Benefits of a Brief Self-Compassion Intervention for Experiences of Stigma Kaitlyn DeStefano and Sarah Novak, Ph.D. Hofstra University, Psychology Department
Background
Variables
Methods
Minority Stress & Stigmatization
1. State Self-Compassion (SSCS-L) 2. State Self-Esteem (SSES) 3. Social Safety (SSPS) 4. Affect (PANAS) a. Positive Affect b. Negative Affect
Experimental
Control
n = 76
n = 80
1. Pre-Intervention Measures ○ Demographics ○ SCSS-L, SSES, SSPS, PANAS 2. Experimental Intervention (SCMI) 3. Post-Intervention Measures ○ SCSS-L, SSES, SSPS, PANAS ○ Acceptability
1. Pre-Intervention Measures ○ Demographics ○ SCSS-L, SSES, SSPS, PANAS 2. Control Intervention (SCMI-Control) 3. Post-Intervention Measures ○ SCSS-L, SSES, SSPS, PANAS ○ Acceptability
● Minority Stress Theory (MST; Meyer, 2003) claims that stigmatized, minority groups experience chronic, additive stress that results from having or being associated with a stigmatized social identity. ● Stigma-related stress has the ability to elicit maladaptive psychological processes that can result in negative cognitive, affective, and social consequences (Hatzenbuehler, 2009).
Student Mental Health Crisis ● Students face a wide-spread mental health crisis, with not enough resources to assist the demand of services.
Self-Compassion ● Self-compassion is the ability to be present with distress while simultaneously feeling connected to others that suffer in a way that works to be understanding and supportive towards oneself. ● Self-compassion has the ability to promote positive emotions that motivate individuals toward the attainment of health goals while reducing negative emotions.
Aim
Hypotheses
To evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of a brief, single-session self-compassion writing technique for college students who experienced stigma.
Intervention will: 1. Increase state self-compassion. ○ Manipulation Check 2. Increase state self-esteem, social safety perception, and positive affect. 3. Decrease negative affect. 4. Be perceived as acceptable for students.
Participants N = 190 Total Participants N = 156 Stigmatized Participants Demographics ● M = 19.00 years old ○ Majority Freshman-Standing Participants (n = 73) ● n = 94 Racial or Ethnic Minority Participants ● n = 34 LGBTQ+ Participants
Intervention Self-Compassionate Mindstate Induction (Neff et al., 2021)
Results
Discussion ● ⅔ of total participants perceived themselves to be stigmatized. ○ Stigmatization is common in student populations. ● Experimental intervention is effective for increasing state self-compassion, state self-esteem, and perceived social safety. ● Experimental intervention was not particularly acceptable for stigmatized students. ○ Both conditions have similar levels of acceptability.
Future Research ● Implementation and dissemination of the intervention from university mental health resources (e.g., website, clinics). ● Examination of the effects of the intervention on self-stigmatization. ○ The present study did not measure the effects of self-stigmatization, which is worth future research inquiry. ● Examination of other modalities of brief self-compassion based interventions on a stigmatized student population.
References