Researchers investigated the workings of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) by examining the roles of self-compassion and mindful awareness. They studied 130 participants in an 8-week MBSR program, mostly women around 47 years old. They measured psychosocial wellbeing, mindful awareness, and self-compassion before and after the program. They found that higher levels of self-compassion at the start were linked to more significant reductions in stress levels. Interestingly, the reduction in stress was influenced by an increase in self-compassion both directly and indirectly through enhanced mindful awareness. These findings suggest that self-compassion not only predicts the effectiveness of MBSR but also plays a vital role in how it works, with unique mechanisms for different outcomes.
Self Compassion & Stress Reduction
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