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The effects of compassionate mind training on student psychotherapists

Elaine Beaumont (School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK)
Gillian Rayner (School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK)
Mark Durkin (Department of Psychology, University of Bolton, Bolton, UK)
Gosia Bowling (School of Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work and Social Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK)

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice

ISSN: 1755-6228

Article publication date: 11 September 2017

762

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine pre and post outcome measures following a course of Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Participants were students enrolled on a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP). The aim of the research was to explore whether CMT would increase self-compassion, compassion for others, dispositional empathy and reduce self-critical judgement.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 21 participants who had enrolled on the CBP programme took part in the study. Data were collected using the self-compassion scale, interpersonal reactivity index, and the compassion for others scale.

Findings

Results reveal an overall statistically significant increase in self-compassion scores and statistically significant reduction in self-critical judgement scores post training. There was no statistically significant difference post training on the interpersonal reactivity index or the compassion for others scale.

Research limitations/implications

CMT training may help students develop healthy coping strategies, which they can use to balance their affect regulation systems when faced with organisational, placement, client, academic, personal and supervision demands. Further research and longitudinal studies, using larger sample sizes are needed to explore if cultivating compassion whilst on psychotherapy training helps students build resilience and provide a barrier against empathic distress fatigue, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout.

Practical implications

Incorporating CMT into a CBP programme may bring changes in student levels of self-compassion and self-critical judgement.

Originality/value

This inaugural study examines whether incorporating CMT into a CBP programme impacts on students levels of compassion, dispositional empathy and self-critical judgement. The findings from this preliminary study suggest the potential benefits of training students in compassion focused practices.

Keywords

Citation

Beaumont, E., Rayner, G., Durkin, M. and Bowling, G. (2017), "The effects of compassionate mind training on student psychotherapists", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 12 No. 5, pp. 300-312. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-06-2016-0030

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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