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The perioperative period can be a stressful time for many patients. Concerns for the procedure or fearing potential complications contribute to perioperative anxiety and depression, which significantly impact patient wellbeing and recovery. Understanding the psychological impact of the perioperative period can inform individualized care focused on each patient's unique stressors. Compassion-based interventions are limited but have shown benefits in non-surgical healthcare settings, and can provide support by prioritizing empathy and understanding in the perioperative period. This review evaluates the impact of compassion-based interventions on anxiety and depression among adult surgical patients. A systematic review of 25 randomized controlled trials was conducted with a meta-analysis of 14 studies for anxiety and 9 studies for depression that provided sufficient information. The included studies tested compassion-based interventions that focused on enhanced communication, emotional support, and individualized attention from healthcare professionals. In 72 % of the studies, the interventions decreased anxiety and depression, compared to control groups. These interventions improved health-related outcomes such patient satisfaction and postoperative complications. The meta-analysis indicated a large effect of the compassion-based interventions for anxiety (g = −0.95) and depressive symptoms (g = −0.82). The findings were consistent among various surgeries and patient populations. Many of the included studies lacked clarity in their methods and only 14 studies provided sufficient information for the meta-analysis. Given the growing evidence suggesting that compassion-based psychological interventions are feasible and applicable in the perioperative setting, their inclusion in routine care could reduce depression and anxiety around surgery and improve patient outcomes and experiences. • Perioperative depression and anxiety can impact surgical experience and recovery. • Compassion-based interventions are used in non-surgical healthcare settings. • Systematic review and meta-analysis of perioperative compassion-based interventions. • Compassion-based interventions improve anxiety and depression compared to controls. • Conclusions limited by small number of studies and study quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart-Smile Training (HST) is an interoceptive compassion-based behavioral intervention that in case reports has been beneficial for depression. Interoception refers to the awareness and regulation of physiological signals from inside the body. Depressed patients often have diminished interoceptive awareness and often experience disconnection from bodily needs and sensations. In addition to interoceptive dysfunction, depression often involves negative self-evaluation and self-critical rumination. HST is a compassion-based meditation training program that explicitly cultivates interoceptive awareness of the heart area. This study aims to investigate the possible neurocardiac mechanisms engaged through HST for depression patients. Methods: We plan to enroll 50 subjects to be randomized into a 4-week HST intervention group and a waitlist group. A battery of psychological questionnaires will be administered at baseline and post-intervention timepoints, and electroencephalography (EEG) will be collected during compassion meditation guided by pre-recorded audio. The primary clinical outcome measures are on the feasibility of the intervention and research procedures, the primary mechanistic outcome measure is the post-intervention change in Heartbeat Evoked Potential (HEP) amplitude. Secondary outcome measures include changes in depression severity and EEG gamma spectral activity. Exploratory outcome measures include effects of HST on skin conductance response, heart rate variability, EEG spectral properties in other frequency bands, as well as a list of psychological questionnaires that measure depression and anxiety symptoms, emotion regulation, mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, self-compassion, gratitude, sleep quality, quality of life and social connectedness. Results: Results not yet available. Conclusion: This is the first study on the feasibility and interoceptive neurocardiac mechanism of HST. Our findings will provide frontier knowledge on the physiological working mechanism of behavioral interventions with an interoception-based meditative approach. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05564533. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay explores the ethical underpinnings and utility of diary designs as a component of a triangulated research strategy that challenges positivist approaches to research. Building upon the work of Critical, Feminist, and Indigenous researchers, we show how centering marginalized voices through storytelling and diary designs allows for the examination of short-term, nuanced processes and everyday experiences of diverse individuals. Using original data collected at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we leverage diary research to explore emotional labor among local public sector employees to better understand how the method itself might reduce power imbalances with researchers, improve the quality of data, and support the well-being of participants. We found diaries led participants to pay heightened attention to their internal states and behavior, increasing their baseline levels of self-monitoring and in some cases altering the ways they coped with emotional exhaustion. Diaries centered the voices of participants by giving them repeated opportunities to provide frequent reports on the social and psychological particulars of ongoing events and experiences in the context of their daily lives. We use these findings to suggest a path forward for more compassionate, liberatory, and empathic research designs that blend methodologies to center the experiences of participants while being cognizant of the ethical impacts engaging in research can have on their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assessed whether polyphenolic rich supplement containing Bacopa monnieri (BM: 300 mg), Panax quinquefolius ginseng (PQ: 100 mg) and whole coffee fruit extract (WCFE: 100 mg) could enhance cognitive performance, affect and cerebral-cortical activation over 28-days of intervention. Method: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study of 52 healthy adults between 35 and 65 years (M = 50.20, SD = 9.37) was conducted. Measures of cognition, affect and brain activity were measured at three time points: baseline, 28 days post intervention and 14 days post washout. At each time point, haemodynamic response in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Results: The polyphenolic-rich supplement reliably improved positive affect and delayed recall compared to placebo following 28 days of supplementation. For the brain, those in the active condition showed greater PFC activation on performance of the 2-back tasks post supplementation compared to placebo (p <.05, d = 0.6). Discussion: This is the first report of a 28-day supplement intervention and 2-week follow-up study to assess changes in affect, cognition, cerebral haemodynamic response and BDNF in healthy middle-aged adults. The potential synergistic effects of polyphenolic compounds on neurocognitive function in middle-aged adults through emotional-cognitive processing and cognitive reserve are important for promoting brain and cognitive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care in the 21st century has emphasised science and technology-centred practice, which might lead to dehumanisation such that healthcare professionals come to treat patients less like persons and more like objects. A programme of humanities for healthcare professionals has been suggested as a solution to overcome the problem of dehumanisation. The OMNIBUS programme was developed in humanities curriculum for a Catholic nursing programme to foster students to have attributes of a 'Good Samaritan', a model for compassionate professional. This paper describes the effect of a four-year nursing programme with a humanities curriculum on students' compassionate attributes including bioethics awareness, cultural competency, empathy, and spirituality. It was a secondary data analysis using time-series data collected from nursing students. The levels of bioethics awareness and spirituality among the nursing students have improved. They maintained cultural competencies and empathy skills over time. Developing a humanities curriculum can be used as a strategy to teach Christian values to professional students without emphasising religious aspects. Plain Language Summary: The results of this study show that the humanities curriculum can have a positive influence on nurturing nursing professionals modelled on the Good Samaritan. The figure of the Good Samaritan has been presented as an important model for the identity of healthcare professionals since the introduction of Christianity to the West and provided the direction of numerous Christian healthcare practitioners and medical institutions. Given that the dignity of a person and the value of life is the foundation of the nursing profession, this article suggests a way for educators in charge of nurturing nursing students to strengthen the bioethics awareness and spirituality of nursing students through the humanities based on the Samaritan model. It can also help educators to recognise the need in improving empathic and cultural competencies among nursing students and at the same time. This article, showing the importance of a holistic view of the human being and how to foster such a view, can remind the essential identity of healthcare professionals in the modern healthcare service that focuses mainly on knowledge and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance coaches (HPCs) encounter a wide range of demands and face challenges engaging in self-care and recovery activities to promote a sustainable coaching career. In this innovative mixed method study, we aimed to gain an understanding of HPCs' experiences of a brief mindful self-reflection intervention. To address this aim, 18 HPCs completed an 8-week daily intervention and reported their ratings of mood and energy via daily SMS-diaries. Self-reported measures of self-compassion, mindfulness, and well-being were collected at pre-intervention, 2 weeks post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Qualitative data consisted of focus group interviews that were conducted 2 weeks after the intervention ended and a written follow-up containing three questions 6 months after the intervention. To further explore the mechanisms throughout the intervention, participants were categorized into two groups, High Mood and Energy (HME) and Low Mood and Energy (LME), and we compared these groupings with qualitative data. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we subsequently developed two overarching themes from these data that characterized group differences, (viz. HME: "Self-aware and open to attend to self-care needs and well-being" and LME: "Reflecting resistance to the intervention and low self-awareness"). Taken together, we interpret these data to suggest this mindful self-reflection intervention has the potential to enhance HPCs' self-compassion. This work provides knowledge that can help guide both coaches and organizations in their quest to promote sustainable coaching careers in the elite sport context and we offer recommendations for practitioners working with HPCs. Lay summary: In this mixed method study, we examined a mindful self-reflection intervention among HPCs with positive quantitative findings for self-reported self-compassion. Participants were also categorized based on daily ratings of energy and mood and from the qualitative data, we generated themes that provide an understanding of risk-factors and resources for sustainable HPCs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study provides support that a brief, daily, mindful self-reflection intervention may aid sustainable high-performance coaching by increasing self-compassion. The promotion of self-reflection may increase awareness of vulnerability and lower the threshold for help-seeking among HPCs, and sport organizations might promote similar interventions with the aim of supporting sustainability among individual HPCs and psychologically healthier elite sport environments. The knowledge developed here on risk factors and resources associated with sustainable high-performance coaching could be used by those responsible for coach education, particularly for coaches transitioning into elite sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heightened stress levels are experienced and reported by social work practitioners worldwide and issues such as secondary traumatic stress, burnout and compassion fatigue are terms increasingly being used in the context of social work practice. This study sought to investigate factors that influence compassion fatigue as well as compassion satisfaction in social workers. It was conducted in two cities in south India with a sample of 73 social workers. Standardized instruments were administered to assess compassion fatigue as well as compassion satisfaction besides measures to identify the manifestation of stress and resilience in the respondents. Findings indicate high levels of stress and resilience and significant manifestation of compassion fatigue and burnout levels in the sample studied. It was also observed that the interaction effect between resilience and stress significantly explained the manifestation of compassion fatigue but not that of compassion satisfaction. Implications of these findings have been discussed in terms of influencing individual and organizational factors to enhance resilience, deal more effectively with work-related stress, and reduce burnout and compassion fatigue. This will in the long run bode well for the wellbeing of social workers besides potentially impacting the quality-of-service provision. Practice Points: Social work organizations need to promote measures to ensure manageable workloads, role clarity, adequate resources, and workplace support to employees. The importance of self-care measures and timely help-seeking is a message that needs to be unequivocally conveyed. Stress management and resilience-building measures need to be incorporated within the work culture of organizations that employ social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality nursing care and ethical responses to patient pain and suffering are very important in the preoperative period. However, few studies have addressed these variables. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between compassionate care and preoperative anxiety from the perspective of hospitalized patients. Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional descriptive one. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Burnell Compassionate Care Tool, and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 22) through descriptive and inferential statistics at a significance level of 0.05 (p <.05). Participants and setting: This study was conducted on 704 candidates for surgery in the internal and surgical wards of a large teaching hospital located in the south of Iran from December 2022 to March 2023. Ethical considerations: The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the University Ethics Committee. Findings: The patients' average age was 36.61 ± 13.07. The average preoperative anxiety and need for information scores were 13.80 ± 2.66 and 7.44 ± 1.47, respectively. The average score of importance was 3.03 ± 0.19, and the average score of the extent of compassionate care provision was 1.22 ± 0.15. There was a significant relationship between preoperative anxiety with importance and the extent of compassionate care provision (r = 0.68, p <.001), r = −0.72, p <.001, respectively). A comparison of the demographic characteristics, need for information, importance, and provision of compassionate care showed that the extent of compassionate care provision had the greatest contribution in explaining preoperative anxiety (β = 0.50; p <.001). Conclusion: Even though patients' preoperative anxiety was high and providing compassionate care in the preoperative period had a great role in relieving their anxiety, many participants appear to have received little compassionate care. To this end, nursing managers should pay attention to the quality of compassionate care in the preoperative stage. Besides, healthcare staff should receive the necessary training in compassionate nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Social workers navigate systemic stressors while managing self-care amid scant institutional support. The purpose of this systematic review is to critically examine the state of social work intervention research for self-care practices. Methods: This review includes empirical research articles focusing on self-care interventions in social work between 2011 and 2022 (N = 22). Results: All self-care interventions focused on modifying individual behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge. Discussion: Most (83%) research on self-care interventions focused on mindfulness, which tended to be associated with improvements in mindfulness, distress management, and clinical self-efficacy. The remaining interventions tended to be associated with improvements in self-care attitudes, knowledge, practices, and wellness. Conclusion: Structural factors and socioeconomic privilege have been found to be predominant predictors of whether social work students, educators, and practitioners engaged in self-care practices, yet no interventions incorporated structural or institutional variables. Multilevel interventions addressing structural, institutional, and relational determinants of burnout are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tim Argall explores Jesus' role as Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace) and the implications for leadership. Shalom, encompassing peace, wholeness, and divine intention, contrasts with typical human notions of leadership. By analysing Jesus' servant leadership, compassion, and authentic living, Argall suggests that shalom leadership integrates these principles, providing a holistic model for contemporary Christian leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Elder Mistreatment (EM) occurs in approximately 10% of older adults and is associated with trauma-related outcomes including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and early mortality. Low screening and older adult self-reporting, especially within emergency departments, represent missed opportunities for identify and mitigate future EM occurrences and consequences. To date, no studies have obtained EM survivors' perspectives on EM screening and response practices in emergency departments. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 19 EM survivors of those with Adult Protective Services validated EM were completed in older adults' homes. The Elder Mistreatment Emergency Department Screening and Response Tool (EM-SART) was used to guide the interview questions. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative thematic analyses. Results: The participants were mostly female (63%) and white (58%) with an average age of 74 years. Physical abuse accounted for 67% of the EM incidents. Three themes emerged indicating the survivor preference for (1) building rapport and approaching the older adult with compassion and care, (2) setting the context before asking the EM questions, and (3) allowing mutuality, collaborative work, and shared decision-making during the response. Conclusions: Older adults are agreeable and willing to self-report and actively engage in the EM screening and response practices in the emergency department if trauma-informed care principles are utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the phenomenon of compassionate leadership, a promising concept in management literature. Despite significant contributions towards the understanding of its antecedents and consequences, the specific role of compassion concerning the leader behavior under extreme pressure remains unexplored. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing empirically on the case of three banks under three different logics, the authors trace how heads of banking branches, namely, middle managers, deal with the paradoxical phenomenon of integrating their human nature with the coetaneous need to achieve aggressive objectives. The authors analyzed interviews using the interpretive research method (Hatch and Yanow, 2003). Findings: The authors identified that the logic of savings banks and credit cooperatives, together with specific human elements, created a healthier environment to develop compassionate behaviors compared to commercial banks. The authors found coherence when linking the institutional message of putting the spotlight on a personalized treatment of customers, and the middle manager compassionate actions towards customers and subordinates. Research limitations/implications: Suggestions for future theorizing and research are advanced, along with constructive practical implications to rehumanize the dark side of banking for both employees and customers. Originality/value: The findings provided in this paper are original because they provide further evidence of linking business logics with compassionate leadership of middle managers and its impact on employees and customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Integrated care (IC) is mainly studied from the perspectives of organisations or employees. However, less research is focussed on how patients themselves experience person-centred (PC) IC in practice. This context-specific, small-scale study examines what PC-IC means to older patients who went through joint replacement surgery (JRS). Design/methodology/approach: The data consists of ten in-depth interviews of older patients, focussing on their experiences of care during their patient journey related to joint knee or hip replacement surgery. The data were analysed with thematic analysis. Findings: Three central dimensions of PC-IC for older patients were identified: information sharing, continuity of care and compassionate encountering. Human validation and compassionate encountering were experienced as important aspects of PC-IC. Compassionate encountering was concretised through professionals' very small everyday practices, which made the patient feel comfortable and respected. Instead, probably due to the medical and quite straight-forward nature of the joint replacement care process, patients seem to be pleased to trust the expertise of professionals and did not necessarily expect an active role or participation in the decision-making. Originality/value: This Finnish case study focusses on the patients' authentic perceptions of what is central to person-centred IC in the specific context of JRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify and synthesise the best evidence on health-care leaders' and professionals' experiences and perceptions of compassionate leadership. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews using a convergent integrated approach. A systematic search was done in January 2023 in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Medic and MedNar databases. The results were reported based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Ten studies were included in the review (five qualitative and five quantitative). The thematic analysis identified seven analytical themes as follows: treating professionals as individuals with an empathetic and understanding approach; building a culture for open and safe communication; being there for professionals; giving all-encompassing support; showing the way as a leader and as a strong professional; building circumstances for efficient work and better well-being; and growing into a compassionate leader. Practical implications: Compassionate leadership can possibly address human resource-related challenges, such as health-care professionals' burnout, turnover and the lack of patient safety. It should be taken into consideration by health-care leaders, their education and health-care organisations when developing their effectiveness. Originality/value: This review synthesised the knowledge of compassionate leadership in health care and its benefits by providing seven core elements of health-care leaders' and professionals' experiences and perceptions of compassionate leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The need for nurses to provide high-quality palliative care in clinical settings is increasing with the expansion of the need for palliative care. This study aimed to identify the degree of willingness to provide palliative care among nurses in Korea, and to explore factors that influence this willingness. Methods: Participants were 160 nurses employed in five general hospitals in South Korea, with a clinical career of over one year. Data were collected using an online questionnaire between January and February 2023, that assessed nurses' knowledge and perception of palliative care, meaning of life, compassion competence, and degree of willingness to provide palliative care. Differences in willingness to provide palliative care based on general characteristics were analysed using an independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Correlations between the research variables and willingness to provide palliative care were analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Hierarchical regression was conducted to explore the factors affecting willingness to palliative care. Results: The degree of willingness to provide palliative care among nurses was 74.43 ± 9.73 (Range 50–100). In the final model, it was found that the willingness to palliative care was affected in the order of: compassion competence (β = 0.48, p <.001), perception of palliative care (β = 0.18, p =.005), and clinical experience (β = 0.15, p =.026). The explanatory power of the model was 41.4% (F = 17.01; p <.001). Conclusions: Perceptions of palliative care, clinical experience, and compassion competence were identified as factors influencing nurses' willingness to provide palliative care. Based on this study, it is necessary to provide education and training that includes content that can increase nurses' awareness of palliative care and improve their compassion competence to promote their willingness to provide palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Where available, Parkinson's Nurse Specialists (PNS) provide a range of care, support, guidance, and advocacy for people with Parkinson's (PwP), and, where appropriate, their care partners (CP). Parkinson's is a complex and progressive condition. Consequently, evaluating health outcomes is not a reliable method to understand the value and impact of PNS. Previous research has identified PNS can improve the subjective well-being of PwP in the community, also that barriers to care include heavy caseloads and a lack of time. Yet little is known about the value of the role of the PNS, particularly about the impact of pharmacological management and review. This research aims to close this research gap by providing explanatory theories of the impact and value of PNS to PwP, their CP, and other professionals. Methods: A social constructivist grounded theory approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups, PNS, PwP, and CP. Interviews were analysed using NVivo for coding and categorising and Word for memo-writing. Data was analysed inductively and iteratively to identify contexts, social processes, actions, and behaviours, before final emergent theories were identified. Results: 46 semi-structured interviews (PNS 18, PwP 19, CP 9) led to four data categories and 13 sub-categories that delineated PNS value. (1) Expert Counsel; provision of emotional support, education, and lifestyle guidance; CP inclusion; provision from diagnosis; and across all stages of Parkinson's. (2) Conduit of Care; signposting, referral, and connection to PwP, CP, others; PNS barriers and facilitators; (3) Team/Partnership; continuity and partnership, 'working together'; (4) Pharmacological Support, PNS prescribing; concordance; speed of treatment. Where PNS were accessible they could offer personalised support and partnership, so providing person-centred care that improves health and well-being. Conclusion: Where a PNS is accessible due to service availability and manageable caseloads, to provide person-centred care, they deliver several benefits to PwP and CP which improve health and perceived well-being. Where PNS are not available, PwP and CP often struggle to manage their Parkinson's with negative impacts on health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many people want the government involved in healthcare. Is this because citizens are concerned about their own vulnerability, the plight of vulnerable others, or both? To test for these concerns, we used representative surveys and experimental economic games. We found robust evidence for concern for others. In surveys, people who worried about vulnerable others wanted more government involvement in healthcare. In experiments, people with the opportunity to subsidize vulnerable others often helped. The evidence for personal concern was more mixed. In surveys, people who were personally vulnerable did not usually want more government involvement in healthcare. In experiments, however, vulnerable people often wanted more healthcare. Additional data suggests that concern for the vulnerable is motivated by social preferences, empathy, and compassion. We discuss how the logic of healthcare is different from other aspects of the welfare state and therefore needs to be studied separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last four decades there has been a significant growth of interest in mindfulness-based practices and their potential to foster improvements in health, wellbeing and human functioning in a variety of clinical and nonclinical populations. With this growth has come a renewed interest in understanding the psychological processes involved as well as the neuropsychological mechanisms by which such practices operate and effect transformative personal experiences and positive change. The current perspective paper (i) presents a basic taxonomy of meditation types and the structure and function of the processes believed to be involved, (ii) describes these components in terms of key neuroanatomical regions of interest, and (iii) critically appraises current findings regarding EEG measures as they relate to different aspects of meditation, functional activity and connectivity across regions of interest. The correlates between mindfulness and EEG are well described in terms of attentional and interoceptive processes and neuroanatomical regions of interest. To a lesser extent, there is also a growing understanding of such correlates for meditation techniques centred on compassion and loving-kindness meditation. However, the same does not apply to wisdom-based and null-state meditation practices where consistent associations between neuropsychological processes and EEG characteristics have proven elusive. These latter practices are viewed by many as key to fostering the deeper transformative experiences underlying psychological and spiritual development, and although studies of null-state meditation have yielded promising theoretical developments, more research is required. Future research could also benefit from better standardisation of EEG measures and analytic techniques to allow more robust metanalyses, and greater consistency of terminology regarding the fundamental components of meditation practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims Design Method Results Conclusion Patient or Public Contribution To develop and preliminarily validate a measure of beliefs about compassion in health care and assess whether and which beliefs may predict compassion.Pre‐registered cross‐sectional online survey study with a repeated‐measures vignette component.Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor analyses were performed on a split sample of 890 healthcare professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Links with fears of compassion for others, burnout, trait compassion, compassion competency and ability and self‐efficacy were used to assess convergent and divergent validity. Linear mixed model regression analyses were used to assess relationships between beliefs and compassion. In writing this report, we adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.Four‐factor structure featuring three negative (compassion as harmful, not useful, draining) and one positive (compassion is important) type of beliefs was established. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit and subscales indicated good measures of validity. Internal consistency was achieved for the subset of beliefs (harmful, not useful). Regression analyses indicated negative effects of the belief that compassion is draining on caring, motivation to help and compassion overall; negative effects of the belief that compassion is not useful on the motivation to help and a positive effect of the belief that compassion is important on caring and compassion overall. There was no effect of beliefs that compassion is harmful on compassion measures.This report extends prior qualitative studies of beliefs about compassion in a large healthcare sample, offering a way to measure these potentially malleable factors that might be targeted in education, interventions and future research.The study was designed in consultation with healthcare and compassion research professionals, including substantial input from Indigenous Māori healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim(s) Design Methods Results Conclusion Implications for the Profession Impact Patient or Public Contribution Reporting Method To explore the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on nurse's well‐being, experiences of delivering healthcare within acute settings and their emotional management.Sequential mixed methods.February to July 2021 an online well‐being survey was disseminated to nurses working in acute settings within one Scottish health board. In‐depth interviews with a purposive sample of respondents were conducted. Survey data were analysed descriptively, and interview data using Framework analysis and emotional management as the theoretical framework.Well‐being was poor overall. Infection control measures impeded interactions, with loss of connection between patients, families and nurses. Emotional work was extended in caring for patients and families when visits were forbidden or restricted. Disconnect between colleagues was intensely felt. On COVID and non‐COVID wards, nurses were caring for patients with a significantly reduced workforce and often outside their clinical speciality. Nurses masked their own anxieties, fears, moral distress and exhaustion on the ward. Communal ‘backstage’ spaces, were reduced to enable more infection‐control space but reduced opportunity for collegial support. Formal psychological intervention required access after shift, and/or nurses feared they could not contain their emotions afterwards.Working during the pandemic was emotionally and physically demanding for those in COVID a.nd non‐COVID wards. Unintended consequences of infection control measures significantly extended nurses' emotional management, by caring for isolated patients and families but impeding opportunities to care for each other, compounding their emotions.There is a need to value emotional work in nursing to better support mental well‐being.We advance the nursing emotional management literature by addressing the gap of exploration in challenging conditions. The importance of emotional management on nurses' mental well‐being has been overlooked but focusing on this in the next crisis could improve nurse's well‐being.No patient or public contribution.GRAMMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palliative care is an essential element of the healthcare system. It has profound benefits for patients with life-limiting illnesses. The Saudi Arabian healthcare system lags in integrating this vital component effectively. Hence, estimating the palliative care needs of the Saudi Arabian population is crucial to understanding the country's demand for palliative care. Aim: To assess the past trends in adult palliative care needs in Saudi Arabia. Methods: The current research used population-based secondary data analysis by employing two palliative care needs estimation methods: the direct or fixed estimation method by Gómez-Batiste and the maximum or maximal method by Murtagh and Rosenwax. The estimated palliative care needs were stratified by gender. Results: An upward trend in the palliative care needs of the Saudi Arabian population is evident through the estimation techniques. The proportion of palliative care needs relative to deaths climaxed at 95% in the observed years. By 2022, the number of people requiring palliative care skyrocketed to 79,725 (fixed method) and 101,623 (maximal method). Conclusion: The need for palliative care in Saudi Arabia substantially rose in the observed years. It is inevitable to bridge the gap between palliative care needs and supply with advanced integration of palliative care services in the national healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has revealed that including emotional content in ethics cases may improve students’ learning. However, there remain concerns as to whether the emotional content will also impact students’ moral reasoning. There is evidence that incorporating compassion-related emotional content into ethics cases through the implicit induction method increased the intensity of compassion without influencing the moral reasoning of participants. However, the impact of a higher intensity of compassion on moral reasoning remained unclear. Thus, in this experimental study, after using two (explicit expression and descriptions of severe consequences) methods of generating a higher intensity of compassion in ethics cases, we investigated whether this higher emotional intensity impacted the moral reasoning schemas activated in participants (N = 299). Our findings indicated that there was no evident impact. This research suggests there are now multiple strategies to integrate compassion into ethics cases at multiple levels of intensity without distorting moral reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusions Self‐compassion, which directs the awareness of suffering, sympathetic concerns and caring motives towards oneself, is an important psychological quality and resource for health and well‐being. In the context of physical activity, self‐compassion can help individuals overcome obstacles, recuperate from a setback or a lapse and engage in regular physical activity. The present research was the first to examine the longitudinal effects of self‐compassion on physical activity and the mediation role of barrier self‐efficacy of such effects.We recruited a national representative sample of 654 UK adults and followed them over three timepoints across 9 months. At each time point, participants completed an online survey assessing levels of state self‐compassion, barrier self‐efficacy and physical activity behaviours. We examined the longitudinal effects of self‐compassion on physical activity and the mediation role of barrier self‐efficacy.Baseline state self‐compassion consistently correlated with physical activity levels at Times 2 and 3. Barrier self‐efficacy at Time 2 mediated the longitudinal effect of baseline state self‐compassion on Time 3 physical activity, after controlling for within‐ (e.g., Time 1 on Time 2 self‐compassion) and between‐person variations (e.g., covariance of self‐compassion and physical activity within a timepoint).Adopting a self‐compassionate mind facilitates engagement and maintenance of physical activity. Future studies could consider accelerometer‐based physical activity measures and develop and validate a more context‐specific state self‐compassion measure tailored for physical activity contexts. Researchers and practitioners should consider incorporating self‐compassion to future interventions and education programmes for promoting physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of tremendous violence and multiple crises, we are reminded that ours should not only be a discipline that examines crises, but also one that actively contributes to their resolution. What does IR as a discipline owe—or what must we give—to the pressing concerns of our times? What do we, in IR, owe to each other as a scholarly community or professional class? This essay argues for a reinterrogation of our discipline’s relationship with ‘crisis’ as subject matter, method and motivation. It also makes a case for paying greater attention to our obligations to society and to one another as public intellectuals in need of collective methods to think across political and disciplinary divides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based group intervention (The COndiVIDere program) delivered online to people with MS (PwMS) in the time of COVID-19. Materials and methods: This is a single-arm longitudinal study with a nested qualitative study. The COndiVIDere program is composed of five weekly sessions (1-h each) plus three booster monthly sessions. Data were collected immediately before the beginning of the program, after the five weekly sessions, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Results: Fifty PwMS participated in the program. Participants improved in anxiety, stress, loneliness and mindfulness ("non-judgmental inner experience" component). Improvements on most outcomes occurred at post-intervention and reached the statistically significant threshold at 3-month follow-up. Mindfulness improvements keep increasing at each time point. Qualitative data confirmed the COndiVIDere program feasibility and the positive psychological impacts on participants. Mindfulness, compassion and the group setting were considered the most important active elements. Conclusions: Study findings support COndiVIDere feasibility and effectiveness with PwMS and its broad applicability in this population. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: COndiVIDere is a highly structured, brief, manualized, online mindfulness-based intervention It is effective in improving participants' anxiety, stress, loneliness and mindfulness It can be effectively delivered online to people with MS with varied socio-demographic and clinical characteristics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Compassion is an essential and beneficial value in mental healthcare. However, how digital mental health interventions influence compassion in treatment has not been systematically investigated, due to the lack of appropriate measurement instruments. To address this gap, we developed the Compassionate Technology Scale for Professionals (CTS-P), aimed at mental health professionals. Methods: We used Q-methodology, a method that combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore shared viewpoints on a particular topic, to select and refine items. Participants were 15 professionals from different areas of mental healthcare. In individual sessions, while thinking aloud, they sorted 35 statements on relevance for evaluating technology use on compassion. The statements were based on a scientific conceptualization of compassion with five elements. The sorting task was followed by a short interview to explore participants' associations with compassion and technology. Results: With by-person factor analysis, we found three different viewpoints among participants, all with eigenvalues > 1 and with a total explained variance of 63.02%. We selected prioritized items of each viewpoint and for each theoretical element of compassion, resulting in a full scale (15 items) and a short scale (3 items). Based on qualitative input from participants, the scale was adapted to clarify its focus and the wording of items. While thinking aloud, participants shared benefits and critical notes regarding technology and compassion. Discussion: Together with key stakeholders, we developed the CTS-P. Most participants prioritized the potential of technology to obtain more information and be closer to their client in facilitating compassion. The main critical note participants had was that technology is not necessary to support compassion at the therapist's experiential level. This emphasizes the need to further explore how mental health professionals and technology can complement each other in a system of compassionate care. Future research should explore the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the scale through psychometric validation. Conclusions: The CTS-P can make the extent to which technology for mental healthcare influences elements of compassion measurable and comparable. The scale can prove useful for prioritizing the value of compassion in both the development and use of digital mental health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace ostracism is a prevalent and painful experience. The majority of studies focus on negative outcomes of ostracism, with less work examining employees' potential adaptive responses to it. Further, scholars have suggested that such responses depend on employee attributions, yet little research has taken an attributional perspective on workplace ostracism. Drawing on sociometer theory and attribution theory we develop and test a model that investigates why and under what circumstances ostracized employees engage in adaptive responses to ostracism. Specifically, we argue that ostracized employees feel greater levels of shame and, in turn, are motivated to engage in greater ingratiation behavior toward their ostracizers. However, we predict that perceptions of ostracizers' competence and warmth shape different attributional processes, which influence the degree to which the ostracized employee experience shame and, in turn, is motivated to engage in ingratiation behavior. Results of a three-wave, time-lagged survey support our prediction that shame mediates the relationship between coworker ostracism and ingratiation behavior. Moreover, results support our three-way interaction, such that coworkers who report higher levels of ostracism and who perceive their coworkers as more (vs. less) competent and more (vs. less) warm report higher shame, and, in turn, ingratiation behavior. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as avenues for future research, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Design Data Sources Results Conclusion Practice Implications Patient Contributions To identify and assess the state of knowledge regarding compassion‐based interventions and outcomes, targeted to the organisational level, that aim to improve health professionals' well‐being.Systematic review.Using the PICO model, the clinical question and search strategy were structured. The searches were performed on 20 September 2022 and 26 December 2023 in the Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global databases. Content analysis was applied to analyse data, and the PRISMA and SWiM guidelines were followed for reporting.Thirty‐eight studies, mostly from the United Kingdom and the United States, met the inclusion criteria and were quality assessed and analysed. Compassion‐based interventions that target the organisational level are quite new, thus representing a burgeoning initiative. In this review, many included quantitative studies revealed significant methodological challenges in effectively measuring organisational compassion (interpersonal relationships, organisational culture and retention/turnover). However, the review findings overall indicate that interpersonal connections between colleagues that foster a sense of community, through shared experiences, mindfulness and (self‐)compassion practices and social activities, may be a protective factor for well‐being. Further, the review emphasises the crucial role of management support in catalysing organisational changes to improve health professionals' well‐being.Evidence strongly suggests that fostering human interconnectedness among health professionals is associated with enhanced well‐being. Further rigorous studies are needed to validate these findings, clarify the organisational cultural aspects of compassion and develop an effective outcome measurement tool for organisational compassion.Organisational compassion‐based interventions may help foster a culture of compassion within organisations, enhance health professionals' capacity for compassion and benefit both their well‐being and the quality of care provided to patients and relatives.This review is part of a larger project about compassion and includes two patient representatives (mothers of children with cancer) in the research team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity in the classroom should inspire teaching and learning that maximizes the students’ abilities and language competency. Humanity in education is based on respect, dignity, transparency, and compassion. It should be the foundation for the classroom environment before implementing any framework. Offering compassion for all learners is a strength. This conceptual paper invites educators to consider bilingual and multilingual learners’ literacies by proposing a new framework for moving culture forward in the classroom, the ‘MultiSemiotic Architecture Framework.’ I explore the tenets of the framework which are critical literacy, multiliteracies, transmultiliteracies sustaining pedagogy, new literacies, and translanguaging that facilitate justice in the classroom using semiotics. This framework aims to empower teachers, parents, communities, and schools with alternate approaches to consider their students’ literacy assets and cultural interests through a lens of opportunity. This framework has been tested with in service teachers, and a concrete example is provided that shows how the constructs in the framework could be applied in a lesson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades, a growing body of literature has focused on the role of compassion in legal decision making. To this respect, judicial compassion has been almost exclusively thematized in relation to human animals. In this paper, I claim that compassion shows itself especially relevant when judges should decide controversial cases involving animals. Drawing on Schopenhauer’s account of compassion, I contend that this emotion in particular can contribute to good decision making. To illustrate the argument, I analyze a renowned case from Argentinian jurisprudence: the case of Cecilia the chimpanzee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer support programs demonstrate numerous benefits, including emotional, instrumental, informational, and affirmational social support. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many peer support stroke programs in Canada have been delivered virtually. Compassion must be consistently applied to build meaningful interactions, but the shift to virtual services may have changed the quality of interaction and compassion in virtual services. While compassion is recommended in health and social services to improve outcomes, satisfaction, and service quality, compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs remains understudied. We aimed to describe compassionate support in virtual peer support stroke programs from peer support providers' and recipients' perspectives. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was guided by Sinclair & colleagues' model of compassion. Peer support recipients or peer support providers participated in interviews transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis. Results: Sixteen were peer support recipients, six were peer support providers, and two were both peer support providers and recipients. Participants agreed that compassion was essential in these programs. Participants perceived compassion to be a result of the virtues of compassionate facilitators (i.e., genuineness, passion, and empathy), relational space, and communication within the virtual peer support stroke program (e.g., sense of awareness or intuition of compassion, aspects of engaged peer support provision), virtuous response (e.g., knowing the person and actions that made the peer support recipient feel like a priority). Compassion was facilitated by listening and understanding peer support recipients' needs as they relate to stroke (i.e., seeking to understand peer support recipients and their needs), attending to peer support recipients' needs (e.g., timely actions to address their needs), and achieving compassion-related program outcomes (e.g., alleviating challenges and enhancing wellbeing). The absence of these components (e.g., lacking genuineness, passion and empathy) was a barrier to compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs. Conclusions: Study findings describe facilitators and barriers to perceived compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs and provide practical recommendations that can be adapted into programs to improve program quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: How people attach value to the outcomes of self and other—social preferences—is central to social behavior. Recently, how dispositional and state emotion shape such social preferences has received researchers' attention.Method: The present investigation asked whether and to what extent dispositional and state compassion predict shifts in social preferences across 4 samples: two correlational samples (final ns 153 & 368, study 1a and 1b) and two experimental samples (final ns: 430 & 530, studies 2 and 3).Results: In keeping with recent accounts of compassion, dispositional compassion predicted general preference for equality, expressed as dispreference for both monetary advantage over another (interaction βs = −0.36, −0.33, −0.25, −0.22; all p < 0.001) and monetary disadvantage relative to others (βs: 0.26, 0.27, 0.28, 0.17; all p < 0.01; positive coefficients imply dispreference). This dispositional effect persisted when controlling for prosociality, positivity, agreeableness, and respectfulness. Furthermore, these dispositional compassion effects were relatively unchanged by experimental emotion inductions in studies 3 and 4. The experimental inductions of state compassion and state pride showed little evidence of systematic effects on social preferences relative to each other or a neutral condition.Discussion: Discussion focused on individual differences in emotion and social preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically examines how employee compassion relates to job performance. Specifically, this study is a constructive replication and expansion of a previous study on the relationship between compassion and job performance using multiple sources of measurement. It investigates unexplored pathways within the public art sector in South Korea. Focusing on the mediating roles of positive work-related identity (PWRI) and positive psychological capital, we collected data from public art institutions in Korea, including galleries and museums, using a survey method. We tested the hypotheses using structural equation modeling and the PROCESS bootstrapping method. Our findings demonstrate a positive association between compassion and job performance, serially mediated by PWRI and positive psychological capital. Theoretically, by constructively replicating and expanding the previous findings, our study contributes to a robust understanding of how compassion could enhance employee performance. Practically, this study reinforces the value of fostering compassion and positive psychological resources to improve job performance, particularly within the public art sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore parents' experiences of their relationships and interactions with healthcare professionals (HCPs) during care related to prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly (TOPFA). Methods: A qualitative approach was used. Participants included 33 parents (23 women and 10 men) from Northern Ireland (n = 11) and Ireland (n = 22) who had a TOPFA. Data collection methods included semi‐structured interviews and written narrative accounts. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings confirmed that TOPFA was a traumatic, life‐altering experience for parents, impacting their health and well‐being. The actions, behaviours and words of HCPs impacted how parents perceived and interpreted their healthcare experiences and their access to services and supports. In relation to this, five themes are presented: (1) the importance of compassionate and non‐judgemental care, (2) the value of effective information and communication, (3) the desire for compassionate care for baby and facilitation of memory making, (4) the need for continuity of care and (5) parents' experiences of healthcare relationships during times of legislative change. Conclusion: This research reveals the important role HCPs play in helping parents cope with prenatal testing and TOPFA. Parents who had a positive relationship with an HCP, in which information was communicated effectively and compassionate and non‐judgmental care was provided, felt more supported and more able to accept and adapt to their loss. Patient and Public Contribution: An advisory group composed of parents who had experienced TOPFA and HCPs with experience in caring for such families were involved in the study from the outset, contributing to the design and development of data collection materials, interpretation of the findings and design of dissemination materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In nearly all jurisdictions where it is permitted, Medical Assistance in Dying is situated in a healthcare system. Currently, limited evidence demonstrates how supply and demand factors influence access to Medical Assistance in Dying. Objective: The aim of this study is to synthesise empirical research from jurisdictions where Medical Assistance in Dying is legal to identify how supply and demand factors influence access for eligible adults. Method: An integrative review was conducted. CINAHL Complete, PubMed, ProQuest, PsycINFO and Embase databases were systematically searched for studies published between January 1998 and January 2024. Records were independently assessed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Additional studies were identified by forward and backward citation searching. All studies were assessed for quality. Findings were analysed deductively using an established conceptual framework, and a secondary narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: Fifty‐eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (n = 32) reported results related to the supply side, 16 reported on the demand side and 10 reported on both supply and demand dimensions of access. Studies about supply showed that health service policies may obstruct access to Medical Assistance in Dying. For healthcare professionals, the practice entails an additional workload and can create tensions with colleagues. Studies of the demand for Medical Assistance in Dying focused on supporting time‐critical decisions, adequate planning and caregiver support. Conclusion: Access to Medical Assistance in Dying requires the participation of health services and healthcare professionals but is hindered by policies that obstruct access and direct financial and indirect emotional labour costs. Innovative and inclusive models to promote high‐quality, compassionate care at the end of life and access to Medical Assistance in Dying should be considered. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients, caregivers and service users were involved in many of the studies included in this review, and their experiences and perspectives contributed to the analysis and synthesis in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Work engagement, professional quality of life (ProQOL), and intent to leave (ITL) significantly impact organizational behaviors and outcomes. Understanding the complex interrelationships among nurse work engagement, ProQOL, and ITL is essential for improving nurse retention, job satisfaction, and patient outcomes. In previous investigations, work engagement, ProQOL, and ITL relationships have primarily been analyzed individually. A more integrated approach is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of these factors in the nursing profession. Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the interrelationships among work engagement, ProQOL (compassion satisfaction [CS], burnout, and secondary traumatic stress [STS]), and ITL in nurses using structural equation modeling path analysis. Methods: This was a quantitative descriptive study. Data were collected from registered nurses in the United States (n = 900) using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the ProQOL-5 (CS, burnout, and STS), and a demographics datasheet (including a one-item ITL question). The proposed theoretical model, incorporating major constructs, was tested using structural equation modeling. Results: Level of work engagement in nurses impacts ITL through ProQOL. Among the mediating variables, burnout (0.31) had the largest total effect on ITL, followed by STS (0.12) and CS (−0.12). Burnout and STS were found to correlate with ITL directly, whereas CS was found to correlate with ITL indirectly. Conclusions: Promoting work engagement, addressing burnout and STS, and fostering CS can positively influence nurse retention and job satisfaction, ultimately improving patient care quality. Healthcare leaders and policymakers should implement strategies to enhance nurse engagement, reduce burnout, and cultivate compassion satisfaction to increase nurse retention and improve organizational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community nurses (CN), both generalist and palliative care-specific, are key to supporting the carer with their experience of grief. Aim: To identify the grief-related needs of carers and the capacity of CNs to provide for those needs. Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods study which employed i) a needs questionnaire among carers of palliative care patients who had recently died; ii) a qualitative interview study among carers and iii) a questionnaire among CNs which canvassed their confidence and skills in working with carer grief. Findings: In the carer survey, just one-third of carers reported engagement with CNs regarding prolonged and anticipatory grief. In the CN survey, low confidence and skill regarding supporting carers with their grief was reported. CNs with palliative care training were more confident and knowledgeable than generalist CNs. Conclusions: Despite offering high ratings for CN compassion and overall quality of support during the dying process, grief support was reported by carers to be missing from their experience of CN care. The role of CNs in providing for the grief-related needs of carers is yet to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, both meditation and psychedelics have attracted rapidly increasing scientific interest. While the current state of evidence suggests the promising potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin, to enhance meditative training, it remains equivocal whether these effects are specifically bound to psilocybin or if other classical psychedelics might show synergistic effects with meditation practice. One particularly promising candidate is N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an active ingredient of ayahuasca. Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of the psychedelic substance DMT, combined with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor harmine (DMT-harmine), on meditative states, compared to meditation with a placebo. Method: Forty experienced meditators (18 females and 22 males) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study over a 3-day meditation retreat, receiving either placebo or DMT-harmine. Participants' levels of mindfulness, compassion, insight, and transcendence were assessed before, during, and after the meditation group retreat, using psychometric questionnaires. Results: Compared to meditation with a placebo, meditators who received DMT and harmine self-attributed greater levels of mystical-type experiences, non-dual awareness, and emotional breakthrough during the acute substance effects and, when corrected for baseline differences, greater psychological insight 1 day later. Mindfulness and compassion were not significantly different in the DMT-harmine group compared to placebo. At 1-month follow-up, the meditators who received DMT and harmine rated their experience as significantly more personally meaningful, spiritually significant, and well-being-enhancing than the meditators who received placebo. Conclusion: Investigating the impact of DMT-harmine on meditators in a naturalistic mindfulness group retreat, this placebo-controlled study highlights the specific effects of psychedelics during meditation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05780216. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic generated distinct mental health challenges, characterised by stress and anxiety due to its unpredictable duration and continuous threat. This study examined the role of meditation practice on anxiety symptoms and perceived stress, considering co‐variables such as self‐compassion, acceptance, awareness, brooding, lockdown duration, and sociodemographic characteristics. The study used a longitudinal design and data were collected through online surveys from April 2020 to January 2021 (at four different time points) and included 238 participants from Portugal (165 had prior experience with meditation practices, 73 were non‐meditators) with a mean age of 43.08 years (SD = 10.96). Linear mixed models revealed that over time, during the lockdown, the non‐meditators group demonstrated a greater increase of anxiety symptoms (β = −0.226, SE = 0.06, p = 0.006) and perceived stress (β = −0.20, SE = 0.06, p = 0.004), whereas the meditators group showed non‐significant (p > 0.05) variations in anxiety and stress symptoms during the same period of time. The effect of meditation on anxiety symptoms was moderated by sex, days of lockdown, self‐compassion, and acceptance. The effect of meditation on perceived stress was moderated by sex, years of education, days of lockdown, and levels of awareness. Additionally, the study explored the potential predictive effect of different meditation session lengths, indicating that longer meditation practices offered greater protection against an increase in anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of cultivating self‐regulation skills and investing in preventive mental health strategies to promote well‐being and autonomy. Mental health professionals should prioritise educating communities on evidence‐based practices like meditation and compassion exercises to enhance overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the strategies employed by a community hospital in Pennsylvania with designated with the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program in helping foster and increase nurse satisfaction. Cited are the benefits of having a shared governance structure at the hospital, the effectiveness of clinical ladder programs (CLP) in increasing nurse engagement, and career advancement opportunities that the hospital provides to its employees.

The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) has an extensive history of use that often relies on inductions of reliability from precedent literature. We completed a systematic of the literature and extracted sample-specific reliability estimates for ProQOL subscale scores. Random effects meta-analytic modeling was implemented to identify mean estimates of reliability. Secondary analyses were completed to depict generalization across samples and possible scores in future studies. Our analyses detected mean internal consistency estimates for the Compassion Satisfaction (.875), Secondary Traumatic Stress (.808), and Burnout (.754) similar to those reported in the ProQOL manual. However, secondary analyses revealed statistical variations associated with the professional identity and proportions of ethnicity represented within samples. ProQOL score reliability has remained fairly stable over time with scores for Compassion Satisfaction and Secondary Traumatic Stress supporting use in basic research, but not clinical decision making, the Burnout scale was associated with more questionable precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to suffering can lead to compassion fatigue in undergraduate nursing students. Objective: Guided by resilience theory, a cross-sectional, correlational design was used to investigate the potential moderating effect of positive thinking skills on the relationships between views of suffering, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. Results: In 157 undergraduate nursing students, multiple regressions revealed that views of suffering and positive thinking explained 23.8% of the variance in compassion satisfaction (F 11,145 = 4.121, P <.001), and 21.9% of the variance in burnout (F 11,144 = 3.786, P <.001). The Suffering God view, which stresses the presence of a compassionate deity amid suffering, and positive thinking had significant main effects on compassion satisfaction (β = 0.349, P =.025; and β = 0.309, P <.001, respectively). Positive thinking, the Suffering God view, and the Random view, in which the occurrence of suffering is random and purposeless, had significant main effects on burnout (β = −0.280, P <.001; β = −0.392, P =.014; and β = −0.206, P =.014, respectively). The Unorthodox view, in which a deity exists that allows suffering, had a significant main effect on secondary traumatic stress (β = 0.232, P =.027). Positive thinking did not moderate any of the relationships between the views of suffering and the dependent variables. Conclusions: Knowledge of these relationships can aid in the assessment of nursing students at risk for poor outcomes and guide intervention development to promote professional quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of implementing a psychological first aid intervention for psychological distress, resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors affected by earthquake adversity in Northern Syria. Methods: A quasi‐experimental, pre‐posttest, two‐group research design was utilized. A convenience sample of 95 survivors (46 in the study group and 49 in the control group) was recruited for the psychological First Aid intervention at a 1:1 ratio. The psychological first aid intervention was delivered in 10 sessions, twice weekly, followed by 3‐month follow‐up. Results: A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors, along with a significant reduction in psychological distress, was registered among the study group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Our work verified the suitability of implementing psychological first aid following the catastrophic temblors which struck Northern Syria. Given that the psychological first aid intervention is grounded in psychological safety, cognitive reframing, mobilization of social support and installation of hope, the feasibility of its path following public health emergency, traumatic events or even a personal crisis can be favourable. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? On 6 February 2023, a massive earthquake devastated large portions of war‐torn northwest Syria and southern Turkey, leaving millions in these regions battling to reconstruct their lives.In northwest Syria, strong aftershocks left more than 4500 people dead, injured hundreds more and demolished at least 10 000 structures.Disasters such as earthquakes can have a significant impact on the mental health and well‐being of those affected. Survivors may experience high levels of psychological distress and other negative mental health recovery outcomes.There is a need for psychologically supportive interventions such as the psychological first aid intervention to help survivors cope with the aftermath of such disasters.What this paper adds? A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of resilience capacity, quality and meaning of life among survivors, along with a significant reduction in psychological distress, was registered among the study group compared to the control group.Our work verified the suitability of implementing the psychological first aid intervention following the catastrophic temblors which struck Northern Syria.The implications of this paper: Being ready for disasters is critical; health care professionals, including nurses, are one of the most frequently requested actors in disaster interventions.Nurses are an indispensable part in ascertaining the psychological repercussions of disasters on survivors, families and communities.Due to their training and professional experience, nurses can take the lead in reducing health‐threatening risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burn mass casualty incidents can overwhelm local resources, challenging effective communication, triage, and provision of care. International responders can help by providing education and direct patient care. Local Problem: On November 5, 2021, a fuel tanker truck exploded in Freetown, Sierra Leone, killing or injuring hundreds of people. The needs of the severely burned survivors overwhelmed local resources, requiring an international response. Burn specialist teams from several countries, including the United States, were deployed to provide assistance. Methods: Members of the US burn care team educated local health care practitioners about wound care, physical therapy, and fluid and pain management. Educational content was delivered through lecture and discussion, case studies, clinical application, and bedside teaching. Demonstration of cultural competence and humility, as well as attentiveness to nuances of local communication, helped avoid ethnocentrism and other barriers to collaboration. Public congratulations and formal completion certificates were used to provide meaningful recognition of successful class participation. Results: Before the lecture and discussion intervention, 57 students participating in a pretest assessment had an average score of 53.9% (high, 80%; low, 27.5%). After the intervention, 38 students participating in a posttest assessment had an average score of 79.3% (high, 95%; low, 55%), and local health care providers delivered care with more attention to patient comfort and shared new knowledge with colleagues. Conclusions: Providing optimal burn care and education under austere conditions requires cultural humility and a spirit of inquiry. Attentiveness to communication and cultural nuances promotes collaboration, improves educational effectiveness, and builds local burn care capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggested that parenting is critically important in the development of both moral identity and compassion, but more research is needed concerning the stability of these effects and whether they carry over into adulthood. The present study addressed this issue by examining the link between a specific dimension of perceived parental style and compassion and the mediating role of moral identity in this relationship. The research sample comprised 208 adults aged 18 to 60 (M = 25.44, SD = 7.09, 82.2% females). The participants completed self-report scales measuring perceived parental emotional warmth, compassion, and moral identity (i.e. moral self and moral integrity). Correlation analysis suggested that compassion was positively associated with all the measured variables. Mediation analysis results suggested that both facets of moral identity mediated the link between perceived parental emotional warmth and compassion. We discuss these results considering their importance for cultivating moral identity and compassion and the important role of parents in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through close analysis of first-hand narratives of modern wildfire from residents in underrepresented rural communities in the American West, framed with cutting edge research in affect studies and narrative theory, we argue for an expansion of a theory of narrative empathy to make legible an alternate emotional response to texts: narrative compassion, in which narrative interpreters feel "toward" instead of "with" characters and/or narrators. We assess the capacity for narrative compassion to function as both a feeling toward and a standing with others, which maintains agency and lines of difference while still fostering prosocial relationships. We argue for the urgency of this expansion, given that many personal experience narratives about the environmental crisis in which we write, like narratives of modern wildfire, feature a high degree of evaluation as narrators attempt to make sense of confusing and unsettling experiences of a rapidly changing world. As such, these narratives tend to resist the emotional "twinning" upon which empathy relies and demand alternative modes of emotional engagement between narrators and interpreters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health issue among depressed adolescents. This study aimed to investigate roles of psychological mindedness (PM) and self-compassion among depressed Turkish adolescents with NSSI. The mediating roles of PM and self-compassion between depression severity and NSSI were evaluated. Method: 119 depressed adolescents evaluated at a child psychiatry outpatient clinic in Turkey were categorised based on NSSI experience. Self-compassion and psychological mindedness scales (covering psychological interest, insight, help-seeking, and capacity for change subscales) were measured. Results: PM and self-compassion scores were lower in depressed adolescents with NSSI than adolescents without NSSI. Psychological interest (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.886, Confidence Interval (CI): 0.788–0.996), capacity for change (OR: 0.902, CI: 0.815–0.998), and self-compassion (OR: 0.937, CI: 0.879–0.999) emerged as protective factors against NSSI. Also, significant indirect effects of PM and self-compassion were observed between depression severity and NSSI. Seeking psychological help related to both intrapersonal and interpersonal functions, whereas psychological interest specifically related to interpersonal functions. Conclusions: PM and self-compassion appear as protective factors, with certain PM components linked to intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of NSSI. Thus, integrating interventions to boost PM and self-compassion into depression treatment strategies could be crucial. KEY POINTS: What is already known about this topic: It is known that the level of self-compassion and psychological mindedness (PM) is low in depressed individuals. Although NSSI is frequently associated with depressed adolescents, self-injury is not observed in all depressed cases. NSSI has intrapersonal and interpersonal functions, and the role of these functions varies with different psychopathology, including depression. What this topic adds: Depressed adolescents with higher PM and self-compassion scores are protected from NSSI. PM and self-compassion in depressed adolescents mediate the NSSI with no significant association with depression severity. Some components of PM are related to the intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of the NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]