The two studies presented in this article examine the relationships of personality traits and trait emotional intelligence (EI) with compassion and self-compassion in samples of Italian workers. ...Study 1 explored the relationship between trait EI and both compassion and self-compassion, controlling for the effects of personality traits in 219 workers of private Italian organizations. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that trait EI explained variance beyond that accounted for by personality traits in relation to both compassion and self-compassion. Study 2 analyzed the contribution of trait EI in mediating the relationship between personality traits and both compassion and self-compassion of 231 workers from public Italian organizations with results supporting the mediating role of trait EI.
Objectives
Fear of receiving compassion from others, expressing compassion to others, and being compassionate towards oneself have been identified as potentially important factors in the persistence ...of depression, stress disorders, and eating disorders. There is good reason to expect that these fears may play a role in anxiety and related difficulties, but there is little available information on the extent to which they are present and associated with symptom severity.
Methods
This study compared the severity of the three fears of compassion (receiving, expressing to others, and showing to oneself) in those with a principal diagnosis of depression (n = 34), obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD; n = 27), social anxiety disorder (SAD; n = 91), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD, n = 43), and a control sample with no mental health difficulties (n = 212).
Results
Those with depression, OCD, SAD, and GAD exhibited greater fear of receiving compassion and fear of self‐compassion than controls, and the differences between anxious and control groups remained significant even when controlling for depressed mood. Whereas fears of compassion did not predict symptom severity over and above depressed mood in people with GAD, fear of receiving compassion uniquely predicted SAD symptom severity, and fear of expressing compassion for others uniquely predicted OCD symptom severity in those high on fear of self‐compassion.
Conclusions
Fear of compassion is higher in those with anxiety and related disorders than non‐anxious controls. Although further research is needed, clinicians may benefit from assessing fear of compassion and addressing it in treatment.
Practitioner points
Those with anxiety and related disorders may fear receiving compassion from others or expressing compassion for themselves, even when controlling for depression.
It may be informative to assess for fear of compassion and incorporate discussions about these fears into treatment, as these fears may interfere with treatment progress.
Researchers have theorized that experiences of emotional warmth in early life influence the development of the soothing system, an affect regulation system thought to underpin individuals' capacity ...for self-compassion and receiving compassion. The current study tested the theory that feelings of social safeness, also considered an output of the soothing system, might be a key mechanism through which parental warmth and capacities for compassion are linked. One-hundred and fifty-three female college students completed online measures of parental rearing behaviors, social safeness, positive and negative affect, self-compassion, received social support, and fears of compassion. Bootstrapping analyses supported our hypothesized mediational model. Controlling for overprotective and rejecting parenting behaviors, recalled parental warmth was linked to a greater capacity for self-compassion (high self-compassion, low fear of self-compassion) and receiving compassion (high received social support, low fear of receiving compassion) indirectly through affective experiences in general, and feelings of social safeness in particular. These findings suggest that differences in feelings of connectedness, reassurance, and contentment in social relationships might help to explain why children who recall fewer experiences of emotional warmth with parents are less capable and more afraid of self-compassion and receiving compassion. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
•We examine the relations between parental rearing, social safeness, and compassion.•Recalled parental warmth was linked to greater capacities for self-compassion.•Recalled parental warmth was linked to greater capacities for receiving compassion.•Social safeness was a unique mediator of both of these relationships.
Burnout produces negative effects on academic performance, and, in turn, feelings of inefficiency that are detrimental to students' psychosocial well‐being. The aim of this research is to determine ...the effects that self‐compassion and compassion toward others have on various burnout dimensions in a sample of medical students. A total of 235 medical students (61.7% women) aged between 16 and 32 years old (M = 19.82; SD = 2.37) belonging to a Colombian university participated. A cluster analysis to segment the population according to burnout was carried out along with nonparametric contrasts to identify differences in the levels of self‐compassion and compassion toward others between each profile. A series of regression analyses was designed to find out how each type of compassion was associated with burnout on each profile. The cluster analysis allowed us to identify three profiles. The low‐involvement profile (n = 51) is characterized by low depersonalization, intermediate levels of emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment and exhibits low levels of self‐compassion and compassion fatigue compared with the other profiles. The positive‐adaptation profile (n = 104) is characterized by low depersonalization levels, intermediate degrees of emotional exhaustion and high levels of personal accomplishment and exhibits the highest levels of self‐compassion and compassion fatigue compared with the other profiles. The high‐demand profile (n = 104) is characterized by intermediate depersonalization levels, medium–high levels of emotional exhaustion and high levels of personal accomplishment and exhibits intermediate levels of self‐compassion and low levels of compassion fatigue. Establishing profiles based on burnout allows students to be segmented and for precise knowledge to be acquired about the effects that both types of compassion have on the dimensions of burnout.
The work environment is fraught with complex demands, hardships, and challenges, highlighting the need to approach work with self‐compassion each day. We propose that work self‐compassion—a mindset ...of kindness, gentleness, and care toward oneself as an employee—may generate the resources and motivation needed for self‐regulation at work. Drawing from integrated self‐control theory (ISCT) and theory on self‐compassion, we suggest that on days when employees hold a work self‐compassionate mindset, they will exhibit greater work performance and wellbeing via enhanced resource capacity and motivation. In an experimental experience sampling study, we found that a work self‐compassionate mindset reduced depletion and increased work self‐esteem and thereby heightened daily work engagement and daily resilience. Consequently, employees made greater goal progress at work and experienced higher meaning in life. In a supplemental study, we show that state self‐compassion at work is associated with unique variance in work outcomes beyond compassion received from coworkers. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for self‐compassion in organizational contexts.
Mindfulness therapies on health professionals Ruiz‐Fernández, María Dolores; Ortíz‐Amo, Rocío; Ortega‐Galán, Ángela María ...
International journal of mental health nursing,
April 2020, 2020-Apr, 2020-04-00, 20200401, Letnik:
29, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Health professionals are exposed to situations of emotional vulnerability by being in continuous contact with patients and their suffering, which can cause conditions such as compassion fatigue. To ...address this issue, therapies such as mindfulness are being used to reduce stress and promote self‐compassion. The objective of this research was to carry out a systematic review and meta‐analysis to analyse the types of mindfulness interventions that are being used for healthcare professionals and their effectiveness in reducing stress and improving self‐compassion and mindfulness. Following the PRISMA guideline, a systematic review of original studies was carried out in the following databases: Medline, Scopus, Cinhal, PsycINFO, Lilacs, and Science Direct, without a limited time frame. Controlled experimental mindfulness interventions on health professionals were selected, in which the following outcome variables were measured: stress, self‐compassion, and mindfulness. A meta‐analysis was performed with a random effects model. In cases of very high heterogeneity, the data were analysed by subgroup. Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction Therapy (MBSR) was the most often used in the studies. There is diversity in the implementation of MBSR, and a common finding is a reduction of stress and increased mindfulness in health professionals. However, studies that analyse self‐compassion are scarce. The effect of these therapies varies depending on how long the individual has been practising meditation. In conclusion, more studies are needed to describe the clinical usefulness of these programmes, to jointly analyse these three variables (stress, self‐compassion, and mindfulness), and to measure compassion fatigue as an outcome variable.
Objectives
Mindfulness, self‐compassion and compassion for others are often studied among clients seeking psychotherapy. Psychotherapists are also at risk of developing psychological difficulties ...given that the profession is demanding and can put psychological and emotional pressures on therapists. The aim of this study was to examine (a) the relationship between mindfulness, self‐compassion and compassion for others and (b) whether self‐compassion will mediate the effects of mindfulness on compassion for others.
Method
This was a cross‐sectional study conducted among a sample of 152 psychotherapists registered with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy in Ireland.
Results
Our analysis found a significant relationship between mindfulness, self‐compassion and compassion for others. Mediation analysis showed that the indirect effects of mindfulness on compassion for others was through self‐compassion. We entered age and gender into our model, but they had no impact on the mediated relationship.
Conclusion
Findings from this study provide preliminary support for a proposed sequential model, suggesting that mindfulness enhances self‐compassion, which, in turn, can improve compassion for others. Psychotherapists and psychotherapy bodies are recommended to utilise strategies that can improve psychotherapists' mindfulness skills, such as the mindfulness self‐compassion programme and compassion‐focussed therapy, and their capacity for self‐compassion, which can contribute to their ability to develop compassion for the client. Given the limitations of the design of the study, future longitudinal research will enable us to document the directionality of the effects.
Compassion fatigue (CF) is stress resulting from exposure to a traumatized individual. CF has been described as the convergence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) and cumulative burnout (BO), a ...state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by a depleted ability to cope with one's everyday environment. Professionals regularly exposed to the traumatic experiences of the people they service, such as healthcare, emergency and community service workers, are particularly susceptible to developing CF. This can impact standards of patient care, relationships with colleagues, or lead to more serious mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety or depression. A systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions to reduce CF in healthcare, emergency and community service workers was conducted. Thirteen relevant studies were identified, the majority of which were conducted on nurses (n = 10). Three included studies focused on community service workers (social workers, disability sector workers), while no studies targeting emergency service workers were identified. Seven studies reported a significant difference post-intervention in BO (n = 4) or STS (n = 3). This review revealed that evidence of the effectiveness of CF interventions in at-risk health and social care professions is relatively recent. Therefore, we recommend more research to determine how best to protect vulnerable workers at work to prevent not only CF, but also the health and economic consequences related to the ensuing, and more disabling, physical and mental health outcomes.
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