Caring for others without losing yourself: An adaptation of the Mindful Self‐Compassion Program for Healthcare Communities

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Two studies examined the efficacy of the Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) program for enhancing wellbeing and reducing burnout among healthcare professionals. METHOD: Study 1 (N = 58) had a quasi-experimental design and compared wellbeing outcomes for the SCHC group compared to a waitlist control group. Study 2 (N = 23) did not include a control group and examined the effect of SCHC on burnout. RESULTS: Study 1 found that SCHC significantly increased self-compassion and wellbeing. All gains were maintained for three months. Study 2 found that in addition to enhancing wellbeing, SCHC significantly reduced secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Changes in self-compassion explained gains in other outcomes, and initial levels of self-compassion moderated outcomes so that those initially low in self-compassion benefitted more. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the SCHC program may be an effective way to increase self-compassion, enhance wellbeing, and reduce burnout for healthcare professionals.