Mechanisms of Mindful Change: A Mediating Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility, Self-compassion, and Well-being after Compassionate Mind Training, 2022

Osborne, Ewan (2022). Mechanisms of Mindful Change: A Mediating Relationship Between Psychological Flexibility, Self-compassion, and Well-being after Compassionate Mind Training, 2022. [Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Service. 10.5255/UKDA-SN-856136

Data description (abstract)

Compassion-based practises have been extensively shown to be beneficial in their remediation and prevention of stress-related psychopathologies such as depression and anxiety. There are several fears, block and resistances to compassion which prevent individuals from accessing the physiological and psychological benefits of compassion. A key part of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and compassionate mind training (CMT), is teaching individuals mindfulness techniques to detach individuals from previous made associations, feelings and emotions that may cause them to block compassionate engagement and action. Mindfulness has been defined as being in contact with the present moment and being able to have meta-awareness of one's thoughts, feelings and emotions without becoming attached to them. There are different dimensions of psychological flexibility which dictate the content, context, strength and importance of these associations and relationships. These can be easier (psychological flexibility) or more difficult (psychological inflexibility) for individuals to change, evolve or expand upon.
The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between compassion, psychological flexibility and improved psychological well-being after Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). The motivation for this piece of research is to identify whether psychological flexibility (or certain dimensions of psychological flexibility) has an effect on how willing individuals are to engage and act upon the three flows of compassion: compassion for others, compassion from others and self-compassion.
This study had two hypotheses. Hypothesis one (H1) stated that participants’ levels of negative affect would significantly decrease after CMT and their levels of well-being would significantly increase alongside levels of compassionate engagement and action across the flows of compassion, repeating previous studies’ findings.
Hypothesis two (H2) stated that participants’ levels of well-being and compassionate engagement and action would have significant positive correlations with each other and measures of psychological flexibility, suggesting possible mediating factors between them. After data analysis, the results of this study supported the first hypothesis, revealing significant increases in self-compassionate engagement and action and well-being, as well as unexpected increases in psychological flexibility. In terms of the second hypothesis, a serial mediation analysis supported previous theoretical accounts and studies which have suggested that the soothing benefits of compassion are mediated via mindfulness, a process which, in this study appeared to be represented by the psychological flexibility dimensions of present-moment-awareness, defusion and self-as-context in that mediating order.

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