A socioemotional training program that did not mention mindfulness increased weekly state mindfulness and improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and perceived stress in 166 healthy German adults, with effect sizes ranging from 0.38 to 0.62. However, increases in state mindfulness did not predict changes in those trait measures, suggesting that simply experiencing more mindful states during training is not enough to drive lasting trait changes. The way an intervention is framed may be important for helping people connect momentary experiences to stable personality shifts.
A brief compassion meditation session, whether done individually or with a partner, improves social closeness and positive affect while reducing negative affect. Contrary to expectations, dyadic meditation did not produce greater self-reported social closeness than individual meditation. However, heart rate variability (HRV) decreased during individual meditation but not during dyadic meditation, suggesting that individual compassion meditation may require more effort. The findings indicate that brief compassion meditation can enhance socio-emotional well-being regardless of setting.