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The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of an online self-compassion intervention for transgender adolescents, with the aim of improving mental health. Participants identified as transgender or gender expansive, were between the ages of 13 and 17, and lived in the U.S. or Canada. The empirically-based self-compassion program, "Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens" (formerly "Making Friends with Yourself") was implemented in eight 1.5 hour sessions on the Zoom platform by two trained instructors. Surveys were administered pre-, post-intervention, and at 3 months follow-up, and qualitative data were collected through end-of-program interviews and open-ended questions on the post-survey. All protocols were approved by the university IRB. Quantitative data analysis included repeated measures ANOVAs, and qualitative data were analyzed via both inductive and deductive methods. Results indicated that all but one psychosocial measure significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention, which then significantly improved at 3-month follow-up; most other improvements were maintained at follow-up. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data: "virtual safe space"; "connection to body"; "personal growth"; and "recommended course changes" and are discussed. Results suggest that self-compassion interventions can be incorporated into therapy programs to support and improve mental health for transgender adolescents.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of Making Friends with Yourself (MFY): A Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Teens and Young Adults with a sample of college students. A secondary objective was to explore changes in psychosocial outcomes. Participants: Twenty-five students (23 females; mean age 20.35 years) enrolled in the 8-week intervention. Methods: Feasibility was measured by attendance and retention of participants; acceptability was determined through analysis of focus group data. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed through analyses of pre- and post-intervention measures. Results: The intervention was feasible as 20 students attended at least seven of eight classes, and 21 completed the program. Students found the intervention acceptable and reported significant increases in mindfulness and self-compassion and decreased perceived stress from pre- to post-intervention. However, academic stress increased. Conclusions: MFY may be a feasible and acceptable program to offer to college students. Further piloting in college student populations is recommended.

Positive academic climates are critical to helping students thrive, and kindness innovations might enhance these climates. This conceptual paper's purpose is to share insights from a consensus building event focused on fostering relationships and knowledge-sharing among an international group of multidisciplinary students, faculty, and staff who explored ways to bring a kindness framework into post-secondary education. Participants underscored kindness as critical for students' experiences and university culture, and identified several levels of influence requiring intervention focus. Ideas and strategies emerging from the event might serve to encourage student-led kindness initiatives and prompt university personnel to integrate kindness into post-secondary institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 4‐year prospective study investigated the dynamic relationship between stress, self‐compassion, and resilience among university students, a population with increasing rates of mental health challenges. Drawing on stress theories, the research explored whether the combination of stress and self‐compassion strengthens resilience over time. A sample of 1137 university students (47.6% White, 38% female) completed measures of stress, resilience, and self‐compassion annually during the Spring semester across their four undergraduate years. A random intercept cross‐lagged panel model with latent interactions was used to test the hypothesized causal relationships. Contrary to the common belief that stress is debilitating, the results revealed a positive association between an increase in stress and a subsequent increase in self‐compassion. Moreover, when stress levels increased alongside self‐compassion, students demonstrated higher resilience. Notably, an increase in either stress or self‐compassion alone did not enhance resilience. These findings highlight the synergetic effect between self‐compassion and stress in enhancing resilience; under the right conditions, stress can lead to positive outcomes and increased capacity for coping with future stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who work in nursing homes (NHs) face significant work and personal stress. Self‐compassion training has been shown to decrease stress postintervention in previous studies among healthcare providers and those in helping professions. This study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of self‐compassion training to address CNA stress and well‐being. Design: Pre–post intervention. Setting: Three mid‐size, nonprofit NHs in North Carolina. Participants: Thirty CNAs, with a mean age of 49, 96% of whom were female, and 83% black/African American. Intervention: In one NH, participants received an 8‐week, 2.5‐h/session (20 h total) group intervention. At the time of recruitment for NHs 2 and 3, a briefer format (6‐week, 1‐h/session; 6 h total) became available and was preferred by CNAs, thus both NHs 2 and 3 participants received a 6‐h group intervention. All interventions occurred in meeting rooms within participating NHs during shift changes. Measurements: Intervention attendance, retention, and acceptability; self‐compassion, stress, burnout, depression, and attitudes toward residents with dementia, and job satisfaction pre‐, post‐, 3‐month post‐, and 6‐month postintervention were assessed. Results: Attendance and program satisfaction were high, and attrition was low for both training formats. Self‐compassion was significantly improved at all time periods (p < 0.001), and stress and depression improved significantly through 3 months (p < 0.05), but not 6 months. No statistically significant change in job satisfaction was noted. Conclusion: Self‐compassion interventions are feasible and acceptable for CNAs working in NHs and show promise for managing stress and improving well‐being and compassion toward residents. The briefer 6‐h format may maximize participation, while still providing benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a series of studies on the development and validation of the Self-Compassion Scale—Youth version (SCS-Y), which is intended for use with early adolescents in middle school. Study 1 (N = 279, Mage = 12.17) describes the selection of 17 items out of a pool of 36 potential items, with three items each representing the subscales of self-kindness, mindfulness, common humanity, self-judgment, isolation, and two items representing over-identification. Using state-of-the-art psychometric analyses ideal for examining multidimensional constructs like self-compassion—bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM)—findings supported the use of a general self-compassion score and six subscale scores. Study 2 cross-validated the factor structure of the SCS-Y with a second sample of youths (N = 402, Mage = 12.43). Study 3 found support for the test-retest reliability of the SCS-Y (N = 102, Mage = 12.52). Study 4 (N = 212, Mage = 12.18) established construct validity for the SCS-Y by demonstrating that SCS-Y scores were significantly associated with mindfulness, happiness, life-satisfaction, depression, resilience, and achievement goal orientation in expected directions. Overall, findings suggest that the SCS-Y is a reliable and valid measure of self-compassion for use with youths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐compassion is an adaptive way of self‐relating that entails tending to one's emotional pain with understanding and care. In this article, we propose an intergenerational model explaining how self‐compassion develops in the context of the parent–child relationship. Specifically, we posit that parents who have had supportive experiences with their own childhood caregivers develop a secure attachment and a high level of self‐compassion. In turn, we propose that high self‐compassion in parents promotes parents' capacity to support children when they experience difficult emotions (e.g., anger, sadness). These responses promote the child's secure attachment, high self‐compassion development, and positive behavioral outcomes. A key area for future research is examining the potential link between parent self‐compassion and responses to difficult emotions in the child. Given that self‐compassion can be enhanced through intervention, support for this model will have broad implications for interrupting intergenerational cycles of dysfunction caused by insecure attachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Adolescents with type 1 diabetes are at a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders, particularly eating disorders, compared with their healthy peers. In turn, this increases the risk for sub-optimal glycaemic control and life-threatening diabetes-related complications. Despite these increased risks, standard diabetes care does not routinely provide psychological support to help prevent or reduce mental health risks. There is an urgent need to develop ‘clinically usable’ psychosocial interventions that are acceptable to patients and can be realistically integrated into clinical care. This study aims to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a brief self-compassion intervention for adolescents with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating behaviour. Methods and analysis This feasibility study will examine the effectiveness of a brief self-compassion intervention, compared with a waitlist control group. Participants aged 12–16 years will be recruited from three diabetes outpatient clinics in Auckland, New Zealand. The brief self-compassion intervention is adapted from the standardised ‘Making Friends with Yourself’ intervention and will be delivered in a group format over two sessions. Apart from examining feasibility and acceptability through the flow of participants through the study and qualitative questions, we will assess changes to disordered eating behaviour (primary outcome), self-care behaviours, diabetes-related distress, self-compassion, stress and glycaemic control (secondary outcomes). Such data will be used to calculate the required sample size for a fully powered randomised controlled trial. Ethics and dissemination This trial has received ethics approval from the Health and Disability Ethics Committee (research project number A+8467). Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adult cancer survivors (YACS) are a vulnerable population that reports high anxiety, social isolation, and feelings of inadequacy after cancer treatment completion. Mindful self-compassion (MSC) provides strategies for coping with suffering. We explored how MSC practices addressed the psychosocial needs of a nationally recruited YACS sample (N = 20, all female, age M = 27.00, various cancer types) that participated in an 8-week MSC video-chat intervention. Descriptive qualitative analysis of the intervention recordings revealed three YACS’ psychosocial needs: peer isolation, body concerns, and health-related anxiety. MSC practices addressed these in a number of ways including: self-reliance for emotional support, common humanity within the YACS community, gratitude, self-kindness, and acceptance. Meanwhile, the body scan practice initially triggered distress for some; implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-compassion has been associated with well-being in adult samples, but has rarely been assessed in adolescents. In this study, 90 students ages 11–18 completed an online survey assessing self-compassion, life satisfaction, perceived stress and positive and negative affect. Findings indicated that older female adolescents had lower self-compassion than either older male adolescents or early adolescents of either gender, and self-compassion was associated significantly with all dimensions of emotional well-being with the exception of positive affect. Additionally, phase of adolescence, but not gender, was found to moderate the relationship between self-compassion and dimensions of well-being; for older adolescents, the inverse relationship between self-compassion and negative affect was stronger. Lastly, the influence of the various components of self-compassion was investigated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD) are at an increased risk for acute and chronic stress compared to parents of children with other developmental disabilities and parents of children without disabilities. It is plausible that the stressors of having a child with ASD affect the couple relationship; however, few researchers have focused on this dynamic within these families. In this article, we seek to develop a model for how stress operates in families with children with ASD. In developing this new stress model, we describe the characteristics of ASD, discuss stressors that are pronounced in families of children with ASD as supported by the literature, and highlight the limitations of Perry's (2004) model in application to this population. Our expanded stress model includes the addition of parenting couple resources and parenting couple outcomes. Finally, we demonstrate how to apply the model using a mindfulness intervention to promote positive outcomes and strengthen the couple relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mindful parenting has been thought to be more effective and less effortful than following a parenting routine. While there is evidence for effectiveness, the lessened effort is largely based on anecdotes. In this study, we created a self-report Parenting Effort Scale for use with already established parent self-report scales of everyday mindfulness and perceived youth problems. One hundred and eighteen volunteer mothers of middle school adolescents completed the three scales. As expected, mothers' mindfulness scores covaried inversely with their effort scores and their perceptions of youth problems. Also as expected, the effort scores correlated positively with youth internalizing problem scores. This correlation was significantly weakened when mindfulness scores were entered in a regression model, suggesting that mothers' mindfulness mediated the connection between their perceived effort and perceived youth internalizing problems. Surprisingly, there was no significant correlation between perceived effort and youth externalizing problems. However, we did find a connection involving effort, mindfulness, and externalizing problems. This connection revealed a moderating function in which mothers with high mindfulness scores reported less effort and lower youth externalizing problems compared to mothers with low mindfulness scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although depression symptoms are often treated as interchangeable, some symptoms may relate to adolescent life satisfaction more strongly than others. To assess this premise, we first conducted a network analysis on the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) in a large (N = 1,059), cross-sectional sample of community adolescents (age M = 14.72 ± 1.79). The most central symptoms of adolescent depression, as indexed by strength, were self-hatred, loneliness, sadness, and worthlessness while the least frequently endorsed symptoms were self-hatred, anhedonia, feeling like a bad person, and feeling unloved. Moreover, the more central a depression symptom was in the network (i.e., higher strength), the more variance it shared with life satisfaction (r = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.76). How frequently a symptom was endorsed was negatively associated with the variance symptoms shared with life satisfaction (r = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.63, -0.21). Cross-validated, prediction focused models found central symptoms were expected to predict more out of fold variance in life satisfaction than peripheral symptoms and frequently endorsed symptoms, but not the least frequently endorsed symptoms. These findings show certain depression symptoms may be more strongly associated with life satisfaction in adolescence and these symptoms can be identified by multiple symptom-level metrics. Limitations include use of cross-sectional data and utilizing a community sample. Better understanding which symptoms of depression share more variance with important outcomes like life satisfaction could help us develop a more fine-grained understanding of adolescent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescents living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) often experience diabetes distress (DD), a construct distinct from depression or anxiety that refers to the negative emotions that arise from living with and managing diabetes. Self-compassion, which involves being open to one's own suffering and treating oneself with the same care one would show to loved ones, is associated with better psychological and clinical outcomes among individuals with T1D. Self-compassion is a skill that can be taught and therefore represents an opportunity for intervention., Objective: The overall aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a web-based mindful self-compassion for teens (MSC-T) intervention on improving DD, anxiety, depression, diabetes-related disordered eating, and suicidal ideation experienced by youth with T1D (aged between 12 and 17 years) compared with a waitlist control group (standard of care). We will also explore (1) if the effect of the MSC-T intervention changes over time, (2) if the MSC-T intervention has a positive impact on measures of glycemic control, and (3) if the effect of the MSC-T intervention differs based on self-reported gender., Methods: We will conduct a single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial of 140 adolescents with T1D followed for 12 months. Participants will be randomly allocated (using hidden allocation) in a 1:1 ratio to either the MSC-T intervention or the waitlist control group. Our primary outcome is DD, as measured by the Problem Areas in Diabetes-Teen (PAID-T) version at 3 months. Secondary outcomes, assessed at 3 and 12 months, include anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item [GAD-7] scale), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]), diabetes-related disordered eating (Diabetes Eating Problem Survey-Revised [DEPS-R] version), and suicidal ideation (using 1 question from the PHQ-9)., Results: Study recruitment began in October 2022 and was completed in March 2023, with a total of 141 participants enrolling. Data collection will be ongoing until March 2024. The first results are expected in June 2024., Conclusions: This study will be the first randomized trial to assess the effectiveness of the web-based MSC-T intervention on adolescents with T1D. Given that adolescence is a period where individuals are typically required to assume more responsibility for their diabetes care, providing adolescents with the tools they need to better manage the stress that often accompanies T1D management is paramount., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05463874; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05463874., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/53935., (©Saunya Dover, Alexandra Ahmet, Karen Bluth, Brian M Feldman, Ellen B Goldbloom, Gary S Goldfield, Sarah Hamilton, Omar Imran, Adam Khalif, Karine Khatchadourian, Sarah Lawrence, Andrew Leonard, Kuan Liu, Yongdong Ouyang, Corien Peeters, Jai Shah, Noah Spector, Caroline Zuijdwijk, Marie-Eve Robinson. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 26.12.2023.)