The transition to college can introduce new roles, opportunities, and challenges for growth and adjustment. Effective management of these challenges promotes personal adjustment and academic success (Chemers, Hu, and Garcia, 2001). However, difficulty in managing aspects of this transition introduces risks for dysfunction in emotional, social, and academic areas (Heiligenstein and Guenther, 1996). These risks are exacerbated for students who from underrepresented backgrounds at their college and within their field of study (Strayhorn, 2012). Among undergraduates, expressive writing interventions have been used to improve adjustment. These brief activities of self-reflection were originally used to address past hurts and have been adapted to attend to life's benefits. Reflections on both negative and positive life experiences have been tied to improvements in well-being, social success, and physical health (Emmons and McCullough, 2003; Sloan and Marx, 2004). This is the first study to directly compare effects of expressive writings focused on strong negative emotional experiences with effects of writings focused on positive emotional experiences (gratitude). Furthermore, questions remain about mechanisms of influence for these two writing paradigms. The current study tested the influence of these paradigms on student adjustment during the college transition, and assessed emotion mechanisms specific to each writing paradigm. One hundred sixty-one incoming college students were recruited into an online study during the fall semester. Students reported on emotional, social, and academic outcomes at the third, fifth, and eighth weeks of the incoming academic semester. Students were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: a group writing on emotion-focused prompts; a group writing on gratitude-focused prompts; and a control group with no assigned writings. During the fourth week of the semester, students in the experimental groups spent four days writing about their respective group prompts. Students in the emotion-focused writing group showed improvements in willingness to share intimate life events with others (i.e., length of writing, comfort with self-disclosure, recent heart-to-heart conversations). Students in the gratitude-focused writing group showed increases and maintenance of psychological resources (i.e., life satisfaction, involvement in group meetings, instances of studying). I discuss the implications of these findings below. / Ph. D.

Previous research has shown that appearance-related pressures from multiple sources can influence body esteem in emerging adults. Furthermore, research has shown that self-compassion and gender play a role in body image and the relation between sociocultural pressures and body esteem. Less research has examined how these variables interact in their association with body esteem in emerging adults. Thus, the current study sought to assess these interactions. Participants (N = 877; 492 women) were primarily White (78.9% for women and 76.4% for men) and ranged in age from 18 to 28 (M = 18.70 for women and 19.10 for men). Participants completed an online survey with measures assessing appearance-related pressures, self-compassion, and body esteem. Results indicated a significant main effect of appearance-pressure from mothers on weight body esteem in women and a significant interaction of maternal appearance-related pressure and self-compassion on appearance body esteem in men.

University students with increased rates of reported perfectionism, anxiety, and depression, are vulnerable to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, not all students with psychological distress engage in NSSI, suggesting protective factors may help to mitigate this risk. The present study examined the relation between perfectionism and NSSI, via the mediating effects of anxiety and depression, and the moderating role of self-compassion. Participants were 338 university students (67% female; 87% White) who completed several self-report measures. Students with greater perfectionism reported higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and, in turn, more NSSI engagement. Self-compassion and several self-compassionate domains attenuated connections between perfectionism and psychopathology and between depression and NSSI; conversely, non-self-compassionate domains strengthened associations between perfectionism and psychopathology. Addressing NSSI risk factors (e.g., perfectionism and psychopathology) and fostering self-compassion may reduce the risk of heightened anxiety and depression among perfectionists, consequently reducing their likelihood of NSSI engagement.

Närstående som mist någon i suicid är i riskzonen för att utveckla psykisk ohälsa. Få studier har undersökt närståendes upplevelse av samhällets stödinsatser. Det är även få studier som undersökt relationen mellan närståendes grad av self-compassion och hjälpsökandebeteende. Syftet med denna studie var därför att undersöka hur närstående upplever samhällets stödinsatser, samt om det finns ett samband mellan grad av self-compassion, antalet stödinsatser de sökt och vilken stödinsats de vänt sig till. Studien bestod av 174 personer som var medlemmar i den ideella organisationen Suicidprevention och efterlevandestöd (SPES) där samtliga var över 18 år. Oberoende t-test användes för att se skillnad i medelvärde mellan olika grupper av self-compassion och antalet stödinsatser de sökt. Vidare gjordes chi-två test och ANOVA-analyser för att se om det fanns en statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan grad av self-compassion, antalet stödinsatser de sökt samt vilken typ av stöd. Resultatet visade att närstående fått mest stöd från framförallt familjemedlem/vän eller partner men även från ideell organisation och religiöst förbund. Minst stöd upplevde de att de fått från vuxenpsykiatrin, vårdcentral och privat professionell behandlare. Det fanns ett signifikant samband mellan antalet stödinsatser deltagare sökt och grad av self-compassion, där de med lägre grad av self-compassion sökte fler stödinsatser. Resultatet visade även en signifikant skillnad i skattningen mellan olika grader av self-compassion och vilka som sökt stödinsatserna vuxenpsykiatrin och familjemedlem/vän eller partner. Resultatet tyder på att det nuvarande stödet är bristande och det behövs mer forskning inom området som underlag till förbättring. / People bereaved by suicide are at risk to develop mental health problems. Few studies have aimed to research on their experience of support efforts in combination with self-compassion and how it influences help-seeking behaviour. The purpose of the study was to investigate how the bereaved experience support efforts, and whether the degree of self-compassion affects how much support they sought and which support effort they turned to. The participants were 174 persons from the non-profit organization Suicidprevention och efterlevandestöd (SPES) and all participants were over 18 years old. Independent t-test was used to see the difference in means between groups of self-compassion and the number of support efforts they sought. Chi-square test and ANOVA-analyzes were used to calculate the significant difference between groups in self-compassion, how much and what kind of support they sought. Results showed that the bereaved experienced most support from family members/friends or partners, non-profit organizations and religious associations. They experienced least support from adult psychiatry, primary care and private practicing psychologists. There was a significant association between how many support efforts bereaved sought and degree of self-compassion, where they with lower degree of self-compassion sought more support efforts. The result showed a significant difference between degree of self-compassion and those who sought help from adult psychiatry and family member/friend or partner. As the result indicates that the current support is inadequate, more research in this area is needed as a basis for improvement.

No description available.

No description available.

Compassion Focused Therapy är en integrativ transdiagnostisk behandlingsform som syftar till att öka self-compassion och minska skam och självkritik hos individer med psykisk ohälsa. Skam och självkritik har i hög grad identifierats hos personer med ätstörningar, som också ofta anses svårbehandlade. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka huruvida CFT kan vara ett behandlingsalternativ vid ätstörningar. En single-subject design med upprepade mätningar användes (n=5). Studien visade på tvetydiga resultat men indikerar att en del individer kan vara hjälpta av denna behandling. Fortsatt forskning är således motiverad / Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an integrative transdiagnostic treatment aiming at increasing self-compassion, and reducing levels of shame and self-criticism in individuals with psychiatric illness. High levels of shame and self-criticism have been identified in people suffering from eating disorders, disorders who are usually considered difficult to treat. The aim of the present study was to investigate if CFT could be considered a treatment option for eating disorders. A single-subject design with repeated measures was used (n=5). The results were ambiguous, though indicating that CFT could be helpful for some individuals with eating disorders. Further research is warranted.

Den här studien har undersökt huruvida det föreligger något samband mellan prokrastinering, self-compassion och livstillfredsställelse. Det har även undersökts om studenter prokrastinerar i högre grad än de som arbetar. Studien har genomförts med en enkät som delats på internet och som till största delen spridits i Facebook-grupper. Det var 96 respondenter som svarade på enkäten och av dessa arbetade 61 personer och 35 studerade. Genom histogram framkom att underlaget för prokrastinering och livstillfredsställelse inte var normalfördelat. För att testa huruvida det föreligger någon signifikant skillnad mellan de som arbetar och de som studerar avseende prokrastinering, har det icke-parametriska testet Mann Whitney U använts. Resultatet visade att en signifikant skillnad föreligger och det är studenterna som i genomsnitt prokrastinerar i högst grad. Även skillnaden i grupperna avseende livstillfredsställelse testades med Mann Whitney U och en signifikant skillnad återfanns även här. Self-compassion jämfördes mellan studenter och arbetande med ett oberoende t-test, men någon signifikant skillnad förelåg inte. Vidare genomfördes korrelationsundersökningar, vilka testades med Spearman´s rho. Resultatet visade att det förelåg signifikanta korrelationer mellan prokrastinering och self-compassion samt self-compassion och livstillfredsställelse, men korrelationerna var relativt svaga. Slutsatsen blev således att studenterna prokrastinerade i högre grad än de som arbetade och att det fanns en signifikant negativ korrelation mellan prokrastinering och self-compassion samt en signifikant positiv korrelation mellan self-compassion och livstillfredsställelse. / The present study has examined whether there is any correlation between procrastination, self-compassion and life satisfaction and also whether students procrastinate to a greater extent than those who work. The study was conducted with a survey that was shared on the internet and was mainly distributed in Facebook groups. There were 96 respondents who answered the questionnaire and of these 61 worked and 35 studied. Histograms showed that the substrate for procrastination and life satisfaction was not normally distributed. To test whether there is any significant difference between those working and those studying when it comes to procrastination, the non-parametric Mann Whitney U test has been used. The results showed that there is a significant difference and it is the students who, on average, procrastinate most. The difference in life satisfaction groups was also tested with Mann Whitney U and a significant difference was also found here. The results from the self-compassion scale were tested with an independent t-test, and no statistically significant result was found. Correlation studies were also conducted, which were tested with Spearman´s rho. The results showed that there were significant correlations between procrastination and self-compassion as well as self-compassion and life satisfaction, but the correlations were relatively weak. The conclusion was that the students procrastinated to a greater extent than those who worked, and there was a significant negative correlation between procrastination and self-compassion and a significant positive correlation between self-compassion and life satisfaction.

Bakgrund: Sjuksköterskor som är medkännande till patienter och samtidigt utsätts för stress och press beskriver att de kan drabbas av compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue påverkar sjuksköterskors hälsa negativt vilket kan orsaka att vissa lämnar professionen samt att patienter beskriver en sämre personcentrerad vård. Den personcentrerade vården påverkas av sjuksköterskornas mående, det är av vikt att lyfta fram vad som kan bidra till att få compassion energy. Compassion energy ger sjuksköterskorna kraften till att orka vara medmänniska till patienten och erfara välbefinnande i professionen. Syfte: Att skapa en översikt av sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av vad som kan bidra till compassion energy i omvårdnaden av patienter. Metod: En allmän litteraturöversikt utfördes. Datainsamling resulterade i 13 artiklar från databaserna Cinahl Plus och PubMed som analyserades. Resultat: Teman identifierades i resultatet som kunde bidra till sjuksköterskors compassion energy; Socialt stöd, Kunskap och erfarenhet och Egenvård. Slutsats: Examensarbetet lyfter fram betydelsen av socialt stöd, kunskap och erfarenhet samt egenvård som strategier för sjuksköterskan att få compassion energy. Sjuksköterskan kan uppnå compassion energy genom self-compassion, att ta hand om sig själv. När sjuksköterskor beskriver att de har välbefinnande kan det bidra det till en bättre personcentrerad vård. / Background: Nurses who are compassionate to patients and at the same time exposed to stress and pressure describes that they may suffer from compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue has a negative effect on nurses’ health, which can cause some to leave the profession and patients to describes poorer person centered care. Person-centered care is affected by the nurses' health, it is important to illustrate what can contribute to find compassion energy. Compassion energy gives nurses the power to be a fellow human being to the patient and experience satisfaction in the profession. Aim: To create an overview of nurses’ experiences of what can contribute to compassion energy in the care of patients. Method: A General literature review. Data resulted in 13 articles from the databeses Cinahl Plus and Pubmed that were analyzed. Results: Themes were identified in the results that could contribute to nurses' compassion energy; Social support, Knowledge and experience and Self-care. Conclusion: The thesis highlights the importance of social support, knowledge and experience, and self-care as strategies for the nurse to receive compassion energy. The nurse can achieve compassion energy through self-compassion, taking care of oneself. When nurses describes having wellbeing, it may contributes to better person-centered care.

I idrottsvärlden är det vanligt förekommande att utövare upplever krav och press från sin omgivning, vilket vid misslyckanden ofta leder till en hög grad av självkritiska tankar. I sammanhanget har självmedkänsla visat sig vara en hjälpsam strategi för att hantera negativa tankar, men relativt lite forskning inom denna domän återfinns inom den idrottsliga kontexten. Vidare indikerar aktuell forskning att effekten av självmedkänsla påverkas av anknytningsstil. Således var syftet med denna experimentella studie att undersöka om en kortvarig intervention med fokus på självmedkänsla kan påverka grad av självkritiska tankar hos kvinnliga fotbollsspelare, samt om spelarnas anknytningsstil kan predicera förmågan att framgångsrikt ta till sig interventionen.  Urvalet bestod av aktiva kvinnliga fotbollsspelare i åldrarna 15–31 år (N=74) från sex lag som randomiserades till en interventionsgrupp, respektive kontrollgrupp. För att besvara frågeställningarna användes självskattningsformulären Self-compassion Scale Athlete Version (SCS-AV), Self-criticism Scale Athlete Version (SC-AV) samt Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationship Structures questionnaire (ECR-RS). Varians- och regressionsanalyser visade att interventionen signifikant påverkat deltagarnas upplevda grad av mindfulness och samhörighet, samt att grad av undvikande anknytning kan predicera deltagarnas upplevda omsorg och vänlighet mot sig själv. Sammanfattningsvis ger studien visst stöd till att en korttidsbaserad intervention i självmedkänsla kan ge gynnsamma effekter på kvinnliga fotbollsspelares självmedkänsla. Framtida forskning bör fokusera på vad som är verksamma mekanismer i interventioner av självmedkänsla i en idrottspopulation för att åstadkomma goda och reliabla behandlingsutfall. / In the sports world, it is common for practitioners to experience demands and pressure from their surroundings, which in the event of failure often leads to a high degree of self-critical thoughts. In this context, self-compassion has been shown to be a helpful strategy for dealing with negative thoughts, but relatively little research in this domain is found within the sporting context. Furthermore, current research indicates that the effect of self-compassion is influenced by attachment style. Thus, the aim of this experimental study was to investigate whether a short-term intervention focusing on self-compassion can affect the degree of self-critical thoughts in female soccer players, as well as whether the players' attachment style can predict the ability to successfully adopt the intervention. The sample consisted of active female soccer players aged 15-31 years (N=74) from six teams who were randomized to an intervention group and a control group, respectively. To answer the questions, the assessment forms Self-compassion Scale Athlete Version (SCS-AV), Self-criticism Scale Athlete Version (SC-AV) and Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationship Structures questionnaire (ECR-RS) were used. Variance and regression analysis showed that the intervention significantly affected the participants' perceived degree of mindfulness and common humanity, and that the degree of avoidant attachment can predict the participants' perceived self-kindness. In summary, this study provides some support that a short-term self-compassion intervention can have beneficial effects on female soccer players' self-compassion. Future research should focus on the mechanisms at work in self-compassion interventions in an athletic population to achieve good treatment and reliability outcomes.