title: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Increase Self-Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Self-compassion has been shown to be related to several types of psychopathology, including traumatic stress, and has been shown to improve in response to various kinds of interventions. Current conceptualizations of self-compassion fit well with the psychological flexibility model, which underlies acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). However, there has been no research on ACT interventions specifically aimed at self-compassion. This randomized trial therefore compared a 6-hour ACT-based workshop targeting self-compassion to a wait-list control. From pretreatment to 2-month follow-up, ACT was significantly superior to the control condition in self-compassion, general psychological distress, and anxiety. Process analyses revealed psychological flexibility to be a significant mediator of changes in self-compassion, general psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress. Exploratory moderation analyses revealed the intervention to be of more benefit in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress to those with greater trauma history.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology/296 University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV 89557-0062.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yadavaia
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology/298 University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV 89557-0062.
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences University of Washington at Harborview Medical Center Box 359911, 325 Ninth Ave. Seattle, WA 98104-2499.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilardaga
keywords: Acceptance and commitment therapy; General psychological distress; Mediation; Moderation; Psychological flexibility; Self-compassion