Participation in Online Mindfulness was Associated with Improved Self-Compassion and Prosocial Attitudes
Neil Wayne Bailey, Whitney Comte, Richard Chambers, Larissa Bartlett, Sherelle Connaughton, Craig Stephen Hassed
Mindfulness July 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-023-02168-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post repeated-measures study Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 209 |
| Population | Participants who completed a 4-week online mindfulness program |
| Intervention | Online mindfulness program |
| Duration | 4-week program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key points | Participation in a 4-week online mindfulness program was associated with improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes, with males showing larger gains in prosocial attitudes. Higher self-reported quality of formal mindfulness practice, but not quantity, was associated with greater improvements in trait mindfulness and self-compassion, and changes in trait mindfulness appeared to mediate the practice-quality/self-compassion link. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives Online mindfulness programs have become popular due to their increased accessibility compared to face-to-face programs. Although research has demonstrated that face-to-face mindfulness programs can increase trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes, fewer studies have explored these outcomes in online programs. This study aimed to test whether an online mindfulness program improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes, and whether improvements related to self-reported quality and quantity of mindfulness practice.
Method: Repeated-measures ANOVAs compared measures of trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes between 209 pre- and post-program survey responses from participants who completed a 4-week online mindfulness program. Regressions were used to test whether the quantity or quality of mindfulness practice predicted changes in these measures, and mediation analyses tested whether associations between mindfulness practice and outcomes were mediated by changes in trait mindfulness.
Results: The study found that participation in the mindfulness program was associated with improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes (all p < 0.01) and that males showed larger increases in prosocial attitudes (p < 0.05). The study also showed an association between the quality of formal mindfulness practice and improvements in both self-compassion and trait mindfulness (p < 0.01). Lastly, the mediation analysis suggested the association between the quality of formal practice and self-compassion was mediated by changes in trait mindfulness (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: These results suggest online mindfulness programs can lead to improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and prosocial attitudes. Our results also indicate that higher self-reported practice quality is related to improved trait mindfulness, and that changes in trait mindfulness mediated improved self-compassion. Pre-registration This study was not pre-registered.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The association between mindfulness and social anxiety in university students: the chain mediation role of rumination and self-compassion. Frontiers in Psychology April 23, 2026
- Exploring the Facilitating Environment for Mindfulness Meditation: Establishing a Framework through Analysis of Means and Exploratory Factor Analysis Mindfulness October 1, 2024
Cites 22
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Stress and Health March 15, 2010
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
and 17 more in the library