Mindfulness, self-compassion and spiritual well-being in chronic depression

Abstract

Introduction

Depression is one of the main causes of incapacity worldwide. Research has shown that mindfulness practice, self-compassion promotion, and spiritual well-being are beneficial for depressed individuals.

Objective

Analyze the associations between compassion, mindfulness, and spiritual well-being, during and after a therapeutic intervention (concluded less than a year ago).

Aims

To determine if mindfulness, self-compassion, and spiritual well-being are predictors of depression.

Method

Patients diagnosed with chronic depression were treated in a residential therapeutic community for a period of six to eight months. The 63 participants (M = 32.84, SD = 10.24, range = 15–50 years old; 32 during treatment; 31 after treatment) were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory, the Questionnaire of the Five Facets of Mindfulness, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire.

Results

There were differences in mindfulness, self-compassion, spiritual well-being and depression by sex, existence of previous psychiatric treatment, moment of the study (during versus after intervention), and depression levels. After intervention the group had higher levels of mindfulness and self-compassion (common humanity) and lower levels of over-identification, compared with group during treatment. The predictors of depression were the self-judgment dimension of the self-compassion scale and, negatively, the mindfulness dimensions of non-reactivity and non-judging, and the spiritual well-being dimension of personal well-being.

Conclusion

Results confirm the relationship between the study variables and depression. This reinforces the importance of intervention based on positive psychology enhancing positive areas of human experience, rather than focusing on psychological pain, weaknesses, and disabilities.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.