The longitudinal relationship between self-compassion and cancer patients' unmet supportive care needs.

OBJECTIVES: Unmet supportive care needs are associated with psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety. However, so far, few studies have explored the protective psychological factors of unmet needs. Therefore, this study intends to explore the protective effect of self-compassion on unmet needs of Chinese cancer patients and to examine the predictive role of self-compassion on these needs during treatment. METHODS: A longitudinal study was performed at Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital in Xi'an, China. A total of 153 heterogeneous cancer patients were assessed after the first diagnosis (T1), at the beginning (T2) and end (T3) of medical treatment. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to examine the research questions. RESULTS: Cross-sectional regression analyses showed that self-compassion at T1 was significantly related to psychological needs at T1. Negative self-compassion at T1 was significantly related to total unmet needs, psychological needs, health system, and information and sexual needs. Longitudinal regression analyses showed that self-compassion at T1 significantly predicted total unmet needs; health system and information (HSI) needs at T2, psychological needs at T3, and negative self-compassion at T1 significantly predicted total unmet needs, HSI needs, physical needs, and patient care needs at T2 when controlling for unmet needs at T1. Positive self-compassion was not a predictor of unmet needs. CONCLUSIONS: Self-compassion can be a protective factor of unmet needs in cancer patients. Future intervention studies should focus on improving the overall level of self-compassion and reducing the level of negative self-compassion in cancer patients to reduce patients' unmet needs.

Self-Compassion: Theory, Method, Research, and Intervention.

Self-compassion refers to being supportive toward oneself when experiencing suffering or pain-be it caused by personal mistakes and inadequacies or external life challenges. This review presents my theoretical model of self-compassion as comprised of six different elements: increased self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness as well as reduced self-judgment, isolation, and overidentification. It discusses the methodology of self-compassion research and reviews the increasingly large number of empirical studies that indicate self-compassion is a productive way of approaching distressing thoughts and emotions that engenders mental and physical well-being. It also reviews research that dispels common myths about self-compassion (e.g., that it is weak, selfish, self-indulgent or undermines motivation). Interventions designed to increase self-compassion, such as compassion-focused therapy and mindful self-compassion, are discussed. Finally, the review considers problematic issues in the field, such as the differential effects fallacy, and considers limitations and future research directions in the field of self-compassion research.

A meta-analysis of disordered eating and its association with self-criticism and self-compassion.

OBJECTIVE: Future treatments for eating disorders (ED) need to be enhanced by targeting maintaining mechanisms. Literature suggests self-criticism and self-critical perfectionism act as key mechanisms exacerbating ED, and self-compassion protects against self-criticism. This meta-analysis examines associations between self-criticism and self-critical perfectionism on disordered eating (DE), and reviews how self-compassion and self-criticism relate to each other with respect to DE. METHOD: Searches across three databases yielded 135 studies across 42,952 participants. Heterogeneity, publication bias, and quality assessments were analyzed. Moderation analyses between self-criticism measures, self-compassion measures, between clinical and nonclinical samples, and between cross-sectional and experimental studies were also conducted. RESULTS: Random-effects models showed a medium positive link between self-criticism and DE (r = .37), and 10 subgroups pertaining to various measures of self-criticism utilized in literature showed small to large positive links with DE (r = .20-.52). Preliminary evidence also suggests negative relationships between self-compassion and DE (r = -.40 to -.43) and negative relationships between self-compassion and self-criticism (r = -.04 to -.88). DISCUSSION: Greater levels of self-criticism is linked with greater levels of DE and reduced levels of self-compassion, suggesting a need to tackle self-criticism and nurture self-compassion in standard treatments for ED. Understanding these interactions better in conjunction with dismantling intervention studies can help develop more effective and efficient interventions targeting self-criticism and self-compassion for people with DE. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Higher levels of self-criticism are linked with higher levels of DE and lower self-compassion. Self-compassion interventions could be more effective and efficient in reducing ED symptoms if self-criticism is tackled early in such treatments.

OBJETIVO: Los futuros tratamientos para los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) deben ser mejorados mediante la focalización en los mecanismos de mantenimiento. La literatura sugiere que la autocrítica y el perfeccionismo autocrítico actúan como mecanismos clave que exacerban los TCA, y que la autocompasión protege contra la autocrítica. Este meta-análisis examina las asociaciones entre la autocrítica y el perfeccionismo autocrítico en la alimentación disfuncional (AD), y revisa cómo la autocompasión y la autocrítica se relacionan entre sí con respecto a la AD. MÉTODO: Las búsquedas en tres bases de datos arrojaron 135 estudios con 42,952 participantes. Se analizaron la heterogeneidad, el sesgo de publicación y las evaluaciones de calidad. También se llevaron a cabo análisis de moderación entre las medidas de autocrítica, las medidas de autocompasión, entre muestras clínicas y no clínicas, y entre estudios transversales y experimentales. RESULTADOS: Los modelos de efectos aleatorios mostraron una asociación positiva media entre la autocrítica y la AD (r = .37), y 10 subgrupos relacionados con diversas medidas de autocrítica utilizadas en la literatura mostraron asociaciones positivas pequeñas a grandes con la AD (r = .20-.52). Además, evidencia preliminar sugiere relaciones negativas entre la autocompasión y la AD (r = −0.40-−0.43) y relaciones negativas entre la autocompasión y la autocrítica (r = −.04-−.88). DISCUSIÓN: Los niveles mayores de autocrítica están relacionados con mayores niveles de AD y niveles reducidos de autocompasión, lo que sugiere la necesidad de abordar la autocrítica y fomentar la autocompasión en los tratamientos estándar para los TCA. Comprender mejor estas interacciones en conjunto con estudios de intervención puede ayudar a desarrollar intervenciones más efectivas y eficientes dirigidas a la autocrítica y la autocompasión para personas con AD.

Effectiveness of mindful self-compassion therapy on psychopathology symptoms, psychological distress and life expectancy in infertile women treated with in vitro fertilization: a two-arm double-blind parallel randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Infertility is a prominent problem affecting millions of couples worldwide. Recently, there has been a hightened emphasis on elucidating the subtle linkages between infertility treatment leveraging assisted reproductive technology and the complex realm of psychological challenges, as well as efforts in implementation of psychological interventions.The Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program seeks to improve self-compassion, compassion for others, mindfulness, and life satisfaction while reducing depression, anxiety, and stress. In the current study, an MSC intervention was performed on infertile women (IW) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) to assess the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing psychological distress and psychopathological symptoms and enhancing life expectancy. METHODS: Fifty-seven IW undergoing IVF were randomly allocated to two groups: MSC (n = 29) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 28). Participants in MSC met once a week for two hours for eight weeks and attended a half-day meditation retreat. The Synder's Hope questionnaire and the Revised 90-Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R) were used as the primary outcome measures. Data were obtained before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and two months post-intervention. Repeated measures of ANCOVA and paired t-tests in all assessment points were used to compare the MSC and the TAU groups in outcomes. RESULTS: In the MSC group, hopelessness, anger-hostility, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity difficulties, and depression were significantly reduced compared with the TAU group, and those improvements persisted at the two-month follow-up. Reliable change index revealed that the MSC group's gains were both clinically significant and durable. CONCLUSIONS: MSC can facilitate higher life satisfaction and mental well-being for IW undergoing IVF by reducing psychological distress, psychopathological symptoms, and hopelessness. These encouraging findings call for more research into the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapies in addressing psychological problems among IW undergoing IVF.

Remotely-administered resilience and self-compassion intervention targeting loneliness and stress in older adults: a single-case experimental design.

OBJECTIVES: Loneliness and chronic stress are prevalent issues for older adults that have been linked to adverse health outcomes. We conducted a remote resilience and self-compassion intervention targeting loneliness and chronic stress. METHODS: This study utilized a multiple-phase-change single-case experimental design with three consecutive 6-week phases: control, intervention, follow-up. Assessments and biomarker collection (blood pressure, inflammation, sleep actigraphy) were conducted at each phase. Participants completed a 6-week remotely-administered resilience and self-compassion intervention using techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy and resilience training. Repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted over the 12-week period from control (week 0) to intervention completion (week 12) and over the 18-week period from control (week 0) to follow-up (week 18) in supplemental analyses. RESULTS: Participants reported a reduction in stress (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.15), depression (p = 0.02; ηp2 = 0.08), and loneliness (p = 0.003; ηp2 = 0.18), and an increase in self-compassion (p = 0.01; ηp2 = 0.13) from control to intervention completion (weeks 0-12). Post-hoc tests revealed that stress reduced significantly during the intervention phase (weeks 6-12) and loneliness reduced significantly during the control phase (weeks 0-6). Some improvements in blood pressure, inflammation, and sleep quality were noted in a subsample of participants. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that our remote resilience and self-compassion intervention for older adults targeting loneliness and chronic stress was efficacious.

Feasibility, acceptability, and depression outcomes of a randomized controlled trial of Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (MSC-T) for adolescents with subsyndromal depression.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescents are experiencing high rates of depressive symptoms, with negative consequences to their long-term health. Group-based, mindful self-compassion programs show promise in mitigating the development of more significant depression in at-risk adolescents. However, the lack of well-designed, active control conditions has limited the ability to examine the efficacy of such interventions. METHODS: Fifty-nine adolescents (Mage = 15.81, 70% female) with subsyndromal depressive symptoms from the Southeastern US were randomized to group-based Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens (N = 30) or a newly developed active control Healthy Lifestyles group (N = 29) during 2018 and 2019. Participants attended 8 weekly "main" sessions followed by 6 monthly continuation sessions. The feasibility and acceptability of participation in both groups were measured using attrition, attendance, credibility, and satisfaction data. Depression scores were collected weekly, and self-compassion scores were collected five times across 36 weeks. RESULTS: Both groups were equally feasible and acceptable during the 8-week program period; however, monthly continuation sessions were poorly attended in both groups. The risk of developing clinically significant depression was 2.6 times higher in the control group compared with the self-compassion group (p = .037) across 36 weeks. Depression significantly decreased in the self-compassion group, while it significantly increased in the control group. Both groups increased significantly in reports of self-compassion. These findings are on par with results noting the efficacy of cognitive-based interventions for high-risk adolescents; follow-up studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to confirm these findings. CONCLUSIONS: Initial examination suggests Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens programming is feasible, acceptable, and efficacious in preventing the development of clinically significant depression in adolescents with subsyndromal depression. Future studies may benefit from refinements to the self-compassion measurement and/or the attention control condition; moreover, larger sample sizes are needed to confirm results.

The role of self-compassion in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a group-based trajectory modelling approach.

Research has suggested an increase in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, but much of this work has been cross-sectional, making causal inferences difficult. In the present research, we employed a longitudinal design to identify loneliness trajectories within a period of twelve months during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium (N = 2106). We were particularly interested in the potential protective role of self-compassion in these temporal dynamics. Using a group-based trajectory modelling approach, we identified trajectory groups of individuals following low (11.0%), moderate-low (22.4%), moderate (25.7%), moderate-high (31.3%), and high (9.6%) levels of loneliness. Findings indicated that younger people, women, and individuals with poor quality relationships, high levels of health anxiety, and stress related to COVID-19, all had a higher probability of belonging to the highest loneliness trajectory groups. Importantly, we also found that people high in two of the three facets of self-compassion (self-kindness and common humanity) had a lower probability of belonging to the highest loneliness trajectory groups. Ultimately, we demonstrated that trajectory groups reflecting higher levels of loneliness were associated with lower life satisfaction and greater depressive symptoms. We discuss the possibility that increasing self-compassion may be used to promote better mental health in similarly challenging situations.

A preliminary investigation of the mediating roles of self-compassion and emotion dysregulation in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: Recent research has highlighted an association between maladaptive perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not well understood. The primary aim of this preliminary study was to investigate whether self-compassion and emotion dysregulation independently mediated this relationship. The secondary aim was to determine whether serial mediation existed between these factors. Whether these relations held for overall obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, versus distinct dimensions of OCD, was also of interest. METHOD: Three hundred and ninety-two university students (Mage = 21.81, SD = 8.01), predominantly female (79.18%), participated in an online questionnaire that included a dimensional measure of OCD. Scales assessing maladaptive perfectionism, self-compassion, emotion dysregulation, and negative emotion states were also included. RESULTS: Greater maladaptive perfectionism was related to more severe OCD. Emotion dysregulation, but not self-compassion, independently mediated this relationship. A serial mediation relationship was found, in that greater maladaptive perfectionism was associated with lower self-compassion, which was linked to greater emotion dysregulation, and in turn related to more severe OC behaviors. In addition, distinct patterns emerged for separate OC dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight emotion regulation and self-compassion as potential targets for OCD prevention, especially in individuals with symptoms in the symmetry and unacceptable thoughts dimensions.

The relationship between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity with self-compassion in university students: the mediation of repetitive negative thinking.

Self-compassion is a construct of positive psychology related to personality and cognitive factors. Perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity are prevalent personality traits among university students and are associated with low self-compassion. Further research is required to comprehend how these mechanisms work in creating self-compassion. Consequently, the current study investigated the direct and indirect relationship between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity with self-compassion via repetitive negative thinking. To this end, a sample of 450 students studying in Tehran during the 2022 academic year was selected as the study sample. The results indicated that perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity demonstrate a negative direct relationship with self-compassion, while perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity exhibit an indirect relationship with self-compassion via repetitive negative thinking. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the relationship between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity with self-compassion is not straightforward and that repetitive negative thinking can mediate this relationship. The results can be used to improve methods for increasing self-compassion and paying attention to personality, and cognitive factors can be an important step toward more effective self-compassion interventions.

Athletes' Coping With the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Self-Compassion and Cognitive Appraisal.

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic had implications for athletes' mental well-being. This mixed-methods study examined the influence of self-compassion on athletes' coping during the pandemic through the mediator of cognitive appraisal. The prospective design involved 90 athletes completing two online surveys 1 week apart measuring self-compassion, cognitive appraisal, and coping strategies. The PROCESS macro was used for the mediation analysis. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to explore athletes' responses to the pandemic during the second survey. Self-compassion had an indirect negative effect on avoidance-focused coping by appraising the pandemic as less of a threat (95% confidence interval [-0.20, -0.001]) and had a total effect on emotion-focused coping (95% confidence interval [0.02, 0.40]). Based on the thematic analysis, athletes described many raw emotions and a variety of coping strategies during the pandemic. Self-compassion demonstrated promising benefits to athletes who dealt with the challenging situation of the pandemic.

When depressed-be mindful of and kind to yourself: Self-compassion as mediator of change in a mindful depression treatment.

Self-compassion as an outcome and potential mediator in mindfulness-based interventions has gained increased attention in the last years. However, most mediation studies had several methodological shortcomings which precluded robust conclusions regarding its mediating role. This randomized controlled study aimed to address these issues by assessing self-compassion, as proposed mediator and outcome, in a temporal sequence.Eighty-one patients with current depression and work-related conflicts were randomly assigned to either an eight-week mindfulness-based day hospital treatment (MDT-DH; n = 47; including psychopharmacological treatment if necessary) or a waitlist control condition including a psychopharmacological consultation (PCC; n = 34). The outcome, depression severity, was assessed before, at mid-treatment and after the treatment while the proposed mediator, self-compassion, was measured at two week-intervals from before treatment until directly after treatment. Within-person and between-person mediation effects were analysed using multilevel structural equation modelling.The results from the mediation models show that self-compassion (as a general factor) and two of its components (mindfulness of personal suffering and common humanity) increased and mediated the change in depressive symptoms over time.This study provides preliminary support for self-compassion as a mediator of treatment effects on depression in a mindful depression treatment.

Associations of self-forgiveness processes with distress and well-being outcomes: Evidence from a longitudinal study of Indonesian adults.

To date, few empirical studies have examined the benefits of the processes involved in self-forgiveness-value reorientation and esteem restoration-for individual well-being using longitudinal data from non-Western samples. In this study, we take a step toward addressing this gap by analysing three waves of data collected among 595 Indonesians (Mage = 21.95, SD = 4.39). Applying the analytic templates for lagged exposure-wide and outcome-wide longitudinal designs, we performed a series of linear regressions to estimate associations of value reorientation and esteem restoration in Wave 2 with three indicators of distress and 10 indicators of well-being in Wave 3, adjusting for Wave 1 covariates. Value reorientation and esteem restoration were each associated with improvements in several well-being outcomes (six for value reorientation and three for esteem restoration), but both showed little evidence of associations with the distress outcomes. In a secondary analysis, those who scored higher on both value reorientation and esteem restoration (i.e., self-forgiveness group) in Wave 2 reported higher well-being on five outcomes in Wave 3 compared to those who scored lower on value reorientation, esteem restoration, or both (i.e., no or partial self-forgiveness group). We discuss some implications of the findings for conceptualising self-forgiveness and promoting well-being.

The role of self-compassion in mediating the effect of perfectionism on personal growth initiative in dental hygienists.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored perfectionism, self-compassion and personal growth initiative in clinical dental hygienists. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey research was conducted with a non-probability sample of clinical dental hygienists (n = 877). The survey had 55 items and consisted of three validated instruments: Frost's Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-Brief (including evaluative concerns and perfectionistic striving subscales), Neff's Self-Compassion Scale and Robitschek's Personal Growth Initiative Scale. Descriptive, correlation, t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships among variables. Mediation analysis was conducted to determine the presence of a mediated moderation effect of self-compassion on perfectionism and personal growth initiative. RESULTS: The completion rate for the survey was 89% (n = 788). Evaluative concerns (M = 11.83) and perfectionistic strivings (M = 15.44) among dental hygienists were high, levels of self-compassion (SC) were moderate (M = 2.87) and levels of personal growth initiative (PGI) were low (M = 38.07) compared to others not in the dental field. The mediation analysis found that SC mediates the relationship between perfectionistic evaluative concerns and PGI. It was also determined that SC mediates the relationship between perfectionistic strivings and PGI. CONCLUSION: Dental hygienists have high levels of perfectionism and may lack necessary levels of self-compassion to counteract those perfectionistic tendencies resulting in a decrease in taking the initiative to engage in opportunities for growth. This suggests the importance of dental hygienists developing a more adaptive perfectionism to balance self-criticism along with not having unrealistic expectations for perfection while engaging in self-compassion that includes self-kindness and mindfulness to support their continued growth.

Empathy, self-compassion, and depression correlations among health professionals in Northern Greece.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To study and record the level of empathy and self-compassion of the medical and nursing staff of a general hospital in North Greece, and to investigate their connection to depression levels.. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: The study sample consists of 88 people (66 women and 22 men), medical and nursing staff of the General Hospital of Kavala (northern Greece) who filled out a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 4 parts: 1) socio-demographic data; 2) the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ); 3) Self- Compassion Scale (SCS), and 4) the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). For the statistical processing of the data, SPSS v.25 software was used. RESULTS: Results: The mean total value for TEQ indicates moderate high level of empathy (M = 40.5). For self-compassion the mean total value for SCS was moderate (M = 82.6) and the BDI shows a low level of depression (M = 28.7). A high level of empathy corresponds to a high level of self-compassion (ρ(88) = 0.263, p = 0013). Older ages correspond to a lower level of depression (ρ(88) = -0.218, p = .042). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Empathy is a key factor for the creation of the therapeutic relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider, while increasing the level of the health provider's self-compassion. Increased levels of self-compassion and older age among providers may correspond to lower levels of depression.

The role of self-compassion and relation satisfaction in the association between child sexual abuse and sexual functioning.

BACKGROUND: The current study is based on the established association between child sexual abuse (CSA) and self-compassion, and CSA and sexual functioning, with an overall goal to better understand how self-compassion explains the association between CSA and sexual functioning. AIM: The current study examined the role of self-compassion as a potential mediator, and relationship satisfaction as a potential moderator, in the association between CSA and sexual functioning among a nonclinical sample of men and women. METHODS: Participants completed an online survey assessing CSA, self-compassion, sexual functioning, and relationship satisfaction. The sample consisted of 914 individuals, of whom 582 reported currently being in a romantic relationship and were included in the current analysis. The majority of the sample was female (n = 534, 91.8%), with a mean age of 31.85 years (SD, 9.76). OUTCOMES: Self-compassion mediated the link between CSA and sexual dysfunction, and relationship satisfaction moderated this same link. RESULTS: Results indicate that self-compassion mediated the association between CSA and sexual functioning. In addition, there was a significant 2-way interaction between CSA and intimate relationship satisfaction predicting sexual functioning. Specifically, CSA was negatively associated with sexual functioning only when there were low levels of relationship satisfaction, whereas in the presence of average and high intimate relationship satisfaction, the association between CSA and sexual functioning was nonsignificant. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Findings from the current study suggest that clinicians working with CSA survivors should take into account survivors' self-compassion and relational functioning when engaging in therapeutic work around their sexual dysfunction. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The study included a nonclinical sample of individuals and used self-report measures, which are highly subjective and increase the possibility of social desirability biases. Additional research should be conducted among clinical samples and among couples to explore this model from a dyadic perspective. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the importance of self-compassion and relationship satisfaction when considering sexual dysfunction following CSA.

Profiles of self-compassion and psychological outcomes in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: The protective role of self-compassion in cancer patients' psychological outcomes has been confirmed. However, using a composite score of self-compassion, previous research could not clarify how distinct components of self-compassion may mutually interact. This study, using a person-centred approach, aimed to identify profiles of self-compassion in cancer patients and examined the associations of self-compassion profiles with sociodemographic and medical variables and psychological outcomes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 289 patients with heterogeneous cancer types recruited from two hospitals in Xi'an, China. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct profiles of self-compassion. The Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars approach was used to examine how these profiles related to sociodemographic and medical characteristics and psychological outcomes. RESULTS: Five profiles of self-compassion were identified: 'average self-compassion' (54%), 'high self-compassion' (19.4%), 'low self-compassion and low self-coldness' (11.4%), 'high self-compassion and high self-coldness' (8%), and 'average self-compassion and high self-coldness' (7.2%). Patients with the 'high self-compassion' profile tended to be older and report no cancer recurrence, and those with the 'low self-compassion and low self-coldness' profile tended to be female. Patients with the 'high self-compassion' profile reported the fewest depressive and anxiety symptoms while patients with the 'average self-compassion and high self-coldness' profile reported the most depressive and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed five self-compassion profiles in cancer patients, which had different psychological outcomes. Future longitudinal research should investigate the causality between self-compassion profiles and psychological outcomes.

Self-compassion in Treatment and with Ourselves.

PURPOSEOF REVIEW: This article explores the emerging role of compassion in the treatment of individuals who have caused sexual harm. It also brings focus to the importance of self-care and self-compassion for the practitioners who do this work. RECENT FINDINGS: Early studies into interventions designed to prevent offending behavior focused more on risk reduction than client resilience and well-being. The good lives model shifted focus to rehabilitation centered on clients' strengths. Recent critiques highlight the importance of compassion in treatment and self-compassion for practitioners working in this field. Compassion plays a fundamental role in therapy with clients who have caused sexual harm.

The relationship between psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth in cancer patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic may have an important long-term emotional impact on patients with cancer diagnosis, as they are in the high-risk group. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic growth, and to examine whether psychological flexibility may serve as a mediator between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth. METHODS: Two hundred fifty-three patients with cancer were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Features Data Form, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were applied to all patients. RESULTS: The multivariate analysis with independent variable SCS, FMI, AAQ-II, and CFQ scores explains 49% of the variance in PTGI (F(4,248) = 60,585, p < 0.001). SC and FMI scores were found to have a positive and AAQ-II and CFQ scores a negative predictive effect on PTGI scores. The partial mediational effect of psychological flexibility on the relationship between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In traumatic life events such as pandemics, the importance of self-compassion for posttraumatic growth and the mediator role of psychological flexibility in this relationship should be considered in order to manage the treatment process in cancer patients. These patients are more affected by the pandemic due to the nature of their malignancy and the strict protective measures they must follow as members of a high-risk group. The significance of therapies focused on psychological flexibility should be emphasized in comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches for the management of cancer patients.

Body-related self-conscious emotions, self-compassion, and dietary restraint in Canadian undergraduate university students: A multilevel mediation and moderation analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Self-compassion has an inverse association with dietary restraint however, the mechanisms linking self-compassion and dietary restraint are not clear. This study aimed to determine to what extent self-compassion was inversely concurrently related to dietary restraint, indirectly through body-related self-conscious emotions, and to what extent trait self-compassion moderated the concurrent within-person association between body-related self-conscious emotions and dietary restraint. METHOD: Data was collected from 224 Canadian university students who reported on trait self-compassion at baseline and body-related shame, guilt, envy, and embarrassment, and dietary restraint biweekly between November 2020 and August 2021. RESULTS: Results from a 2-1-1 multilevel mediation model showed that trait self-compassion was indirectly concurrently related to dietary restraint through body-related shame, guilt, envy, and embarrassment. Results from the moderation model showed that there was a significant positive concurrent within-person association between body-related shame, envy, and embarrassment, but not guilt, with dietary restraint. These relationships were not moderated by trait self-compassion. DISCUSSION: This study adds to our understanding of the concurrent association between body-related self-conscious emotions and dietary restraint, and the mechanisms through which self-compassion is related to dietary restraint. Given body-related self-conscious emotions were related to dietary restraint at both the within-person and between-person level, both compassion-focused interventions that aim to improve general levels of body-related self-conscious emotions and interventions that aim to overcome spikes in these emotions compared with one's usual level are warranted. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Negative body-related self-conscious emotions were related to higher levels of dietary restraint both across individuals and within individuals over time; and may play a mechanistic role in linking self-compassion with dietary restraint. Interventions aimed at reducing negative body-related self-conscious emotions are warranted in the prevention of eating disorder psychopathology.

A pilot randomized trial of self-compassion writing for young adult women engaged in emotional eating in the context of appearance-related cyberbullying.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of a 10-min self-compassion writing in alleviating body dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and emotional eating in young adult women engaged in emotional eating in the context of appearance-related cyberbullying. METHOD: A total of 175 Chinese young adult women (Mage = 20.90, SD = 1.65) were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: self-compassion, distraction, or control group. At baseline, participants completed assessments of trait and state body dissatisfaction, trait self-objectification, trait self-compassion, emotional eating, and positive and negative affect. Then they needed to recall an appearance-related cyberbullying victimization experience, after which state body dissatisfaction, state self-objectification, and positive and negative affect were measured. After the intervention, participants completed measures of state body dissatisfaction, state self-objectification, positive and negative affect, state self-compassion, and a food-choosing task. At 1-month follow-up, participants completed measures of trait body dissatisfaction, trait self-objectification, trait self-compassion, and emotional eating. RESULTS: At post-intervention, state body dissatisfaction and negative affect were significantly lower, and positive affect was significantly higher in both the self-compassion and distraction groups compared to control. State self-objectification was significantly lower in the self-compassion group than in the other two groups. At 1-month follow-up, the self-compassion group showed significantly lower levels of body dissatisfaction than the control group. DISCUSSION: The findings provide initial evidence for the potential of self-compassion writing in reducing state self-objectification and state body dissatisfaction in the context of appearance-related cyberbullying. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Appearance-related cyberbullying, a common phenomenon in social networking sites, has been documented to associate with appearance-related concerns and disordered eating in young adult women. However, effective interventions that can reduce these negative associations are scarce. This study preliminarily found that a brief self-compassion writing could be a potential intervention for reducing state self-objectification and state body dissatisfaction in young adult women who had suffered appearance-related cyberbullying.