The DOI matches its Crossref record; 106 of the 106 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Self-compassion in Health Care Professionals: a Meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Objectives Health care professionals have elevated rates of burnout and compassion fatigue which are correlated with poorer quality of life and patient care, and inversely correlated with self-compassion. Primary studies have evaluated the extent to which mindfulness-based interventions increase self-compassion with contradictory findings. A meta-analytic review of the literature was conducted to quantitatively synthesize the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on self-compassion among health care professionals.Methods Twenty-eight treatment outcome studies were identified eligible for inclusion. Five cumulative effect sizes were calculated using random-effects models to evaluate differences of changes in self-compassion for treatment and control groups. Within and between group comparisons were evaluated. Sub-group and moderator analyses were conducted to explore potential moderating variables.Results Twenty-seven articles (k = 29, N = 1020) were utilized in the pre-post-treatment meta-analysis. Fifteen samples (52%) included health care professionals and fourteen (48%) professional health care students. Results showed a moderate effect size between pre-post-treatment comparisons (g = .61, 95% CI = .47 to .76) for self-compassion and a strong effect size for pre-treatment to follow-up (g = .76, 95% CI = .41 to 1.12). The effect size comparing post-treatment versus post-control was moderate. One exploratory moderator analysis was significant, with stronger effects for interventions with a retreat component.Conclusions Findings suggest mindfulness-based interventions improve self-compassion in health care professionals. Additionally, a variety of mindfulness-based programs may be useful for employees and trainees. Future studies with rigorous methodology evaluating effects on self-compassion and patient care from mindfulness-based interventions are warranted to extend findings and explore moderators.
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“The research supported that mindfulness practices can cultivate self-compassion and psychological flexibility (Marais et al. 2020; Wasson et al. 2020).”
From A randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention in social workers working during the COVID-19 crisis (2022) · cites this paper as Wasson et al. 2020
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Kurebayashi, Y. (2026) · Archives of Psychiatric Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2026.152186
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Metadata
- Authors
- Wasson, R. S., Barratt, C., & O’Brien, W. H.
- Affiliations
- Bowling Green State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wasson, Rachel S.
- Venue
- Mindfulness
- Published
- 2020-03-05
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1914-1934
- ISSN
- 1868-8527 (ISSN-L)
- 1868-8535
- PMC
- PMC7223423
- OpenAlex
- W3009686801
- Cited by
- 109
- References
- 106
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 0.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Mindfulness (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
- Keywords
- mindfulness-based interventions, self-compassion, healthcare workers, burnout, compassion fatigue, health professions students, quality of life, patient care
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