Mindfulness and Self-compassion Decrease Emotional Symptoms, Self-criticism, Rumination and Worry in College Students: A Preliminary Study of the Effects of Group Self-compassion-based Interventions

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a brief protocol that consisted in 4 sessions based on the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program administered as a group intervention in an online format, on indicators of self-compassion, self-efficacy, self-criticism, depression, anxiety, stress, mindfulness, rumination and worry. A pretest-posttest experimental design was used with a wait-list control group with random assignment. The sample consisted of university students (N= 35) who received the modified MSC program. Results suggest that the program increased indicators of self-compassion (d= 1.603), self-efficacy (d= 0.655) and mindfulness (rB = 0.954), and reduced levels of depression (rB= 0.980), stress (d= 1.050), rumination (d = 0.626) and worry (d= 1.077). The implications of brief self-compassion-based interventions as an effective strategy for addressing emotional issues in college students are discussed.