What do we know about compassion focused therapy for anxiety and depressive symptoms: A scoping review

The present study examined psychosocial predictors of hindrance to mindfulness, with a specific focus on fear of compassion, self-criticism, and distress tolerance. Mindfulness, although widely associated with psychological well-being, is often impeded by underlying cognitive and emotional vulnerabilities that remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. This study aimed to investigate how these psychosocial factors contribute to cognitive, emotional, and motivational hindrances to mindfulness. A correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from young adults (N = 610) aged 18 to 26 years, including both males and females, enrolled in Higher Education Commission (HEC)-recognized government, semi-government, and private educational institutions in Lahore, Pakistan. Participants were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy and included individuals from diverse academic disciplines who were proficient in Urdu and English. After data screening, a final sample of 444 participants was retained for analysis. Standardized measures included the Hindrances to Mindfulness Scale (HMS), Fear of Compassion Scale, Levels of Self-Criticism Scale, and Distress Tolerance Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS-26. Pearson product–moment correlation was employed to examine relationships among variables, and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors. Results indicated that all study variables were significantly correlated at the 0.001 level. Hindrance to mindfulness dimensions (cognitive, emotional, and motivational) were positively associated with fear of compassion (for self, from others, and for others), self-criticism (comparative and internalized), and distress tolerance dimensions (tolerance, absorption, appraisal, and regulation). In Regression analyses, fear of compassion emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor across all domains of mindfulness hindrance. Distress tolerance, particularly emotional absorption, contributed additional explanatory power, whereas self-criticism showed limited and domain-specific effects. The final models explained between 29.1% and 42.3% of the variance in hindrance to mindfulness. These findings underscore the central role of compassion-related fears and emotional regulation difficulties in obstructing mindfulness processes. The study highlights the importance of integrating compassion-focused and distress tolerance-based interventions to address barriers to mindfulness, with implications for culturally sensitive clinical practice and mental health interventions.

Self-compassion (SC), defined as a positive and accepting attitude towards oneself during times of suffering or failure, is receiving more attention in the context of chronic pain disorders. However, very little is known regarding the link between SC, psychological symptoms, and migraine features. To compare the SC levels of migraine patients to those of healthy controls and investigate the relationships among SC, anxiety, depression, and migraine features. This cross-sectional study comprised 90 healthy controls (age: 35 ± 9.8 years, 75 female patients) and 98 migraine sufferers (age: 36.7 ± 11.3 years, 84 female patients). The Beck depression inventory, Beck anxiety inventory, and self-compassion scale were completed by the participants. The SC levels were considerably lower in migraine patients. Patients with chronic migraine performed worse than those with episodic migraines on the self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness subscales. Patients with medication overuse also had reduced SC. Higher isolation scores were linked to aura presence. We found impaired SC in individuals with migraine, and a connection with greater emotional distress and migraine characteristics. These results demonstrate the possible value of emphasizing SC in migraine therapies, especially for those who suffer from chronic migraine, aura, or medication overuse.

Although caring can be a rewarding experience, family carers of older adults frequently report isolation, stress, anxiety, and burden, which may hinder their ability to cultivate compassion for self and others. Cultivating compassion is associated with better psychological health and wellbeing and may therefore act as a protective factor against the adverse emotional impacts of caregiving. This review aims to: (1) understand carers' experiences, including the barriers and facilitators to cultivating and maintaining compassion when caring for older adults; (2) identify the tools that have been used to assess the experience of compassion in carers and to determine if they have been developed with this population; (3) explore if compassion as experienced by carers is related to other health and wellbeing outcomes. We conducted a search across five electronic databases from inception to December 2025. Eligible peer-reviewed studies reported qualitative and/or quantitative data on experiences of compassion among family carers of older adults (aged > 65years), or people living with dementia. Study quality was appraised using the Hawker tool. We used a narrative approach to synthesise the qualitative and quantitative data. Twenty-nine papers reporting 28 studies were included. Qualitative synthesis identified compassion as primarily other-directed, relational, and grounded in love, moral obligation, and identity. Compassion was facilitated by attachment, meaning, and alignment with carers' values, but undermined by emotional over-identification, chronic responsibility, fatigue, guilt, and limited support. Quantitative studies used a wide range of compassion-related constructs and measures, none of which were developed with carers. Quantitative evidence showed consistent associations between higher self-compassion and better psychological wellbeing, adaptive coping, and lower burden. Findings for compassion directed toward others were mixed, with emotionally over-engaged forms associated with distress, while motivational or value-based compassion was linked to more positive caregiving appraisals. Compassion in caregiving is a complex and relational phenomenon that can be both sustaining and burdensome. While self-compassion and receiving compassion from others appear protective, unbuffered compassion for others may increase vulnerability to distress. Future research should prioritise longitudinal designs, carer-specific measures of compassion, and interventions that support sustainable, relationally grounded compassion. PROSPERO CRD42019134233, registered 22 May 2019.

ABSTRACT Dance is a highly performative artform with flawlessness being central to success; perfectionism is a key concern as it is often associated with burnout risk factors. This cross-sectional study aims at identifying clusters of perfectionism in dancers and comparing them on emotional intelligence (EI), self-compassion (SC), and burnout. One hundred and twelve dancers (M age = 22.17, SD = 2.95) completed a questionnaire pack assessing these variables. Consistent with the 2x2 model of perfectionism, cluster analysis supported the existence of four clusters. MANOVAs demonstrated a pattern of differences that suggest that pure personal standards perfectionists were the most adaptive cluster: higher EI and SC and lower burnout. Conversely, mixed perfectionists and pure evaluative concerns perfectionists had the opposite pattern of results. These also had a more maladaptive pattern than non-perfectionists. Dance teachers should be aware of the potential effect of perfectionism on dancers’ well-being and minimize concerns over mistakes.

ABSTRACT Childhood trauma is a risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet the psychological mechanisms underlying this link in young adult populations remain underexplored. This study examined the mediating role of self-compassion (SC) in the link between childhood trauma (CT) and PTSD among Turkish university students. A total of 592 students aged 18–30 participated. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro (Model 4) in SPSS. The findings showed that higher levels of CT were associated with lower SC and greater PTSD symptoms. SC partially mediated this link, with the indirect effect accounting for 19.07% of the variance in PTSD. In conclusion, SC may serve as a key protective factor in the link between CT and PTSD. Additionally, SC-based interventions have the potential to enhance student well-being and resilience in university counselling settings.

Mediating role of emotional regulation self-efficacy in the relationship between self-compassion and aggressive behavior in Chinese children.

It is widely acknowledged that dental training is stressful, with students being vulnerable to burnout, anxiety, and depression. This study examined the associations between psychosocial risk factors (maladaptive perfectionism and rumination) and resilience factors (forgiveness of self, others, and situations, and compassion for self and others) with burnout, depression, and anxiety. In 2023, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to all dental students at a US dental school. Validated self-report measures were used to assess three domains: (a) mental health outcomes (burnout, depression, and anxiety), (b) risk factors (perfectionism and rumination), and (c) protective factors (compassion; self-compassion; and forgiveness of self, others, and situations). Socio-demographic measures were also collected. Seventy dental students participated, representing a 12% response rate, approximately evenly distributed across all four training years. Bivariate analyses showed that perfectionistic discrepancies and rumination were associated with greater burnout, depression, and anxiety. Self-forgiveness and forgiveness of situations were associated with lower burnout, depression, and anxiety. In the final step of multiple regression models, where all variables were entered into the equation, self-forgiveness emerged as a significant predictor of lower burnout and depression. Forgiveness of situations significantly predicted lower anxiety, while rumination remained as a predictor of higher anxiety. These findings represent an initial examination of risk and resilience factors considered jointly in relation to burnout, depression, and anxiety. Notably, the study highlights the potential of relatively under-researched constructs-forgiveness of self, others, and situations-in shaping mental health outcomes among dental students during training.

Parenting stress is related to negative health outcomes and may be high during toddlerhood due to unique challenges. Understanding factors associated with lower parenting stress could inform intervention design. Mindful parenting, present-centered nonjudgmental attention to the parent–child context, is one factor that has been associated with lower parenting stress. Knowledge about the unique associations between each mindful parenting domain and parenting stress is limited. This study examined associations between the 5 domains of mindful parenting (Listening With Full Attention, Nonjudgmental Acceptance, Emotional Awareness, Self-Regulation, and Compassion for Self and Child) and parenting stress. Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors were selected as covariates because these have been associated with parenting stress levels in previous research. We hypothesized that all mindful parenting domains would be negatively associated with parenting stress and the association between parenting stress and Nonjudgmental Acceptance would be the strongest, in line with previous research. Mothers of toddlers (N = 182; Mage = 32.33, SD = 5.26) were recruited online and self-reported their mindful parenting and parenting stress levels. Separate multiple regression models indicated that each mindful parenting domain was negatively associated with parenting stress, after adjusting for covariates (range: bs = -6.68 to -9.33; SEs = 1.75 to 1.04; βs = -.27 to -.51; ts[177] = -4.06 to -8.42; ps < .001). When scores for all mindful parenting domains were modeled simultaneously, only Listening With Full Attention and Compassion for Self and Child remained associated with parenting stress, after adjusting for covariates (Listening With Full Attention: b = -6.48, SE = 1.20, β = -.38, t[173] = -5.40, p < .001, 95% CI [-8.85, -4.11]; Compassion for Self and Child: b = -4.84, SE = 1.64, β = -.23, t[173] = -2.94, p = .004, 95% CI [-8.08, -1.59]). The results suggest that active listening and compassion could be investigated as targets of stress management interventions for parents.

Background: Bullying victimization (BV) represents a critical public health concern among Chinese adolescents, with significant implications for psychological well-being. Although accumulating evidence underscores the detrimental association between maladaptive parenting practices and increased bullying victimization, the precise mediating mechanisms linking parental psychological control (PPC) to BV remain inadequately elucidated. This study addresses this gap by examining pathways through which PPC and deviant peer affiliation (DPA) jointly influence BV, while accounting for the protective role of self-compassion (SC). Methods: A sample of 861 Chinese adolescents (429 male; mean age = 14.08 years, SD = 1.07) recruited via a convenience sampling method completed validated self-report measures assessing PPC, DPA, SC, and BV frequency. Results: PPC is significantly associated with higher levels of BV (β = 0.268, p < 0.001). Crucially, structural equation modeling revealed that DPA partially mediated this relationship (β = 0.043, p < 0.01), indicating that PPC is positively associated with BV, and this association is mediated by DPA. Further moderation analyses identified SC as a buffering factor (β = −0.077, SE = 0.038, p < 0.05): Only adolescents with lower SC exhibited strengthened indirect effects of PPC on BV via DPA. This suggests SC mitigates the pathway from coercive parenting to risky peer associations. Conclusion: These findings contribute novel insights into multifaceted risk and protective factors for BV. PPC appears to function as a distal familial factor associated with adolescents’ victimization experiences through peer-related processes, whereas SC emerges as an intrapersonal resilience-related factor. The study underscores the adverse consequences of psychologically controlling parenting and provides empirical support for targeted interventions.

Background: Self-compassion (SC) and shame-proneness (SP) are likely transdiagnostic factors implicated in the onset and maintenance of eating disorders (EDs). However, limited research has examined how these variables vary across distinct ED symptom profiles. To address this gap, this exploratory study aimed to identify latent symptom profiles among individuals diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) or Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and assess whether SC and SP levels and their association differ across classes. Methods: A clinical sample of 55 women with AN or BN completed self-report measures for assessing drive for thinness (DT), bulimia (BUL), body dissatisfaction (BD), self-compassion (SC), and SP. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was conducted, followed by ANOVA and moderation analysis. Results: LPA revealed three distinct profiles: (1) Low-symptom (i.e., low DT and BUL, moderate BD), (2) Restrictive (i.e., high DT and BD, low BUL), and (3) Multi-symptomatic (i.e., medium-high DT, BUL, and BD). SC significantly differed across profiles, with the Low-symptom group reporting higher SC than the others. No significant differences in SP were found. SC was negatively associated with ED symptoms and significantly moderated the relationship between SP and BD, but not DT or BUL. Conclusions: Findings highlight the heterogeneity of ED symptomatology and the importance of SC as a protective factor, particularly against body dissatisfaction.

This study investigates the connection between university students' self-compassion (SC) and emotional intelligence (EI). Psychological well-being is associated with emotional intelligence (EI), which is the capacity of human-being to recognize, comprehend, and control emotions. SC acts as a protective barrier against stress and mental health problems by promoting self-kindness, mindfulness, and an awareness of one's common humanity. The study looks at how young adults' emotional well-being and resilience are promoted by the interaction between EI and SC. The research provides significant support for interventions that focus on EI and SC, indicating that they improve students' capacity to manage academic and psychological difficulties, fostering their general well-being and performance in higher education settings. The results of this study demonstrate a significant positive relationship between (EI) and (SC) among university students.

Background: Self-compassion has emerged as an important protective factor against eating pathology, yet evidence from community-based samples, particularly in Southern Europe, remains scarce. Methods: A total of 335 Greek adults (223 women, 112 men; aged 18–35 years, M = 26.2, SD = 5.1) completed validated measures of eating pathology (EAT-26), self-compassion (SCS), and affect (PANAS). Demographic variables (age, gender, education), BMI, and exercise frequency were also assessed. Correlational, group comparison, and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Results: Higher levels of self-compassion were consistently associated with fewer disordered eating symptoms, even after controlling BMI, education, gender, exercise, and affect. Women reported higher levels of disordered eating than men, while no significant gender differences were observed in self-compassion. Age was positively associated with self-compassion, with older adults reporting higher levels compared to younger adults. Positive affect was strongly linked to greater self-compassion, whereas negative affect showed the opposite pattern. Conclusions: Self-compassion emerged as a robust protective factor against disordered eating, independent of demographic and affective variables. Women appeared more vulnerable to disordered eating than men. In contrast, although younger adults tended to report lower self-compassion, no significant gender differences emerged in self-compassion, underscoring its potential as a universal psychological resource for prevention and intervention.

While previous studies have established a significant association between self-compassion (SC) and adolescent well-being, the specific link between SC and psychological richness, a newer concept of well-being, remains underexplored. This study aimed to address this gap by using a two-wave cross-lagged panel network analysis to explore the dynamic relationships between the six dimensions of SC and psychological richness among 528 adolescents. The findings revealed that self-kindness and mindfulness positively predicted psychological richness, whereas self-judgment and isolation negatively predicted psychological richness. Furthermore, self-kindness and mindfulness showed the most significant connections with other nodes. The findings emphasize the critical function of SC in fostering psychological richness during adolescence, highlighting the potential of interventions focused on self-kindness and mindfulness to enhance psychological richness in this group.

Taking back control: The experience of adults using semaglutide and tirzepatide for obesity treatment - A qualitative study

Abstract Objectives As contemplative science continues to evolve, research has shifted from studying the mental health outcomes of brief meditation programs for novice practitioners to investigating traditional meditative paradigms and their associated advanced soteriological aims. However, empirical studies on meditative development remain limited. Methods The present study examined the effects of The 3 Doors Compassion Project (3DCP), a 9-month online program teaching traditional Tibetan Mind-Body (TMB) meditation practices rooted in Bon Dzogchen philosophy. The study hypothesized incremental improvements in compassion for self and others, mindfulness, flourishing, and non-dual awareness—a self-transcendent psychological construct central to advanced meditation. Participants ( n = 30), predominantly experienced meditators, completed validated self-report measures monthly. Results General linear mixed modeling revealed incremental increases across all assessed outcomes with statistically significant improvements for compassion for self and others, mindfulness, flourishing ( p &lt; 0.001), and non-dual awareness ( p &lt; 0.05). Notably, improvements were independent of self-reported frequency of meditation practice, suggesting that program structure rather than practice quantity influenced outcomes. Conclusions These findings extend prior research on the mental health benefits of TMB programs and provide preliminary evidence that TMB practices may foster advanced meditative states associated with self-transcendence. Limitations include the small, self-selected sample, lack of a control group, and reliance on quantitative measures, which may underrepresent the richness of advanced meditative phenomenology. Future research should incorporate qualitative methods, larger and more diverse samples, and unified empirical frameworks to further elucidate the mechanisms and outcomes of traditional TMB practices, particularly their potential to cultivate self-transcendence and eudaimonic well-being. Preregistration This study was not preregistered.

BackgroundHealthcare provider burnout is pervasive, imparts harm to providers and patients, increases healthcare and workforce disparities, and exacerbates physician and nursing shortages. Although burnout is primarily caused by organizational stressors, supportive and cooperative interdisciplinary teams foster psychological safety and are protective against burnout. To address the critical and unmet need for evidence-based, acceptable, and scalable interventions to improve burnout, this study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI), a novel team-based intervention delivered by healthcare chaplains embedded within the interprofessional team. Using CCSH-TI, chaplains teach mindfulness and compassion-based approaches designed to bolster compassion for self and others and to improve psychological safety and team civility.MethodsThis study will utilize a phase 1 clustered randomized, “standard of care” (SOC) controlled, and mixed-method design to examine the feasibility and acceptability of CCSH-TI. Employees (n = 80; nurses, advanced practice providers (APPs), physicians, staff) working at a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center will be randomized by team to CCSH-TI or to SOC. We will evaluate CCSH-TI feasibility (accrual, retention, CCSH-TI attendance) and acceptability (satisfaction, credibility, perceived benefit). Focus groups will identify contextual determinants of feasibility, acceptability, and implementation success. Prior to and after the intervention, as well as at 12-week follow-up, we will conduct 3-day ambulatory assessments: (1) ecological momentary assessments (EMA) of social connection, incivility, and burnout and (2) electronically activated recorder (EAR), a naturalistic observation method that samples ambient sound from participants’ momentary environments used widely outside healthcare settings. We will develop and validate EAR behavioral codebooks tailored to the healthcare environment to quantify behavioral indices of psychological safety, incivility, and interprofessional teamwork.DiscussionThis study will provide data on the acceptability and feasibility of a chaplain-delivered team intervention for interprofessional healthcare teams working in oncology. The findings will inform the design of a future study to examine this innovative and scalable approach to increase access, equity, and inclusion of burnout prevention and mitigation among all healthcare providers. Additionally, this work will improve the scientific rigor of research on burnout by developing a novel, objective, and low-burden assessment toolkit.Name of the registryCCSH (Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health) for TeamsTrial registration numberNCT06722027Date of registrationDecember 9, 2024URL of trial registry recordhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/search?term=NCT06722027Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-025-01712-7.

Introduction Self-compassion (SC) is associated with reduced eating disorder pathology, body dissatisfaction, and weight concerns, but most SC interventions and research samples focus on women. Because men often face unique challenges related to weight stigma and masculine norms, SC may be especially valuable in supporting emotion-regulation in health coaching programs. Little is known about how adult men engaged in weight loss interpret and experience SC, limiting the reach of interventions intended to support sustainable health behavior change. As such, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore how adult men seeking weight loss with health coaching make sense of SC during weight loss. Specifically, we examined experiences and meanings of SC, the perceived barriers and facilitators to practicing it, and how body image and weight-related experiences shape their understanding and application of SC. Methods Using reflexive thematic analysis, we explored how 11 adult men enrolled in a commercial weight-normative health coaching program made sense of self-compassion in the context of body image, dieting, and masculinity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed through an inductive, interpretive process emphasizing information power and meaning-making over saturation. Researcher reflexivity and positionality were integrated throughout the analytic process. Results Seven themes and 20 subthemes were developed. Key themes included: (1) SC as a skill to be learned and practiced; (2) concordance between SC and self-image, including gender norms; (3) the interplay between SC and body image; (4) SC in action through mindset and behavior; (5) barriers to SC such as weight stigma, toxic masculinity, and dieting cycles; (6) facilitators to SC including life experience and upbringing; and (7) SC as a mask for disordered eating and exercise behaviors. Discussion Findings highlight the need to tailor SC interventions to address masculine norms, weight stigma, and internalized bias.

To develop effective and acceptable interventions for reducing distress in adults living with chronic pain, understanding the psychological processes presumed to underlie therapeutic approaches is needed. This longitudinal study examined the relative contribution of illness perceptions (grounded in the common-sense model informing cognitive behavioural therapy) and compassion (key to compassion-focused therapy) in predicting anxiety and depression in chronic pain, and explored whether effects were mediated by worry and rumination. Adults with chronic primary pain, recruited through a tertiary pain management service in the United Kingdom, completed pain interference and severity, illness perceptions, compassion, worry, rumination, anxiety, and depression measures at baseline (N=159), and three months later (N=96). At baseline, lower compassion from others and greater worry were associated with greater anxiety, while more negative illness perceptions, lower compassion (for self and others), greater rumination, and greater pain interference were linked to higher depression scores. Longitudinally, there were no significant direct effects of baseline illness perceptions or compassion on anxiety three months later, and no mediating effects of worry when controlling for pain interference and severity. For depression, more negative illness perceptions at baseline directly predicted greater rumination and depression levels three months later, but no mediating effect of rumination on depression was found. Therapeutic approaches grounded in the common-sense model may be useful in understanding depression in individuals living with chronic pain. Further research is needed to explore processes and mechanisms underpinning anxiety.

Background/Objectives: The prison environment presents a unique context for examining the impact of addiction on physical and psychological functioning. Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are overrepresented in correctional facilities and often experience greater emotional difficulties and impaired physical capacity. This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of psychological and functional profiles between addicted and non-addicted male inmates in a semi-open correctional facility. Methods: The study included 47 male prisoners (19 addicted, 28 non-addicted). Physical performance was assessed using the Countermovement Jump (CMJ), handgrip strength, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), and the FitLight reaction time test. Psychological functioning was evaluated using six standardized questionnaires: problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping strategies, depression (PHQ-9), perceived stress (PSS-10), and self-compassion (SCS). Results: No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between addicted and non-addicted inmates in physical performance parameters. Addicted individuals demonstrated slightly higher handgrip strength with lower variability, while non-addicted inmates showed slightly better lower-body power in the CMJ test. Functional movement quality and reaction speed were similar between groups. Psychological assessments also revealed no significant differences between the groups. Coping styles, depressive symptoms, perceived stress levels, and self-criticism scores were comparable in both populations. In the addicted group, deeper squats correlated with lower stress (rho = −0.46, p = 0.047), and better hurdle step performance correlated with emotion-focused coping (rho = 0.46, p = 0.048). Conclusions: Although no statistically significant differences were found between addicted and non-addicted male inmates in the assessed physical and psychological outcomes, the limited sample size and context-specific nature of this pilot study suggest that these findings should be viewed as preliminary and interpreted with caution. Nonetheless, the observed associations between physical performance and psychological variables indicate subtle interconnections between motor capacity, stress perception, and coping mechanisms that merit further investigation in larger, longitudinal studies.