A review of the effect of compassion on mental health: emotion regulation as a possible mechanism of action
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37536/RIECS.2019.4.S1.124Keywords:
Compassion, Empathy, Emotion Regulation, Mental HealthAbstract
This article provides a review of the current state of research on compassion. First, the construct of compassion is addressed from a Buddhist perspective. Second, this article reviews the empirical literature on the relation of self-compassion to mental health, including findings from correlational studies as well as intervention studies. Third, compassion and empathy are conceptually differentiated, providing empirical evidence that supports this distinction. Fourth, the idea is discussed that a possible mechanism of action for self-compassion on mental health may be through improvements on emotion regulation. Finally, it is concluded that research on compassion is still emergent and directions for future research are suggested.
References
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13. Birnie K, Speca M, Carlson LE. Exploring self-compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Stress Health. 2010; 26 5: 359-71.
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15. Van Dam NT, Sheppard SC, Forsyth JP, Earleywine M. Self-compassion is a better predictor than mindfulness of symptom severity and quality of life in mixed anxiety and depression. J Anxiety Disord. 2011; 25 1: 123-30.
16. Pauley G, McPherson S. The experience and meaning of compassion and self-compassion for individuals with depression or anxiety. Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice. 2010; 83 2: 129-43.
17. Neff KD, Rude SS, Kirkpatrick KL. An examination of self-compassion in relation to positive psychological functioning and personality traits. Journal of Research in Personality. 2007; 41 4: 908-16.
18. Zessin U, Dickhaeuser O, Garbade S. The relationship between self-compassion and well-being: A meta-analysis. Applied Psychology-Health and Well being. 2015; 7 3: 340-64.
19. Neff KD, Germer CK. A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. J Clin Psychol. 2013; 69 1: 28-44.
20. Bluth K, Gaylord SA, Campo RA, Mullarkey MC, Hobbs L. Making Friends with Yourself: A mixed methods pilot study of a Mindful Self-Compassion Program for adolescents. Mindfulness. 2016; 7 2: 479-92.
21. Sanso N, Galiana L, Cebolla A, Oliver A, Benito E, Ekman E. Cultivating emotional balance in professional caregivers: A pilot intervention. Mindfulness. 2017; 8 5: 1319-27.
22. Jazaieri H, McGonigal K, Jinpa T, Doty JR, Gross JJ, Goldin PR. A randomized controlled trial of compassion cultivation training: Effects on mindfulness, affect, and emotion regulation. Motiv Emotion. 2014; 38 1: 23-35.
23. Halifax J. The precious necessity of compassion. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011; 41 1: 146-53.
24. Gilbert P. Compassion focused therapy: Distinctive features London: Routledge, 2010.
25. García-Campayo J, Navarro-Gil M, Demarzo M. Attachment-based compassion therapy. Mindfulness and Compassion, 2016; 1 2: 68-74.
26. Bornemann B, Singer T. A cognitive neuroscience perspective-The ReSource model. In Singer T, Bolz M. Eds. Compassion: Bridging practice and science. 2013. p. 178-191.
27. Reddy SD, Negi LT, Dodson-Lavelle B, Ozawa-de Silva B, Pace TWW, Cole SP, et al. Cognitive-Based Compassion Training: A promising prevention strategy for at-risk adolescents. J Child Fam Stud. 2013; 22 2: 219-30.
28. Neff KD, Pommier E. The relationship between self-compassion and other-focused concern among college undergraduates, community adults, and practicing meditators. Self and Identity. 2013; 12 2: 160-76.
29. Keltner D, Goetz JL. Compassion. In Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Eds.. Encyclopedia of social psychology. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications. 2007. p. 159–161.
30. Simón V, Germer CK, Bayés, R. La compasión: el corazón del mindfulness. Barcelona: Sello Editorial, 2015.
31. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, Davidson RJ. Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: Effects of meditative expertise. Plos One. 2008; 3 3: e1897.
32. Klimecki OM, Leiberg S, Lamm C, Singer T. Functional neural plasticity and associated changes in positive affect after compassion training. Cerebral Cortex. 2013; 23 7:1552-61.
33. Klimecki OM, Leiberg S, Ricard M, Singer T. Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. 2014; 9 6: 873-9.
34. Leiberg S, Klimecki O, Singer T. Short-term compassion training increases prosocial behavior in a newly developed prosocial game. Plos One. 2011; 6 3: e17798.
35. Batson CD, Oquin K, Fultz J, Vanderplas M, Isen AM. Influence of self-reported distress and empathy on egoistic versus altruistic motivation to help. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1983; 45 3: 706-18.
36. Eisenberg N, Fabes RA, Miller PA, Fultz J, Shell R, Mathy RM, et al. Relation of sympathy and personal distress to pro-social behavior: A multimethod study. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1989; 57 1: 55-66.
37. Figley CR. Compassion stress: Toward its measurement and management. Family Therapy News, 1993; 24 1, 3–16.
38. Klimecki O, Ricard M, Singer T. Empathy versus compassion: lessons from 1st and 3rd person methods. In Singer T, Bolz M. Eds. Compassion: Bridging practice and science. 2013. p. 272-287.
39. Danucalov MAD, Kozasa EH, Ribas KT, Galduroz JCF, Garcia MC, Verreschi ITN, et al. A yoga and compassion meditation program reduces stress in familial caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013; 513149.
40. Barsade SG, O'Neill OA. What's Love got to do with it? A longitudinal study of the culture of compassionate love and employee and client outcomes in a long-term care setting. Adm Sci Q. 2014; 59 4: 551-98.
41. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology. 2002; 39 3: 281-91.
42. Thompson RA. Emotion regulation: a theme in search of definition. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev. 1994; 59 2-3: 25-52.
43. Aldao A, Nolen-Hoeksema S, Schweizer S. Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010; 30 2: 217-37.
44. Gross JJ, Muñoz RF. Emotion regulation and mental health. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 1995; 2: 151-64.
45. Finlay-Jones AL, Rees CS, Kane RT. Self-compassion, emotion regulation and stress among australian psychologists: Testing an emotion regulation model of self-compassion using structural equation modeling. Plos One. 2015; 10 7: e0133481.
46. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology. 2002; 39 3: 281-291.
2. The Dalai Lama. Essence of the Heart Sutra: The Dalai Lama’s heart of wisdom teachings. Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2005.
3. Bennett-Goleman T. Emotional alchemy: How the mind can heal the heart. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2001.
4. Brach T. Radical acceptance: Embracing your life with the heart of a Buddha. New York: Bantam Books, 2003.
5. Neff KD. The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity. 2003; 2 3: 223-50.
6. Neff KD. Self-Compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity. 2003; 2 2: 85-101.
7. Buddhaghosa B. The path of purification. Sri Lanka, Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1975.
8. Germer CK. El poder del mindfulness. Barcelona: Ediciones Paidós, 2017.
9. The Dalai Lama. An open heart: Practicing compassion in everyday life. Boston, MA: Little Brown and Company, 2001.
10. Blatt SJ, Quinlan DM, Chevron ES, McDonald C, Zuroff D. Dependency and self-criticism: Psychological dimensions of depression. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1982; 50 1: 113-24.
11. Wood JV, Saltzberg JA, Neale JM, Stone AA, Rachmiel TB. Self-focused attention, coping responses, and distressed mood in everyday life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1990; 58 6: 1027-36.
12. Nolenhoeksema S. Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes. J Abnorm Psychol. 1991; 100 4: 569-82.
13. Birnie K, Speca M, Carlson LE. Exploring self-compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Stress Health. 2010; 26 5: 359-71.
14. MacBeth A, Gumley A. Exploring compassion: A meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology. Clin Psychol Rev. 2012; 32 6: 545-52.
15. Van Dam NT, Sheppard SC, Forsyth JP, Earleywine M. Self-compassion is a better predictor than mindfulness of symptom severity and quality of life in mixed anxiety and depression. J Anxiety Disord. 2011; 25 1: 123-30.
16. Pauley G, McPherson S. The experience and meaning of compassion and self-compassion for individuals with depression or anxiety. Psychology and Psychotherapy-Theory Research and Practice. 2010; 83 2: 129-43.
17. Neff KD, Rude SS, Kirkpatrick KL. An examination of self-compassion in relation to positive psychological functioning and personality traits. Journal of Research in Personality. 2007; 41 4: 908-16.
18. Zessin U, Dickhaeuser O, Garbade S. The relationship between self-compassion and well-being: A meta-analysis. Applied Psychology-Health and Well being. 2015; 7 3: 340-64.
19. Neff KD, Germer CK. A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. J Clin Psychol. 2013; 69 1: 28-44.
20. Bluth K, Gaylord SA, Campo RA, Mullarkey MC, Hobbs L. Making Friends with Yourself: A mixed methods pilot study of a Mindful Self-Compassion Program for adolescents. Mindfulness. 2016; 7 2: 479-92.
21. Sanso N, Galiana L, Cebolla A, Oliver A, Benito E, Ekman E. Cultivating emotional balance in professional caregivers: A pilot intervention. Mindfulness. 2017; 8 5: 1319-27.
22. Jazaieri H, McGonigal K, Jinpa T, Doty JR, Gross JJ, Goldin PR. A randomized controlled trial of compassion cultivation training: Effects on mindfulness, affect, and emotion regulation. Motiv Emotion. 2014; 38 1: 23-35.
23. Halifax J. The precious necessity of compassion. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011; 41 1: 146-53.
24. Gilbert P. Compassion focused therapy: Distinctive features London: Routledge, 2010.
25. García-Campayo J, Navarro-Gil M, Demarzo M. Attachment-based compassion therapy. Mindfulness and Compassion, 2016; 1 2: 68-74.
26. Bornemann B, Singer T. A cognitive neuroscience perspective-The ReSource model. In Singer T, Bolz M. Eds. Compassion: Bridging practice and science. 2013. p. 178-191.
27. Reddy SD, Negi LT, Dodson-Lavelle B, Ozawa-de Silva B, Pace TWW, Cole SP, et al. Cognitive-Based Compassion Training: A promising prevention strategy for at-risk adolescents. J Child Fam Stud. 2013; 22 2: 219-30.
28. Neff KD, Pommier E. The relationship between self-compassion and other-focused concern among college undergraduates, community adults, and practicing meditators. Self and Identity. 2013; 12 2: 160-76.
29. Keltner D, Goetz JL. Compassion. In Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Eds.. Encyclopedia of social psychology. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage Publications. 2007. p. 159–161.
30. Simón V, Germer CK, Bayés, R. La compasión: el corazón del mindfulness. Barcelona: Sello Editorial, 2015.
31. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, Davidson RJ. Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: Effects of meditative expertise. Plos One. 2008; 3 3: e1897.
32. Klimecki OM, Leiberg S, Lamm C, Singer T. Functional neural plasticity and associated changes in positive affect after compassion training. Cerebral Cortex. 2013; 23 7:1552-61.
33. Klimecki OM, Leiberg S, Ricard M, Singer T. Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. 2014; 9 6: 873-9.
34. Leiberg S, Klimecki O, Singer T. Short-term compassion training increases prosocial behavior in a newly developed prosocial game. Plos One. 2011; 6 3: e17798.
35. Batson CD, Oquin K, Fultz J, Vanderplas M, Isen AM. Influence of self-reported distress and empathy on egoistic versus altruistic motivation to help. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1983; 45 3: 706-18.
36. Eisenberg N, Fabes RA, Miller PA, Fultz J, Shell R, Mathy RM, et al. Relation of sympathy and personal distress to pro-social behavior: A multimethod study. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1989; 57 1: 55-66.
37. Figley CR. Compassion stress: Toward its measurement and management. Family Therapy News, 1993; 24 1, 3–16.
38. Klimecki O, Ricard M, Singer T. Empathy versus compassion: lessons from 1st and 3rd person methods. In Singer T, Bolz M. Eds. Compassion: Bridging practice and science. 2013. p. 272-287.
39. Danucalov MAD, Kozasa EH, Ribas KT, Galduroz JCF, Garcia MC, Verreschi ITN, et al. A yoga and compassion meditation program reduces stress in familial caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013; 513149.
40. Barsade SG, O'Neill OA. What's Love got to do with it? A longitudinal study of the culture of compassionate love and employee and client outcomes in a long-term care setting. Adm Sci Q. 2014; 59 4: 551-98.
41. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology. 2002; 39 3: 281-91.
42. Thompson RA. Emotion regulation: a theme in search of definition. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev. 1994; 59 2-3: 25-52.
43. Aldao A, Nolen-Hoeksema S, Schweizer S. Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010; 30 2: 217-37.
44. Gross JJ, Muñoz RF. Emotion regulation and mental health. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 1995; 2: 151-64.
45. Finlay-Jones AL, Rees CS, Kane RT. Self-compassion, emotion regulation and stress among australian psychologists: Testing an emotion regulation model of self-compassion using structural equation modeling. Plos One. 2015; 10 7: e0133481.
46. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology. 2002; 39 3: 281-291.
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28-01-2019
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