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Kindness Matters: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindful Self-Compassion Intervention Improves Depression, Distress, and HbA1c Among Patients With Diabetes
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mood difficulties are common among patients with diabetes and are linked to poor blood glucose control and increased complications. Evidence on psychological treatments that improve both mood and metabolic outcomes is limited. Greater self-compassion predicts better mental and physical health in both healthy and chronically ill populations. Thus, the purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the effects of self-compassion training on mood and metabolic outcomes among patients with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This RCT tested the effects of a standardized 8-week mindful self-compassion (MSC) program (n = 32) relative to a wait-list control condition (n = 31) among patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Measures of self-compassion, depressive symptoms, diabetes-specific distress, and HbA1c were taken at baseline (preintervention), at week 8 (postintervention), and at 3-month follow-up. RESULTS Repeated-measures ANOVA using intention to treat showed that MSC training increased self-compassion and produced statistically and clinically significant reductions in depression and diabetes distress in the intervention group, with results maintained at 3-month follow-up. MSC participants also averaged a clinically and statistically meaningful decrease in HbA1c between baseline and follow-up of >10 mmol/mol (nearly 1%). There were no overall changes for the wait-list control group. CONCLUSIONS This initial report suggests that learning to be kinder to oneself (rather than being harshly self-critical) may have both emotional and metabolic benefits among patients with diabetes.
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In the citing paper
“Study findings suggested that a face-to-face group-delivered MSC programme was associated with improvements in depression, diabetes-distress and HbA1c outcomes (Friis et al., 2016).”
From An online acceptance, commitment, and self-compassion based treatment to decrease psychological distress in people with type 2 diabetes: A feasibility randomised-controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as Friis et al., 2016
In the citing paper
“Considering the daily challenges of maintaining diabetes, such as monitoring blood glucose, food consumption or physical activity levels, personal failures can be experienced on frequent basis, which may be particularly likely to increase one's self-directed criticism (Friis et al., 2016).”
From An online acceptance, commitment, and self-compassion based treatment to decrease psychological distress in people with type 2 diabetes: A feasibility randomised-controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as Friis et al., 2016
In the citing paper
“With respect to anxiety and diabetes-related distress, three out of six studies that measured these outcomes found a significant reduction following the intervention [50, 51, 56, 58, 60] compared to the control group.”
From Well-being interventions for individuals with diabetes: A systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
In the citing paper
“In two instances, significant changes in HBA1C were not observed immediately post-intervention but instead at three-month follow-up [51] and one-month follow-up [54].”
From Well-being interventions for individuals with diabetes: A systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
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Metadata
- Authors
- Friis, A. M., Johnson, M. H., Cutfield, R. G., & Consedine, N. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Waitemata District Health Board (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Friis, Anna M.
- Venue
- Diabetes Care
- Publisher
- American Diabetes Association
- Published
- 2016-06-22
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1963-1971
- ISSN
- 0149-5992 (ISSN-L)
- 1935-5548
- OpenAlex
- W2465180286
- Cited by
- 291
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 87 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 25.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Diabetes Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- mindful self-compassion, self-compassion, depression, diabetes distress, HbA1c, glycemic control, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, mood, psychological intervention, self-criticism
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Depression, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Empathy, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Glycated Hemoglobin, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult, Mindfulness
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