Articles
& Books

The Effects of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) on Health-Care Workers

The main objective of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) on various aspects of burnout and job satisfaction in health-care workers. Specifically, this study sought to investigate whether CCT reduces work-related burnout, interpersonal conflict, as well as increases of mindfulness, compassion toward the self, fears of compassion, and job satisfaction scores.

The general conclusions of this study are that CCT may be helpful at improving several aspects of health in health-care providers, such as self-reported mindfulness, self-compassion, compassion toward others, and interpersonal conflict. The implications of this study are that this training may promote mental health resilience in health-care workers, improve patient care, and may be helpful in burnout prevention.

The Effects of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) on Health-Care Workers. Scarlet, J., Altmeyer, N., Knier, S., & Harpin, R. E. (2017).Clinical Psychologist, 21, 116–124. doi:10.1111 /cp.12130

»» READ THE ARTICLE

Effectiveness of Cultivating Compassion Training Program

Psychosocial interventions often aim to alleviate negative emotional states. However, there is growing interest in cultivating positive emotional states and qualities. To discover whether compassion can be trained, researchers conducted a study of a community sample of 100 adults who were randomly assigned to a 9-week compassion cultivation training (CCT) program (n=60) or a waitlist control condition(n=40). Before and after this 9-week period, participants completed self-report inventories. The study found that participants in the CCT program, compared to those in the waitlist control group, manifested significant improvements in all three domains of compassion—compassion for others, receiving compassion from others, and self-compassion. These findings have important implications for mental health and well-being.

Hooria Jazaieri et al., Enhancing Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Compassion Cultivation Training Program, J. Happiness Stud. DOI 10.1007/s10902-012-9373-z

»» READ THE ARTICLE

Self-Compassion in Clinical Practice

Self-compassion is conceptualized as containing 3 core components: self-kindness versus self-judgment, common humanity versus isolation, and mindfulness versus over-identification when relating to painful experiences. Research evidence demonstrates that self-compassion is related to psychological flourishing and reduced psychopathology.

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) is an 8-week training program, meeting 2.5 hours each week, designed to help participants cultivate self-compassion. MSC contains a variety of meditations (e.g., loving-kindness, affectionate breathing) as well as informal practices for use in daily life (e.g., soothing touch, self-compassionate letter writing). A detailed clinical case illustrates the journey of a client through the 8 weeks of MSC training, describing the key features of each session and the client’s response.

Self-Compassion in Clinical Practice. Christopher K. Germer & Kristin D. Neff (2013), J. Clin. Psychol.: In Session 69:856-867

»» READ THE ARTICLE

Why Compassion Serves You Better than Self-Interest

Can compassion be good for the bottom line for organizations? According to Emma Seppälä, author of The Happiness Track, the answer is a clear yes. Research confirms that a compassionate culture at work can improve not only employee well-being and productivity but also client health outcomes and satisfaction.

»» READ THE ARTICLE