Search

When a relationship ends, it is essential to identify strategies that help people cope with the breakup, as this will condition their future well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between romantic breakup distress and flourishing, considering self-compassion as a mediator variable. A questionnaire was administered to 506 students of different educational levels (secondary and higher) and ages (15 to over 23 years old) to obtain information on study variables. Correlational and inferential analyzes were performed. The results indicated that the loss of intimacy was the main reason for the breakup. Furthermore, there were significant differences in distress according to the duration of the broken relationship, the status of the initiator of the breakup, and the current relationship. Finally, a significant indirect effect of distress on flourishing through selfcompassion was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University students are particularly vulnerable to stress due to the demands of higher education and the developmental transition from adolescence to adulthood. The adverse effects of prolonged stress responses highlight the importance of the development of coping skills. Relaxation appears as a tool capable of restoring the resources depleted by stress and increasing positive emotions, cultivating also self-compassion. This study aimed (1) evaluate the effectiveness of a relaxation training program in university students, using a randomized controlled trial comparing an active control group (exposed to listening to relaxing music) and a passive control groups (without any intervention), considering the changes over time in depression, anxiety and stress; (2) to examine how self-compassion and subjective happiness contributed to depression, anxiety and stress in the full sample; (3) and to examine the moderating role of self-compassion in the association between happiness and depression, anxiety and stress. Anxiety and stress increased for participants in the relaxation training program, alluding to the possible side effects of the initial practice. Higher levels of self-compassion and subjective happiness were both associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Programs aimed at increasing self-compassion and subjective happiness seem to be relevant to promote students' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated that maternal emotion regulation strategies (self-criticism and self-compassion), mental health, and family functioning impacts child functioning. Due to the paucity of studies, we aimed to analyze: (1) the associations between maternal emotion regulation strategies, psychopathological symptomatology, family functioning, and mother's perceived child social and emotional behavior (SEB); (2) the differences in mother's perceived child SEB, according to maternal, child and family characteristics; (3) the predictive role of maternal emotion regulation in mother's perceived child SEB. A sample of 431 mothers (25-59 years), with children aged 4-17 years (55.5% male), answered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale. The results showed positive associations between self-criticism, maternal psychopathological symptomatology, worse family functioning and child social and emotional problems, as well between maternal self-compassion and child prosocial behaviors. Mothers who reported low income, elementary school education, a history of psychiatric illness and whose children had early behavior changes perceived more social and emotional difficulties in their children. Maternal self-criticism was the main predictor of child social and emotional difficulties. In conclusion, maternal emotion regulation strategies and psychopathological symptomatology are associated with family functioning and child SEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-compassion is part of the motivation to relieve one's suffering and develop skills to do so. Considering chronic pain as a suffering with multiple dimensions, this study proposes to verify the effects of self-compassion in the treatment of pain from a systematic literature review. The databases used for this study were: VHL Regional Portal, Pubmed (Medline), Scielo and Google Scholar, between the years 2017 and 2020. Seven articles were included in the review, which generally showed the following results: strengthening of a value-based life, improvements in pain level, mental health, self-efficacy of pain, reduction of catastrophism, association between self-pity, less pain and high Heart Rate Variability (HRV), reduction of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, improvements in Fibromyalgia (FM) functional status, happiness and optimism. It is concluded that self-pity promotes several beneficial effects in the treatment of pain and that its indication is very relevant for these cases given the multidomensional character of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks, through a bibliographic review, to understand whether the practice of compassion meditation can be a useful tool to achieve a secure attachment style. The search for the latter is justified by corroborating with a more resilient individual, explorer of the outside world, self-confident, complacent and helpful in distressing situations, cooperative and possessing stronger relational connections. In parallel, there are the benefits of practicing compassion meditation, which include increasing social connection, generating several positive emotions and reducing avoidance of difficult thoughts and/or feelings. The Google Scholar platforms, CAPES Portal and PUC-Rio Library Portal were consulted, in Portuguese and English, the expressions "loving kindness meditation and attachment theory", "compassion meditation and attachment theory", "compassion meditation and attachment theory" and "attachment security and meditation". No research has been identified specifically associating compassion meditation and attachment theory. However, the hypothesis of the former influencing the latter has not been refuted, and there is still insufficient evidence of confirmation. The practice of meditation is scientifically supported and studied, but it has recently started research, which has not fully explored the subject, being interesting experimental and scientific studies to further validate the practice and its benefits. These studies include the intersections and interferences between compassionate meditation and secure attachment style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct of self-compassion is based on Buddhist's teachings on compassion towards oneself. This study provides criterion validity evidence for the Self-Compassion Scale-Brazil. A comparison on self-compassion in Buddhist and Catholic practitioners may contribute to support the Brazilian version of the scale, as well as shed light into religious differences on the matter. Participated in the study 59 Catholics and 59 Buddhists, all self-declared a religious practitioner. We administered a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Self-Compassion Scale-Brazil. Buddhist practitioners presented significantly higher score in self-compassion (M = 4.45, SD = .51) than Catholic practitioners (M = 2.98, SD = .63): t(116) = 13.78, p < .001 (d = 2.56). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between frequency of religious practice and self-compassion (r = .39, p = .003). Future studies may investigate the relationship between self-compassion and neo-Pentecostal practitioners, which has been increasing in number in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mindfulness-based interventions have consistently demonstrated associations with multiple aspects of flow and sport performance. In this current pilot study we sought to explore the effects of Mindfulness-based program for elite soccer athletes (MBSoccerP) training on self-compassion, mindfulness, and psychological flexibility, flow and sport performance outcomes on a sample of 57 elite soccer players (Portuguese 2ª league) from two different cohorts participated in this study. Also, we examined the relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and self-compassion at baseline-predicted flow and performance measures. Paired t-tests and correlations were conducted to examine changes and significant relation between variables before and after the MBSoccerP intervention. Also hierarchical regression was used to assess the influence of baseline psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and mindfulness facets on flow and sport performance measures at post-intervention in this pre-/post-pilot study. Results suggested that mindfulness, self-compassion, direct forms of performance and flow improved from pre to post-intervention and psychological inflexibility decreased. Further, mindfulness predicted higher flow at post intervention while controlling for baseline mindfulness. Psychological inflexibility predicted lower dispositional flow at post intervention. Findings suggest that MBSoccerP may be effective for improving flow and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research hypothesizes three emotion regulation systems: the threat system, the drive system, and the soothing system. Institutionalization is related with several indicators of psychological maladjustment and with the activation of the drive and/or the threat system. On the other hand, self-compassion, related to the soothing system, seems to have a positive effect in well-being. This study compared institutionalized and non-institutionalized adolescents in variables related to psychopathology and well-being. The sample included 460 noninstitutionalized adolescents and 171 institutionalized adolescents. Well-being, depression, early memories of warmth and safeness (EMWS), shame, self-criticism, self-compassion (SCS-A), and fears of compassion were assessed. Significant differences between the samples in well-being, fear of giving compassion to others, and in the factors Self-Kindness, Mindfulness and Over-Identification of the SCS-A were not found. However, there were differences in the scores of depression, external shame, self-criticism, fear of receiving compassion from others and from self, and in the factor Common Humanity (SCS-A), institutionalized adolescents scoring higher. Institutionalized adolescents presented lower scores in EMWS, and in the factors Self-Judgment and Isolation (SCS-A). The samples did not differ on well-being, possibly because institutionalized adolescents evaluated it considering their early life adversities before institutionalization. Higher scores in Common Humanity may be explained through contact with peers with the same background, which may also explain the fact that they are not afraid to give compassion to others. It is hypothesized that the institution, when functional, may have a role in stimulating the soothing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]