Self-compassion as an outcome and potential mediator in mindfulness-based interventions has gained increased attention in the last years. However, most mediation studies had several methodological shortcomings which precluded robust conclusions regarding its mediating role. This randomized controlled study aimed to address these issues by assessing self-compassion, as proposed mediator and outcome, in a temporal sequence.
Eighty-one patients with current depression and work-related conflicts were randomly assigned to either an eight-week mindfulness-based day hospital treatment (MDT-DH; n = 47; including psychopharmacological treatment if necessary) or a waitlist control condition including a psychopharmacological consultation (PCC; n = 34). The outcome, depression severity, was assessed before, at mid-treatment and after the treatment while the proposed mediator, self-compassion, was measured at two week-intervals from before treatment until directly after treatment. Within-person and between-person mediation effects were analysed using multilevel structural equation modelling.
The results from the mediation models show that self-compassion (as a general factor) and two of its components (mindfulness of personal suffering and common humanity) increased and mediated the change in depressive symptoms over time.
This study provides preliminary support for self-compassion as a mediator of treatment effects on depression in a mindful depression treatment.
Keywords: depression; mediation; mindfulness; self-compassion.