Background: Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an accepting and compassionate collaborative counselling style that has been linked with various desirable client outcomes. However, its association with self-compassion (SC), an important psychological resource is unknown. One context in which this relationship can be studied is in Physical Activity Counselling (PAC), which is an MI-based intervention that has been found to enhance motivation towards physical activity (PA) and PA behaviour, as well as reduce depressive symptoms. However, no hypothesized link has ever been made between MI and SC and no research has been done on the impact of MI-based PAC onto SC or has investigated SC’s relationship with PA within PAC. Purpose: Article 1: To explore the link between MI and SC. Article 2: To test this proposed association by investigating the impact of a MI-based intervention, specifically through PAC, over time on (1) self-compassion and its subcomponents, and (2) PA and its intensities. A third and fourth purpose were to (3) examine whether any improvements in SC or PA variables were continued at 1-month follow-up and lastly, (4) study the relationships between SC and PA variables over time in university students and employees receiving PAC. Methods: Article 1: This article was a commentary paper that rationalized the hypothesized link between MI and SC. Article 2: This article reports results from a study which used a repeated-measures experimental study design, whereby forty university students and employees filled out online validated self-report questionnaires assessing SC and PA before (baseline), immediately after (endpoint), and 1-month after (follow-up) receiving individualized PAC sessions. Participants reached out to PAC mostly on their own or were referred by other programs on campus. Fidelity checks showed that PAC counsellors were accepting and compassionate. Results: Article 1: A hypothesized link was made between MI and SC, such that the accepting and compassionate spirit of MI, as well as certain content-based techniques used within could help to foster a self-compassionate mindset within the receivers of MI. Article 2: Paired-samples t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance tests revealed that there were significant moderate-to-large increases in total SC, self-kindness, and total, moderate, and strenuous PA from baseline to endpoint. There was also a significant large effect for decreases in self-judgement and isolation from baseline to endpoint. All changes appeared to be continued at 1-month follow-up. Lastly, results revealed that common humanity at baseline positively influenced moderate PA at endpoint. Conclusion: This provides a strong case for the link between MI and SC and provides preliminary evidence to support the positive impact of MI, specifically through PAC, onto SC and PA variables, as well as their relationship over time. Future research is recommended in order to ascertain these findings and practitioners are encouraged to show high acceptance and compassion while assisting individuals with PA behaviour change.

Background: In Canada, women aged 15-24 report the highest rate of depression, an age group which represents a significant proportion of undergraduate students (Hanlon, 2012). Although pharmacology remains the primary treatment for depression, it may not be the most sufficient (Stanton et al., 2014). Physical activity has been demonstrated to have a large and significant antidepressant effect in individuals with depression (Schuch et al., 2016), though what remains challenging is identifying the most effective way to activate this population. Physical Activity Counselling (PAC) has been shown in research to effectively increase levels of physical activity (Fortier et al., 2011). However, the effects of PAC have not been considered in a population of female students with depression specifically. Purpose: To investigate the effects of PAC on depressive symptoms, affect and physical activity in female undergraduate students with depression. Methods: Five female undergraduate students with depression received two months of PAC from a registered Kinesiologist. The study followed a multiple baseline, single-subject design in which measures were taken during four study phases: baseline, intervention, end point and follow-up. Data was collected, including daily objective measures of physical activity, using accelerometers, and self-reported measures of depressive symptoms, positive affect, negative affect and physical activity, using online surveys administered every second day. Results: Visual analyses revealed that depressive symptoms decreased and self-reported physical activity increased from baseline throughout subsequent study phases in all five participants, as hypothesized. Statistical analyses supported these results. Estimated effect sizes of grouped averages indicated that decreases in depressive symptoms from baseline throughout each study phase ranged from small to large, while increases in self-reported physical activity were in the medium to large range. Conclusions: Findings of this study provide initial support for Physical Activity Counselling as a potential strategy to increase physical activity levels and reduce depression among female undergraduate students with depression. Future research is recommended on this important topic.