Effect of the intervention of the compassion cultivation training on the level of self-criticism and self-compassion

Note: IS - Inadequate-Self, HS - Hated-Self, EG - Experimental group, CG - Control group.

Table 4 / Таблица 4

Assumption tests for the experimental and control groups for the SCS / Проверка гипотез для экспериментальной и контрольной групп (SCS)

These results confirm our assumption expressed in Hypotheses 1 and 4 (H1, H4), since participants from the experimental group did score lower in self-criticism even in the follow-up test. However, same results occurred in the control group. Figure 1 clearly shows that this decrease in self-criticism in the experimental group continues even after the completion of the intervention, i.e. in the follow-up test. The decrease in score, though, persisted through the follow-up in the control group as well. We can clearly see that the control group is parallel to the experimental one.

Hated-Self (HS)

In case of the Hated-Self (HS) dimension, the assumption of parametric tests was also violated and that is why we used Brunner's nonparametric test, however, for the sake of a comparison, we are presenting the ANOVA results as well. Brunner's nonparametric test showed that the interaction of differences between the experimental and the control group as well as between the pretest, posttest and follow-up is significant, F = 5.72; p = 0.005. For results comparison, the ANOVA test showed that the interaction between the two groups and between the pretest, posttest and follow-up measurements is not significant, F = 2.85; p = 0.098. Based on this, we can claim that using classic parametric tests in case of assumption violation leads to fundamental distortions. To illustrate this, we present Figure 2, which shows that the experimental group's score following intervention kept decreasing in the HS dimension, remaining at a lower value even two months after the completion of the intervention. The control group, on the other hand, kept a more even line, decreasing only slightly between the posttest and follow-up test.

Fig. 2. HS score for the control and experimental groups. Рис. 2. Показатели по шкале «Самоненависть» (IS) в контрольной и экспериментальной группах

Compassionate Responding (COMP)

In case of SCS, Compassionate Responding dimension, the assumption of parametric tests was violated and that is why we used the Brunner's nonparametric test, however, for the sake of a comparison, we are presenting the ANOVA results as well. Brunner's nonparametric test showed that the interaction between the experimental and the control group as well as between the pretest, posttest and follow-up is significant, F = 5.57; p = 0.004. For results comparison, the ANOVA test showed that the differences interaction between the two groups and between the pretest, posttest and follow-up measurements is not significant, albeit the values are approaching significance F = 4.02; p = 0.051. This proves, just like in the FSCRS results, that using the classic parametric tests when the assumption is violated leads to fundamental distortions. To illustrate this, we present Figure 3, which shows that the experimental group's score following intervention increased in the COMP dimension, remaining at a higher value even two months after the completion of the intervention. The results from the control group, on the other hand, show an even line, with the participants' score remaining almost unchanged.

Based on these results, we can claim that our assumption as expressed in Hypothesis 2 (H2) has been confirmed, since following intervention participants from the experimental group scored higher in self-compassion than the control group. At the same time, our Hypothesis 3 (H3) was also confirmed, since this increased score on the part of the experimental group persisted even in the follow-up measurements.

Fig. 3. Compassionate Responding score for the control and experimental groups. Рис. 3. Показатели по шкале «Сострадательное реагирование» (COMP) в контрольной и экспериментальной группах

Discussion

The aim of this study was to analyze the short- and long-term effect of The Compassion Cultivation Training, a 14-day online intervention, on the level of self-criticism and self compassion in an available sample of participants.

We expected that after the completion of the intervention the participants will reach lower values in self-criticism and that this effect will last for more than 2 months. In the Inadequate-Self dimension, the experimental group reached lower scores and even after the follow-up test this value remained low. However, it is interesting that the control group also reached lower levels of self-criticism, in spite of the fact that the participants in this group did not undergo the intervention. In this case, we cannot exactly claim that the CCT intervention was effective in the case of Inadequate-Self dimension, because the result is distorted by the so-called test sensitivity. The pretest sensitization effect means that when using preliminary tests the results may be wrongly interpreted [25]. Filling out the battery tests during the pretest may have led the participants in the control group to give lower values in the posttest and the follow-up measurements. However, the fact remains, that participants in the CCT program did reach lower values in self-criticism, even longterm. At the same time, the values of the second dimension of self-criticism - the Hated- Self - decreased significantly immediately after the intervention and they remained lower even two months later, compared to the control group. These findings support the results of a study [25] where the authors found that the development of compassion leads to significant decrease in self-criticism as well as depression, anxiety, and feeling inferior, and on the other hand, it helps to focus on feelings of security and self-confidence towards oneself. Our results are also identical to the results found in a study [26] where the authors confirmed a positive effect of exercises and meditation focused on compassion cultivation. They found that training in compassion can lead to an increase in self-compassion and decrease in self-criticism and in negative judgment of oneself.

Self-criticism is associated with negative attitudes, thoughts, feelings of guilt, and inadequacy, which are often connected with various psychological disorders or even pathopsychological ones [7, 27, 28]. We are of the opinion that on account of these exercises of the CCT intervention, the participants changed their perception of self in a positive way, which resulted in the reduction of negative thoughts and self-judgment as well as learning to approach oneself in a more supportive and accepting way (e.g., exercises such as Mindful affection, Compassionate reasoning, Forgiving oneself, and self kindness). The positive influence and effect of the exercise has also been confirmed by a study [29] developing the compassion, which is a decisive factor in successful social interactions, leads to the improvement of the ability to confront stressful life events. That is why our findings are in line with these results [29]. Because, while before the compassion training, participants reacted rather negatively and critically to their own life difficulties, after the training there was an increase in their positive perception of critical events, such as when they were failing or when things were not going in a desirable direction.

As far as the self-compassion level following CCT intervention is concerned, we were able to prove that the experimental group reached higher scores in self-compassion, even in the long-term measurements, while the control group remained at almost the same level. Owing to these findings, we can confirm the effectiveness of the intervention in the Compassionate Responding (COMP) dimension. People with a higher degree of self compassion are fully aware of their weaker points but they are able to react to them with kindness and understanding, which helps them to better come to terms with negative life events [30]. In our opinion, carrying out the exercises indicated increased values in self-compassionate reactions in participants, which persisted all through to the third measurement, the follow-up. The authors [31] also studied the effects of compassion training (CCT) on constructs such as anxiety, stress, satisfaction with life, happiness, mindfulness, empathy, compassion towards others, and self-compassion. Similarly, to our results, they also found that compared to the control group participants in the CCT manifested significant improvement in psychological well-being (decrease in depression and stress, increase in life satisfaction, happiness, compassion towards others and self-compassion). In the second part of the above-mentioned study, the authors compared the effectiveness of the CCT and the Mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR). The results showed that the CCT had greater influence on the development of compassion skills than did MBSR. These findings [31], like ours, support the claim that compassion training is effective in increasing overall self-compassion.

In another study [2], the compassion training was designed in similar way to ours, except for the length of the intervention itself. The results confirmed that compared to the control group participants, who took part in a CCT training and in formal meditation, manifested increased components of mindfulness and happiness, and moreover, CCT training lead to a decrease in fear and emotional suppression. In other words, CCT training positively influences cognitive and emotional factors, which support an individual's psychological well-being [2]. This is true for the shortened online version of CCT as well.

In the original studies, which verified the effectiveness of the CCT [1, 2], this program took place under the leadership of trained instructors in formal meditation practice, including various techniques in the area of compassion. Since all of our training took place online, we were able to test the effectiveness of this form of CCT program as well. We think that this flexibility and lack of time constraints, possible with this online form of training, allowed the program participants to comfortably go through the individual steps and exercises, since they could freely choose the time during the day to devote to the intervention. Based on the findings, which confirm the effectiveness of online training as a meaningful way of decreasing negative psychological factors such as stress and increasing psychological well-being [32] we can consider our research as a demonstration of the effectiveness of online intervention. We consider the greatest contribution of our study to be the verification of the effectiveness of the shortened version of the CCT program. Results indicate that even a version which includes 14 everyday exercises, i.e., takes two weeks to complete, can be an effective way to increase self-compassion and decrease self-criticism as similar shortened interventions [33-35].

Limitations of the research

In the original research on the CCT program [1,2], the training was organized in the form of 2-hour long group exercises, led by an instructor trained in compassion development and well-being improvement techniques. Since all of our training took place online, the participants did not have the chance to take part in such group sessions. They did all the exercises at home on their own time. Group sessions have the advantage of receiving supplemental information from a qualified person in a given training. Also, there is greater chance that more participants will conscientiously work on the individual exercises since there is an increase in the motivation to complete them. In our case, the participants had to work on the exercises alone and online. At the same time, we did want to compensate for the missing group sessions and so we included a psychoeducational introduction in each exercise, the aim of which was to familiarize the participant with each exercise and its progression. Another limitation could have been the method of available selection of our sample. The participants were recruited by means of internet portals and social networks; therefore, we did not know the motivation behind participating in our research. Moreover, they did the exercises on their own without trained leadership and it is possible that they were disturbed by outside influences, not having sufficient peace and quiet to concentrate on the course of the exercise.

Conclusion

The aim of this research was to analyze the effect of the Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) intervention on levels of self-criticism and self-compassion. The program is focused on compassion development and, originally, it was designed in the form of group sessions lasting approximately 6 to 8 weeks [1, 2]. We created a shortened version of the intervention, in which participants sent the completed exercises in an online form every day for a period of 14 days. In this way, we wanted to verify the effectiveness of the shortened online version of the intervention on a nonclinical sample. We found a significant decrease in the level of self-criticism and increase in the level of self-compassion in participants who underwent the CCT intervention. In addition, we were able to confirm stability in time of the effectiveness of the CCT intervention, since the participants maintained the values of these levels even after the end of the training. The decrease in self-criticism in the Inadequate-Self dimension in the experimental group, however, occurred in the control group as well, which indicates the need for verification of this online 14-day version. It also indicates its effectiveness, mainly in case of the Hated- Self dimension as a more pathological form of self-criticism [7].

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