Reductions in experiential avoidance explain changes in anxiety, depression and well-being after a mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) training.
J. R. Yela, Antonio L Crego, Jose Buz, Elena Sánchez-zaballos, M. Gómez-Martínez
Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice December 13, 2021 DOI: 10.1111/papt.12375 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention mediation study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Participants receiving mindfulness and self-compassion training |
| Intervention | Mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key points | Following 8-week mindfulness and self-compassion training, participants showed increased self-compassion, reduced experiential avoidance, and improved anxiety, depression, and well-being. Changes in experiential avoidance mediated moderate to large proportions of the total effects of self-compassion changes on these outcomes, suggesting that reducing experiential avoidance may be a key mechanism. |
Abstract
Objective: The mindfulness and self-compassion (MSC) protocol has shown efficacy in reducing mental illness symptoms and increasing well-being. However, little is known on how the positive outcomes are produced. This study explores how reductions in experiential avoidance following MSC training may explain changes in the participants' levels of anxiety, depression, and well-being.
Methods: The 8-week protocol-based MSC training was delivered to 50 participants, and pre- to post- intervention changes in anxiety, depression, and well-being were measured. A series of mediation models were conducted, with changes in self-compassion as predictor, changes in experiential avoidance as mediator, and changes in mental health and well-being as outcome variables. Point estimates and bootstrap-corrected 95% confidence intervals were calculated to analyse indirect effects through experiential avoidance, by means of structural equation modeling (SEM).
Results: Following MSC training, participants increased their levels of self-compassion, reduced experiential avoidance, and enhanced mental health (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms) and well-being scores. Increases in self-compassion were associated with decreases in experiential avoidance, which in turn were connected with changes in anxiety, depression, and well-being from pre- to post-training. The indirect path through changes in experiential avoidance represented moderate to large proportions of the total effects of self-compassion change-scores on anxiety, depression, and well-being change-scores.
Conclusions: Reducing experiential avoidance and increasing psychological flexibility may be a key effect of MSC training linked to improvements of the participants' mental health and well-being scores. Self-compassion practices could exert effects on anxiety, depression and well-being mainly through promoting reductions in experiential avoidance.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Long-term effectiveness of the Mindful Self-Compassion programme compared to a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention: a quasi-randomised controlled trial involving regular mindfulness practice for 1 year. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Neural correlates of reduction in self-judgment after mindful self-compassion training: A pilot study with resting state fMRI. Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2025
- Frequent loving kindness meditation relates to lower anxiety in long term practitioners through higher self compassion and cognitive flexibility. Scientific Reports March 29, 2026
- The effects of short video app-guided loving-kindness meditation on college students' mindfulness, self-compassion, positive psychological capital, and suicide ideation. Psicologia, reflexao e critica : revista semestral do Departamento de Psicologia da UFRGS October 30, 2023
- Mindfulness skills and experiential avoidance as therapeutic mechanisms for treatment-resistant depression through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and lifestyle modification. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
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and 5 more in the library