Acceptability and potential benefit of a self-compassion intervention for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a mixed methods pilot study.

This proof-of-concept study aimed to explore the acceptability and potential benefit of a self-guided online self-compassion intervention to aid resilient coping and reduce emotional distress among patients and caregivers living with ALS. A single-arm pilot study was conducted in 20 adults living with ALS either as a patient or as a caregiver. Acceptability was examined using questionnaires ( = 20) and semi-structured interviews ( = 9).

What, how and when do families communicate about ALS? A qualitative exploration of parents' and children's perceptions.

: In families with a parent diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), children's adaptation depends among others on how their parents communicate with them about the disease and its trajectory. The aim of this study was to explore parents' and children's perceptions of ALS-related family communication. : A qualitative analysis using a conventional content analysis approach was applied to interview data previously collected from 21 parents (8 with ALS) and 15 children (age 13-23 years) about their experiences living with ALS.

Stigma experienced by ALS/PMA patients and their caregivers: a mixed-methods study.

Objective: Previous work suggests that stigma negatively impacts quality of life in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive muscular atrophy (PMA). This study aimed to explore experiences of enacted stigma (experienced discrimination) and felt stigma (shame, fear of exclusion) among Dutch ALS/PMA patients and their caregivers. A secondary aim was to assess associated factors of enacted/felt stigma among patients.

Effects of a brief compassion exercise on affect and emotion regulation in patients with personality disorders.

Background And Objectives: Cultivating compassion seems a promising strategy for ameliorating emotion dysregulation in patients with personality disorders (PDs). Thus far, empirical evidence is lacking. This study aimed to examine whether a brief compassion exercise compared to a neutral exercise would positively impact on (implicit) positive affect (PA) and (implicit) negative affect (NA) and foster the use of more adaptive emotion regulation strategies in an adult clinical sample with PDs.

Parental and child adjustment to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: transformations, struggles and needs.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA) and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), together referred to as ALS, are life-limiting diagnoses affecting not only patients but also the families surrounding them, especially when dependent children are involved. Despite previous research highlighting the vulnerability of children in these families, they are, as yet, often overlooked in healthcare. Efforts are needed to better support children in families living with ALS, both directly and through strengthening parents in their parental role.

New Evidence in the Booming Field of Online Mindfulness: An Updated Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: There is a need to regularly update the evidence base on the effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), especially considering how fast this field is growing and developing.

Objective: This study presents an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of online MBIs on mental health and the potential moderators of these effects.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science up to December 4, 2020, and included 97 trials, totaling 125 comparisons.

Effect of Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder on Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Whereas several meta-analyses have shown that psychotherapy is effective for reducing borderline personality disorder (BPD) pathology, the overall impact of psychotherapy for BPD on quality of life (QoL) remains as yet unclear. Because impaired QoL is associated with poor long-term outcomes after therapy for BPD, this seems a timely and relevant issue. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of psychotherapies for adults diagnosed with BPD that reported results of QoL at posttreatment.

Exploring compassionate attributes and skills among individuals participating in compassion-focused therapy for enhancing well-being.

Objectives: The conceptual approach of compassion underlying compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is based on theoretical rather than empirical grounds. The aim of the present study was to seek empirical support for components of compassion as outlined in the theoretical model underpinning CFT, and to explore which components, if any, matter most for improving well-being.

Design: A sequential exploratory mixed methods design was employed.

Pathways to Improving Mental Health in Compassion-Focused Therapy: Self-Reassurance, Self-Criticism and Affect as Mediators of Change.

The working mechanisms of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) remain understudied. Drawing on the theoretical model underlying CFT, we examined four putative working mechanisms - self-reassurance, self-criticism, positive/negative affect - in relation to changes in well-being and psychological distress. Data of a waitlist randomised controlled trial ( = 242) investigating the effectiveness of a self-help CFT-intervention in a non-clinical sample were analysed.

The Factor Structure of the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in Thirteen Distinct Populations.

There is considerable evidence that self-criticism plays a major role in the vulnerability to and recovery from psychopathology. Methods to measure this process, and its change over time, are therefore important for research in psychopathology and well-being. This study examined the factor structure of a widely used measure, the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale in thirteen nonclinical samples ( = 7510) from twelve different countries: Australia ( = 319), Canada ( = 383), Switzerland ( = 230), Israel ( = 476), Italy ( = 389), Japan ( = 264), the Netherlands ( = 360), Portugal ( = 764), Slovakia ( = 1326), Taiwan ( = 417), the United Kingdom 1 ( = 1570), the United Kingdom 2 ( = 883), and USA ( = 331).

Investigating the Direct Impact of a Gamified Versus Nongamified Well-Being Intervention: An Exploratory Experiment.

Background: Gamification is a promising strategy to increase the effectiveness of Web-based mental health interventions by enhancing engagement. However, because most studies focus on the longer term effects of gamification (eg, effectiveness or adherence at the end of the intervention period), there is limited insight into how gamification may enhance engagement. Research implies that gamification has a direct impact at the time of use of the intervention, which changes the experience of the users, and thereby motivates users.

The effect of positive psychology interventions on well-being and distress in clinical samples with psychiatric or somatic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Although positive psychology interventions (PPIs) show beneficial effects on mental health in non-clinical populations, the current literature is inconclusive regarding its effectiveness in clinical settings. We aimed to examine the effects of PPIs on well-being (primary outcome), depression, anxiety, and stress (secondary outcomes) in clinical samples with psychiatric or somatic disorders.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.

Development and validation of the forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale-Short Form.

Studies investigating the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) are growing rapidly. As CFT is oriented toward helping people deal with internal processes of self-to-self-relating, having instruments to measure these processes is important. The 22-item Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS) has been found a useful measure.

Complaint-Directed Mini-Interventions for Depressive Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Unguided Web-Based Self-Help Interventions.

Background: Prevention of depression is important due to the substantial burden of disease associated with it. To this end, we developed a novel, brief, and low-threshold Web-based self-help approach for depressive complaints called complaint-directed mini-interventions (CDMIs). These CDMIs focus on highly prevalent complaints that are demonstrably associated with depression and have a substantial economic impact: stress, sleep problems, and worry.