Self-Compassion-Based Interventions in Oncology: A Review of Current Practices

Abstract

Self-compassion consists of an attitude of self-support and self-benevolence. In the general population, increased self-compassion has been associated with well-being and decreased psychopathology. In oncology, higher self-compassion has also been linked with various benefits, such as lower emotional distress, fatigue, body-image disturbances, and sleep difficulties. Self-compassion also seems to foster treatment adherence. Various interventions based on self-compassion have recently been designed and tested in different clinical and non-clinical populations. They are particularly relevant in oncology, as patients are increasingly interested in complementary approaches to help them manage their symptoms and difficulties benevolently and without judgment. In this review, we described various self-compassion-based interventions that have been or will be proposed to patients with cancer, as well as their first results. The main interventions that have been tested are compassion-focused therapy, the combination of self-hypnosis and self-compassion learning, mindful self-compassion training, cognitively-based compassion training, and loving-kindness meditation. Other interventions include a self-compassion-focused writing activity, a mobile self-compassion application, and a self-compassion group therapy focused on the fear of cancer recurrence. Many of these studies were quasi-experimental or protocols. However, existing results tend to suggest the benefits of these interventions to improve different symptoms often endured by patients with cancer. Further research is needed to conduct rigorous studies on these approaches and to determine how and for whom they are efficient.