions) and extracted the data. Meta-analyses used random-effects models.
Results:
Twenty-two studies were included. KBM was moderately effective in decreasing self-reported depression (standard mean difference [Hedges's g] = -0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-1.08, -0.14]) and increasing mindfulness (Hedges's g = 0.63, 95% CI [0.22, 1.05]), compassion (Hedges's g = 0.61, 95% CI [0.24, 0.99]) and self-compassion (Hedges's g = 0.45, 95% CI [0.15, 0.75]) against passive controls. Positive emotions were increased (Hedges's g = 0.42, 95% CI [0.10, 0.75]) against progressive relaxation. Exposure to KBM may initially be challenging for some people. RESULTS were inconclusive for some outcomes, in particular against active controls. The methodological quality of the reports was low to moderate. RESULTS suffered from imprecision due to wide CIs deriving from small studies.
Conclusions:
KBM showed evidence of benefits for the health of individuals and communities through its effects on well-being and social interaction. Further research including well-conducted large RCTs is warranted.
Work-related mental health issues such as work-related stress and addiction to work impose a significant health and economic burden to the employee, the employing organization, and the country of work more generally. Interventions that can be empirically shown to improve levels of work-related mental health—especially those with the potential to concurrently improve employee levels of work performance—are of particular interest to occupational stakeholders. One such broad-application interventional approach currently of interest to occupational stakeholders in this respect is mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Following a brief explication of the mindfulness construct, this paper critically discusses current research directions in the utilization of mindfulness in workplace settings and assesses its suitability for operationalization as an organization-level work-related mental health intervention. By effecting a perceptual-shift in the mode of responding and relating to sensory and cognitive-affective stimuli, employees that undergo mindfulness training may be able to transfer the locus of control for stress from external work conditions to internal metacognitive and attentional resources. Therefore, MBIs may constitute cost-effective organization-level interventions due to not actually requiring any modifications to human resource management systems and practises. Based on preliminary empirical findings and on the outcomes of MBI studies with clinical populations, it is concluded that MBIs appear to be viable interventional options for organizations wishing to improve the mental health of their employees.
Body dissatisfaction is a major source of suffering among women of all ages. One potential factor that could mitigate body dissatisfaction is self-compassion, a construct that is garnering increasing research attention due to its strong association with psychological health. This study investigated whether a brief 3-week period of self-compassion meditation training would improve body satisfaction in a multigenera-tional group of women. Participants were randomized either to the meditation intervention group (N=98; M age=38.42) or to a waitlist control group (N=130; M age=36.42). Results sug-gested that compared to the control group, intervention par-ticipants experienced significantly greater reductions in body dissatisfaction, body shame, and contingent self-worth based on appearance, as well as greater gains in self-compassion and body appreciation. All improvements were maintained when assessed 3 months later. Self-compassion meditation may be a useful and cost-effective means of improving body image in adult women.
Research into the clinical utility of Buddhist-derived interventions (BDIs) has increased greatly over the last decade. Although clinical interest has predominantly focused on mindfulness meditation, there also has been an increase in the scientific investigation of interventions that integrate other Buddhist principles such as compassion, loving kindness, and “non-self.” However, due to the rapidity at which Buddhism has been assimilated into the mental health setting, issues relating to the misapplication of Buddhist terms and practices have sometimes arisen. Indeed, hitherto, there has been no unified system for the effective clinical operationalization of Buddhist principles. Therefore, this paper aims to establish robust foundations for the ongoing clinical implementation of Buddhist principles by providing: (i) succinct and accurate interpretations of Buddhist terms and principles that have become embedded into the clinical practice literature, (ii) an overview of current directions in the clinical operationalization of BDIs, and (iii) an assessment of BDI clinical integration issues. It is concluded that BDIs may be effective treatments for a variety of psychopathologies including mood-spectrum disorders, substance-use disorders, and schizophrenia. However, further research and clinical evaluation is required to strengthen the evidence-base for existent interventions and for establishing new treatment applications. More important, there is a need for greater dialogue between Buddhist teachers and mental health clinicians and researchers to safeguard the ethical values, efficacy, and credibility of BDIs.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that originates from Buddhist practice and was first introduced into Western clinical settings in the 1970s. The practice of mindfulness is fundamentally concerned with developing and open and unbroken awareness of present moment cognitive-effective and sensory experience. According to Shonin et al (2013a), mindfulness effectuates a greater perceptual distance from distorted cognitive and affective processes and this meta-awareness facilitates the regulation (i.e., via the non-reactive observance) of habitual maladaptive responses.
During the last two decades, a credible evidence base has emerged supporting the utilisation of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, and a mindfulness interventional approach (known as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT]) is now advocated by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence [NICE] and the American Psychiatric Association for the treatment of specific forms of depression. Accordingly, in recent years, clinical attention has begun to focus on the utility of mindfulness for treating other psychopathologies including psychotic disorders.
Psychotic experiences are typified by different degrees of reality distortion as well as deficits in orientating response (e.g., circumstance, place, and identity) and perceptual skills (Chadwick et al., 2005). Meditation is a subtle process in which, whether effectuated by direct means (i.e., meditative analysis) or indirect means (i.e., present-moment observance), the meditation practitioner is ultimately compelled to question not only the nature of reality, but also their ontological stance (i.e., how, or even whether the ‘self’ actually exists) (Shonin et al., 2013b). Given that this subtle process can be extremely challenging and confusing even for people of “healthy” clinical status, the question arises whether it is prudent to utilise a meditation-based recovery model for people with psychosis. To date, empirical evidence relating to this question has differed considerably. This paper provides: (i) a concise review and appraisal of empirical findings supporting or opposing the operationalisation of mindfulness for the treatment of psychotic disorders, (ii) a discussion of whether mindfulness should be deployed as a treatment for psychosis, and (iii) recommendations for practice and research.
We compared the relative effects of 5 weeks of either concentration or loving-kindness meditation (CM, LKM) on mindfulness (including two subscales—presence and acceptance) and affect using a multiple baseline ABA design. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) indicated that 48–71 % of the total variance was attributable to individual differences. While meditating, CM practitioners experienced progressive increases in mindfulness and acceptance, while LKM practitioners exhibited increases in mindfulness, presence, and positive affect. When practitioners ceased meditation, those in the CM condition declined in mindfulness, acceptance, and positive affect throughout the cessation period. Individuals in the LKM group showed a progressive decrease in presence and a singular drop in negative affect immediately following meditation. There was a dissociation between acceptance and presence, with CM influencing the former and LKM the latter. Because mindfulness and positive affect did not decrease after the meditation period for the LKM group, these results suggest that LKM may induce more enduring changes in these variables. However, while meditation-specific HLMs indicated differences between meditation types, a combined HLM with both meditation conditions showed no group differences in the meditation or cessation phases of the study. More substantial were individual differences in response to meditation; these point to the necessity of using either large sample sizes in group means testing for meditation research or techniques permitting individual-based analysis such as HLM and single-subject designs.
Research on meditation has examined many variables across a wide range of techniques. Research on loving-kindness meditation has investigated its impact on affective variables, but has not yet investigated its impact on cognition. The present study investigated the impact of loving-kindness meditation on an affective variable not yet examined in the literature—affective learning—as well as cognition. Participants were randomly assigned to a control condition or a three-session, loving-kindness meditation training. Our results suggest that the beginning stages of loving-kindness meditation training impact the tendency to learn to associate positivity with neutral stimuli and cognitive control. We discuss the implications of our findings and potential directions for future research.
Compared to the general population, youth in foster care experience multiple psychosocial difficulties due to exceptionally high rates of maltreatment. Many youth in care receive psychological and/or psychotropic treatment but not all require or are willing to accept that level of intervention. For many, a “mental health” approach feels pathologizing. Nevertheless, these youth have suffered maltreatment and interventions to improve their ability to cope with past trauma and their often uncertain present are clearly needed. Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) provides an alternative perspective on suffering and can be framed as a wellness intervention that is appropriate for all humans. The present study examined whether a 6-week CBCT intervention would improve psychosocial functioning among adolescents in foster care. Seventy adolescents were randomized to CBCT (twice weekly) or a wait-list condition. Youth were assessed at baseline and after 6 weeks. Groups did not differ on measures of psychosocial functioning following training; however practice frequency was associated with increased hopefulness and a trend for a decrease in generalized anxiety. Qualitative results indicated that participants found CBCT useful for dealing with daily life stressors. Adolescents in care were willing to engage in CBCT. The majority reported CBCT was very helpful and almost all reported they would recommend CBCT to a friend. Participants reported specific instances of using CBCT strategies to regulate emotion, manage stress, or to respond more compassionately towards others. Standardized self-report measures were not sensitive to qualitative reports of improved functioning, suggesting the need for measures more sensitive to the positive changes noted or longer training periods to demonstrate effects. Practical issues surrounding implementation of such programs in high-risk youth populations are identified. Recommendations are provided for further development.
Shame and self-criticism are transdiagnostic problems. People who experience them may struggle to feel relieved, reassured or safe. Research suggests that a specialised affect regulation sys tem (or systems) underpins feelings of reassurance, safeness and well-being. It is believed to have evolved with attachment systems and, in particular, the ability to register and respond with calming and a sense of well-being to being cared for. In compassion-focused therapy it is hypothesised that this affect regulation system is poorly accessible in people with high shame and self-criticism, in whom the 'threat' affect regulation system dominates orientation to their inner and outer worlds. Compassion-focused therapy is an integrated and multimodal approach that draws from evolutionary, social, developmental and Buddhist psychology, and neuro science. One of its key concerns is to use compassionate mind training to help people develop and work with experiences of inner warmth, safeness and soothing, via compassion and self-compassion.
The Job Descriptive Index family of job attitude measures includes the Job in General (JIG) scale, a measure of global satisfaction with one’s job. The scale was originally developed and validated by Ironson, Smith, Brannick, Gibson, and Paul. Following structured scale reduction procedures developed by Stanton, Sinar, Balzer, and Smith, the current authors developed an abridged version of the JIG for use by practitioners and researchers of organizational behavior. They report the results of three validation studies documenting the process of scale reduction and the psychometric suitability of the reduced-length scale.
Compassion is a positive orientation towards suffering that may be enhanced through compassion training and is thought to influence psychological functioning. However, the effects of compassion training on mindfulness, affect, and emotion regulation are not known. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which 100 adults from the community were randomly assigned to either a 9-week compassion cultivation training (CCT) or a waitlist (WL) control condition. Participants completed self-report inventories that measured mindfulness, positive and negative affect, and emotion regulation. Compared to WL, CCT resulted in increased mindfulness and happiness, as well as decreased worry and emotional suppression. Within CCT, the amount of formal meditation practiced was related to reductions in worry and emotional suppression. These findings suggest that compassion cultivation training effects cognitive and emotion factors that support psychological flexible and adaptive functioning.
Compassion is a key motivator of altruistic behavior, but little is known about individuals' capacity to cultivate compassion through training. We examined whether compassion may be systematically trained by testing whether (a) short-term compassion training increases altruistic behavior and (b) individual differences in altruism are associated with training-induced changes in neural responses to suffering. In healthy adults, we found that compassion training increased altruistic redistribution of funds to a victim encountered outside of the training context. Furthermore, increased altruistic behavior after compassion training was associated with altered activation in brain regions implicated in social cognition and emotion regulation, including the inferior parietal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and in DLPFC connectivity with the nucleus accumbens. These results suggest that compassion can be cultivated with training and that greater altruistic behavior may emerge from increased engagement of neural systems implicated in understanding the suffering of other people, executive and emotional control, and reward processing.
Interest into the rehabilitative utility of Buddhist-derived interventions (BDIs) for incarcerated populations has been growing. The present paper systematically reviews the evidence for BDIs in correctional settings. Five databases were systematically searched. Controlled intervention studies of BDIs that utilized incarcerated samples were included. Jadad scoring was used to evaluate methodological quality. PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) guidelines were followed. The initial search yielded 85 papers, but only eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The eight eligible studies comprised two mindfulness studies, four vipassana meditation studies, and two studies utilizing other BDIs. Intervention participants demonstrated significant improvements across five key criminogenic variables: (i) negative affect, (ii) substance use (and related attitudes), (iii) anger and hostility, (iv) relaxation capacity, and (v) self-esteem and optimism. There were a number of major quality issues. It is concluded that BDIs may be feasible and effective rehabilitative interventions for incarcerated populations. However, if the potential suitability and efficacy of BDIs for prisoner populations is to be evaluated in earnest, it is essential that methodological rigor is substantially improved. Studies that can overcome the ethical issues relating to randomization in correctional settings and employ robust randomized controlled trial designs are favored.
"Purpose: In the last five years, scientific interest into the potential applications of Buddhist-derived interventions (BDIs) for the treatment of problem gambling has been growing. This paper reviews current directions, proposes conceptual applications, and discusses integration issues relating to the utilisation of BDIs as problem gambling treatments. Method: A literature search and evaluation of the empirical literature for BDIs as problem gambling treatments was undertaken. Results: To date, research has been limited to cross-sectional studies and clinical case studies and findings indicate that Buddhist-derived mindfulness practices have the potential to play an important role in ameliorating problem gambling symptomatology. As an adjunct to mindfulness, other Buddhist-derived practices are also of interest including: (i) insight meditation techniques (e.g., meditation on ‘emptiness’) to overcome avoidance and dissociation strategies, (ii) ‘antidotes’ (e.g., patience, impermanence, etc.) to attenuate impulsivity and salience-related issues, (iii) loving-kindness and compassion meditation to foster positive thinking and reduce conflict, and (iv) ‘middle-way’ principles and ‘bliss-substitution’ to reduce relapse and temper withdrawal symptoms. In addition to an absence of controlled treatment studies, the successful operationalisation of BDIs as effective treatments for problem gambling may be impeded by issues such as a deficiency of suitably experienced BDI clinicians, and the poor provision by service providers of both BDIs and dedicated gambling interventions. Conclusions: Preliminary findings for BDIs as problem gambling treatments are promising, however, further research is required."
In recent studies of the structure of affect, positive and negative affect have consistently emerged as two dominant and relatively independent dimensions. A number of mood scales have been created to measure these factors; however, many existing measures are inadequate, showing low reliability or poor convergent or discriminant validity. To fill the need for reliable and valid Positive Affect and Negative Affect scales that are also brief and easy to administer, we developed two 10-item mood scales that comprise the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The scales are shown to be highly internally consistent, largely uncorrelated, and stable at appropriate levels over a 2-month time period. Normative data and factorial and external evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for the scales are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)
Mindfulness has been practiced in the Eastern world for over twenty-five centuries but has only recently
become popular in the West. Today, interventions such as “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy” are used within the Western health setting and have proven to be successful techniques for reducing psychological distress. However, a limitation of such interventions is that they tend to apply the
practices of mindfulness in an “out of context” manner. To overcome this, a newly formed Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) program focusses on the establishment of solid meditative foundations and integrates various support practices that are traditionally assumed to effectuate a more sustainable quality of well-being. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of MAT for improving psychological well-being in a sub-clinical sample of higher education students with issues of stress, anxiety, and low mood. Utilizing a controlled design, participants of the study (n=14) undertook an 8-week MAT program and comparisons were made with a control group (n=11) on measures of self-assessed psychological well-being (emotional distress, positive affect, and negative
affect) and dispositional mindfulness. Participants who received MAT showed significant improvements in psychological well-being and dispositional mindfulness over controls. MAT may increase emotion regulation ability in higher education students with issues of stress, anxiety, and low mood. Individuals receiving training in mindfulness meditation may benefit by engendering a broader, more ethically informed, and compassionate intention for their mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness-based interventions are reported as being efficacious treatments for a variety of psychological and somatic conditions. However, concerns have arisen relating to how mindfulness is operationalized in mindfulness-based interventions and whether its 'spiritual essence' and full potential treatment efficacy have remained intact. This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine participant experiences regarding the acceptability and effectiveness of a newly designed secularized intervention called meditation awareness training (MAT) that follows a more traditional Buddhist approach to meditation. Participants (with issues of stress and low mood) reported experiencing improvements in psychological well-being due to receiving MAT. The wider implications are discussed.
Most studies of meditation have focused on "actual affect" (how people actually feel). We predict that meditation may even more significantly alter "ideal affect" (how people ideally want to feel). As predicted, meditators ideally wanted to feel calm more and excited less than nonmeditators, but the groups did not differ in their actual experience of calm or excited states (Study 1). We ruled out self-selection and nonspecific effects by randomly assigning participants to meditation classes, an improvisational theater class, or a no class control (Study 2). After eight weeks, meditators valued calm more but did not differ in their actual experience of calm compared with the other groups. There were no differences in ideal or actual excitement, suggesting that meditation selectively increases the value placed on calm. These findings were not due to expectancy effects (Study 3). We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding how meditation alters affective life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).
This dissertation explored the concept of extending moral concern to all life from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. In the theoretical chapter, I defined expanding circle morality (ECM) as a dynamic lifelong sustainable commitment to expand our circle of caring to include all sentient beings as a core guiding principle in life and reviewed the existing psychological literature that addressed this concept. Next, in three datasets I identified proxy measures for ECM and tested the hypothesis that higher levels of ECM are associated with higher levels of individual well-being and greater concern for others than lower levels of ECM. In addition, I tested the hypothesis that individuals volunteering frequently would have greater well-being when they had high, but not low, levels of ECM. Finally, in an experimental study, I tested the hypothesis that loving-kindness meditation (i.e., a spiritual practice to broaden one's circle of caring) would reduce judgment of moral transgressors especially when those individuals were exposed to death awareness as described by Terror Management Theory. Data for the first three studies were drawn from two large longitudinal studies of child and adolescent development and one longitudinal study of adult women. ANOVA analyses largely supported the predictions. Proxy measures of ECM included spiritual importance, an implicit measure of social and civic concern and a measure of social responsibility motivation. Higher scores on each of these three measures were associated with better individual well-being as well as greater concern for the well-being of others. In addition, individuals with higher levels of ECM reported greater well-being when volunteering frequently than individuals with low levels of ECM. In the final experimental study, loving-kindness meditation participants reported more positive emotion, and specifically more compassion, than partipcants in the control condition (i.e., a progressive relaxation exercise). Although the means trended in the predicted direction, participants in the loving-kindness and death salience condition did not judge moral transgressors less harshly. The possibility that increased compassion does not necessarily result in increased tolerance of behaviors that harm others is discussed. In sum, ECM is associated with individual well-being and the well-being of an expanded circle of others.
The Four Noble Truths are recorded as being the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment, and they represent the foundations for the entire collection of teachings that the Buddha subsequently expounded. Indeed, every aspect of Buddhist practice is somehow encompassed by this simple yet profound teaching, and no study or practice of any component of the Buddha’s teachings—including mindfulness—is complete without a thorough understanding of how it relates to the Four Noble Truths. This chapter employs deductive logical analysis (DLA) in order to examine the validity and logical soundness of the Four Noble Truths and then discusses their individual and collective implications for comprehending, practising, and working with mindfulness.
This article defines the construct of self-compassion and describes the development of the Self-Compassion Scale. Self-compassion entails being kind and understanding toward oneself in instances of pain or failure rather than being harshly self-critical; perceiving one's experiences as part of the larger human experience rather than seeing them as isolating; and holding painful thoughts and feelings in mindful awareness rather than over-identifying with them. Evidence for the validity and reliability of the scale is presented in a series of studies. Results indicate that self-compassion is significantly correlated with positive mental health outcomes such as less depression and anxiety and greater life satisfaction. Evidence is also provided for the discriminant validity of the scale, including with regard to self-esteem measures.
Children exposed to early life adversity (ELA) have been shown to have elevated circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers that persist into adulthood, which is believed to drive the elevated risk for medical and psychiatric illness in the same individuals. Circulating cortisol concentrations have also been found to be altered in individuals with ELA. This study sought to determine: (1) whether Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) reduced concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and increased concentrations of cortisol in saliva obtained from adolescents in foster care with high rates of ELA, and (2) the relationship between CBCT engagement and changes in CRP and cortisol, given prior evidence from our group for an effect of practice engagement on inflammatory markers. Seventy-one adolescents in the Georgia foster care system (31 females), aged 13–17, were randomized to either 6 weeks of CBCT or a wait-list condition. Participants in the CBCT group completed practice diaries to assess CBCT engagement. No differences between groups were observed in salivary CRP or cortisol concentrations. Within the CBCT group, practice sessions during the study correlated with reduced concentrations of both CRP and cortisol from baseline to the 6-week assessment. Engagement with CBCT may positively impact inflammatory measures relevant to health in adolescents at risk for poor adult functioning as a result of significant ELA, including individuals placed in foster care.
This article reports the development and validation of a scale to measure global life satisfaction, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Among the various components of subjective well-being, the SWLS is narrowly focused to assess global life satisfaction and does not tap related constructs such as positive affect or loneliness. The SWLS is shown to have favorable psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and high temporal reliability. Scores on the SWLS correlate moderately to highly with other measures of subjective well-being, and correlate predictably with specific personality characteristics. It is noted that the SWLS is suited for use with different age groups, and other potential uses of the scale are discussed.
Due to its potential to concurrently improve work-related wellbeing (WRW) and job performance, occupational stakeholders are becoming increasingly interested in the applications of meditation. The present study conducted the first randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of meditation on outcomes relating to both WRW and job performance. Office-based middle-hierarchy managers (n = 152) received an eight-week meditation intervention (Meditation Awareness Training; MAT) or an active control intervention. MAT participants demonstrated significant and sustainable improvements (with strong effect sizes) over control-group participants in levels of work-related stress, job satisfaction, psychological distress, and employer-rated job performance. There are a number of novel implications: (i) meditation can effectuate a perceptual shift in how employees experience their work and psychological environment and may thus constitute a cost-effective WRW intervention, (ii) meditation-based (i.e., present-moment-focussed) working styles may be more effective than goal-based (i.e., future-orientated) working styles, and (iii) meditation may reduce the separation made by employees between their own interests and those of the organizations they work for.
This book explores a wide range of mindfulness and meditative practices and traditions across Buddhism. It deepens contemporary understanding of mindfulness by examining its relationship with key Buddhist teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eight-Fold Path. In addition, the volume explores how traditional mindfulness can be more meaningfully incorporated into current psychological research and clinical practice with individuals and groups (e.g., through the Buddhist Psychological Model). Key topics featured in this volume include: Ethics and mindfulness in Pali Buddhism and their implications for secular mindfulness-based applications. Mindfulness of emptiness and the emptiness of mindfulness. Buddhist teachings that support the psychological principles in a mindfulness program. A practical contextualization and explanatory framework for mindfulness-based interventions. Mindfulness in an authentic, transformative, everyday Zen practice. Pristine mindfulness. Buddhist Foundations of Mindfulness is an indispensable resource for clinical psychologists, and affiliated medical and mental health professionals, including specialists in complementary and alternative medicine as well as social work as well as teachers of Buddhism and meditation. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. All rights are reserved.
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Self-criticism is a vulnerability risk factor for a number of psychological disorders, and it predicts poor response to psychological and pharmacological treatments. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of a loving-kindness meditation (LKM) programme designed to increase self-compassion in a sample of self-critical individuals. Thirty-eight individuals with high scores on the self-critical perfectionism subscale of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale were randomized to an LKM condition (n = 19) or a wait-list (WL) condition (n = 19). Measures of self-criticism, self-compassion and psychological distress were administered before and immediately following the intervention (LKM or WL). WL participants received the intervention immediately after the waiting period. Both groups were assessed 3 months post-intervention. Intent-to-treat (n = 38) and per-protocol analyses (n = 32) showed significant reductions in self-criticism and depressive symptoms as well as significant increases in self-compassion and positive emotions in the LKM condition compared with the WL condition. A follow-up per-protocol analysis in both groups together (n = 20) showed that these gains were maintained 3 months after the intervention. These preliminary results suggest that LKM may be efficacious in alleviating self-criticism, increasing self-compassion and improving depressive symptoms among self-critical individuals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Key practitioner message:
Self-criticism plays a major role in many psychological disorders and predicts poor response to brief psychological and pharmacological treatments for depression. The current study shows that loving-kindness meditation, designed to foster self-compassion, is efficacious in helping self-critical individuals become less self-critical and more self-compassionate. The study also suggests that practising loving-kindness may reduce depressive symptoms and increase positive emotions.
In the last decade, a surge of interest has been directed towards the empirical investigation of the concept and applications of mindfulness. If one considers the increasing evidence about the clinical benefits and the psychological and neurobiological correlates of current mindfulness based interventions (MBIs), it is surprising that significantly lower effort has been directed towards the achievement of a consensus about an unequivocal operationalization of mindfulness within modern Western psychology. Accordingly, the present review aims to summarize traditional and current perspectives about mindfulness, to discuss the extent to which modern definitions of mindfulness differ from more traditional definitions and, more specifically, the limitations of current questionnaires that are thought to measure mindfulness levels, and to provide suggestions for future research on this topic. In sum, according to authors well versed in the original Buddhist literature, from which several MBIs are overtly or implicitly derived, modern attempts to operationalize mindfulness have consistently failed to provide an unequivocal definition of mindfulness, which takes into account the complexity of the original definitions of mindfulness. Although the concept of mindfulness remains elusive and difficult to capture by means of modern self-report questionnaires, however, several alternatives exist that could shed light on closely related constructs, which could deepen our understanding of mindfulness and that could lead to the development of new, not yet considered, categories of psychological effects associated with mindfulness training.
Reports errors in the original article by S. E. Hobfoll et al (Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 2003[Mar], Vol 84[3], 632-643). On page 643, in the tables for Appendixes B and C, the variables labeled with "T3" should all read "T2." In Appendix C, the column headings "Nonlinear model" should read "Nonlinear model T1"; the column headings "Linear model" should read "Nonlinear model T2." These changes do not affect the findings, interpretations, or conclusions. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 2003-01588-018): The authors examined a dynamic conceptualization of stress by investigating how economic stress, measured in terms of material loss, alters women's personal and social resources and how these changed resources impact anger and depressive mood. Resource change in women's mastery and social support over 9 months was significantly associated with changes in depressive mood and anger among 714 inner city women. Greater loss of mastery and social support was associated with increased depressive mood and anger. Loss of mastery and social support also mediated the impact of material loss on depressive mood and anger. Resource loss and worsening economic circumstances had more negative impact than resource gain... (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The CES-D scale is a short self-report scale designed to measure depressive symptomatology in the general population. The items of the scale are symptoms associated with depression which have been used in previously validated longer scales. The new scale was tested in household interview surveys and in psychiatric settings. It was found to have very high internal consistency and adequate test- retest repeatability. Validity was established by pat terns of correlations with other self-report measures, by correlations with clinical ratings of depression, and by relationships with other variables which support its construct validity. Reliability, validity, and factor structure were similar across a wide variety of demographic characteristics in the general population samples tested. The scale should be a useful tool for epidemiologic studies of de pression.