Christian healthcare chaplains who completed an intensive course in Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) reported increased belief that compassion can be developed. The mixed-method study of 40 chaplains in a 1-year Clinical Pastoral Education residency found high variability in how individuals practiced compassion meditation and perceived its impact. Interviews revealed diverse subjective experiences of learning and practicing compassion meditation. The findings suggest that individual differences in practice and beliefs play a role in how compassion meditation is learned and enacted, offering insights into contemplative learning processes.
Incorporating compassion meditation training into clinical pastoral education reduces burnout and anxiety among hospital chaplain residents, but the benefits may not last without ongoing practice. In a small study, 15 chaplain residents were assigned either to Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) or a waitlist. Those who received CBCT reported significant decreases in burnout and anxiety compared to the waitlist group, though these effects were not maintained at a 4-month follow-up. Compassion satisfaction did not differ significantly but trended in the expected direction. The findings suggest that extending CBCT throughout residency could help sustain wellbeing improvements.