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The success of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions is thought to rely on teacher social emotional competency, student-teacher relationships, and the readiness of the school environment. From an evolutionary motivational systems perspective, an underlying driver behind these aspects is the motivational state of students and teachers. Providing a foundational framework for supporting SEL development may be a critical differentiating factor in successfully incorporating SEL into curriculum to enhance individual and group-level wellbeing. This article presents compassion as a motivational framework that can be used to support SEL. We review theoretical perspectives and empirical research applying compassion to help regulate emotional experience and provide a series of possible suggestions on how to integrate compassion into classrooms. Specifically, we provide a series of suggestions on how compassion can help with student and staff wellbeing. A compassionate approach to establishing a positive classroom environment and incorporating simple activities adapted from compassion-focused therapy may provide a baseline conducive context in which SEL is accepted and thrives.

The style of parenting a child receives has profound long-term impacts on that child's life. Yet, the rates of child maltreatment globally are high (in both developing and developed countries), indicating that many children around the world are being raised in toxic environments. Evidence-based parenting programs (EBPPs) have been demonstrated to have positive impacts on improving parenting style, whilst reducing childhood social, emotional and behavioural problems. EBPPs originated out of a need to address externalizing behaviour problems and to address conduct problems, and compliance became a key target of these parenting models. Thus, many EBPPs were developed in an era where operant and social learning theory-based approaches to parenting were most prominent and these parenting models still prevail today. This paper has one major aim--to demonstrate how the next generation of EBPPs need to be grounded in evolved caring motivational systems and affiliative emotion processing, which requires an understanding of the evolved processes involved in parent-offspring caring. This new approach to parenting is called, 'compassion-focused parenting', and this new approach to parenting will be described.

Compassion is multifaceted in both expression and motivation. It is influenced by a range of contextual and situational factors. This study aims to investigate how positive and negative attitudes towards compassion are associated with the presentation of compassionate outcomes. In particular, we examined how positive attitudes towards compassion (compassion satisfaction) and negative attitudes towards compassion (fears of compassion) can influence the presentation of compassion-related emotions, self-reported measures of empathy, compassion and compassionate behavior. Across two studies, positive attitudes toward compassion were robustly related to all three factors: emotions, self-reported expression, and compassionate behaviors. Similarly, negative attitudes toward compassion were related to emotions and self-reported expression, but not to compassionate behavior. The relationship was the strongest for fears of compassion for others. These results highlight the important role that attitudes play in facilitating or inhibiting compassionate outcomes. Implications and future directions are discussed., Author(s): James N. Kirby [sup.1] , Emma Seppälä [sup.2] , Matti Wilks [sup.1] [sup.3] , C. Daryl Cameron [sup.4] , Cassandra L. Tellegen [sup.1] , Dong T. H. Nguyen [sup.2] [...]

Introduction: Researchers have identified links between anxious and avoidant attachments and difficulties with self-compassion, giving others compassion, and receiving compassion. However, while compassion requires both awareness of opportunities for compassion and compassionate action, little is known about attachment-related differences in reporting compassionate opportunities. Further, most research relies on retrospective-reports that may not accurately assess compassionate behaviors in everyday life. Method: Consequently, we collected 2,757 experience sampling survey responses from 125 participants (95 women, 27 men, 3 non-binary, Mage = 18.74, SDage = 1.66) to investigate whether attachment anxiety, avoidance, or their interaction were associated with differences in propensity for reporting compassionate opportunities, actions, and emotional responses to opportunities in everyday life across self-compassion, giving compassion, and receiving compassion. Results: Anxiety was associated with greater likelihood of reporting all types of compassionate opportunities and less positive responses to opportunities to receive compassion. Avoidance was associated with less likelihood of reporting opportunities to give and receive compassion and less positive responses to opportunities to give compassion. Those high in anxiety but simultaneously low in avoidance reported fewer self-compassionate actions, but we identified no further differences in compassionate action. Discussion: This study highlights the potential role of awareness of compassionate opportunities in attachment-related differences in compassion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Traditional masculinity norms displayed by men attempt to signal a dominance or 'toughness' to others; however, traditional masculine norms are associated with a range of mental health difficulties, including depression and anxiety. Based on social rank theory, we tested the mediating role of insecure striving, social safeness and fears of compassion on the relationship between masculinity, anxiety and depression. We also examined whether compassionate goals were negatively correlated with masculine norm adherence. Design: We used a cross‐sectional survey design recruiting 844 men, aged 18–60 years (M = 34.0, SD = 14.4). Results: Our results replicated previous findings with masculine norms significantly associated with depression and anxiety. Extending on previous work, we found insecure striving, social safeness and fears of compassion fully mediated these relationships for anxiety and partially for depression. This relationship was strongest for the masculinity subtypes of self‐reliance and emotional control. Compassionate goals were negatively associated with masculine norm adherence. Conclusions: Social rank theory offers a helpful explanatory framework to understand the links between traditional masculinity and mental health, highlighting the importance of social safeness and insecure striving for men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A core aspect of compassion focused therapy (CFT) is addressing fears, blocks, and resistances (FBRs) to compassion. How CFT therapists do this with clients remains unclear. This study aims to explore the perspectives of well‐trained, experienced CFT therapists regarding how they work with FBRs in the context of CFT. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted. Participants were asked five open‐ended questions regarding (a) their experiences of working with FBRs to compassion, (b) how they understand and formulate FBRs, (c) specific ways they address FBRs, (d) how other therapists might learn about working with FBRs, and (e) their top recommendations. A total of 64 participants completed the online questionnaire, and the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis produced four interrelated superordinate themes: (a) Getting "alongside" and "behind": The central role of formulation, (b) "It's not your fault": Psychoeducation, (c) "Get experiential": An emphasis on experiential interventions, and (d) "Respect the wisdom": The importance of therapeutic process. Conclusions: Working with FBRs to compassion is critical in CFT. Understanding the wisdom in the client's FBRs, and validating and de‐shaming the client's FBRs are crucial. We provide clinical recommendations regarding working with FBRs as part of CFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]