A randomized controlled trial with 50 undergraduate psychology students in Athens, Greece, tested a six-session group-based self-compassion and mindfulness training program against a waitlist control, with a 3-month follow-up. The intervention was grounded in Neff's model of self-compassion and Kabat-Zinn's mindfulness. Analyses included 21 intervention and 25 control participants with complete data. The authors report that the program improved self-compassion and reduced depression, anxiety, and stress, with gains maintained at follow-up. The study was retrospective, unblinded, and used lottery-based allocation. No specific funding was received.
Greek women who completed an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program reported emotional and cognitive benefits, improved self-awareness, and positive changes across multiple life domains. The study of eleven adult women using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis found that group dynamics and the instructor's role were key to the experience, while maintaining consistent practice was a challenge. Despite this, all participants incorporated mindfulness into daily routines and expressed commitment to long-term practice. The MBSR program appears to be an effective intervention for reducing stress and anxiety, though further research on overcoming barriers to consistent practice is recommended.