Candidate mechanisms of action of mindfulness-based trauma recovery for refugees (MBTR-R): Self-compassion and self-criticism.

Effect of mindfulness-based trauma recovery for refugees on shame and guilt in trauma recovery among African asylum-seekers.

“…Among a variety of therapeutic targets (Aizik-Reebs et al, 2022; Aizik-Reebs, Yuval, et al, 2021), MBTR-R was specifically designed to reduce shame and guilt. First, to counter habituated feelings of shame and guilt, loving-kindness and self-compassion practices were taught as ways of more skillfully responding to and coping with shame, guilt, and other forms of self-judgment and hostility common to trauma- and stress-related mental health problems.…”

“…Second, as an alternative to self-judgmental reactions to experiences such as shame and guilt, MBTR-R was designed to elevate self-acceptance and the capacity for nonjudgmental awareness of experience. Third, MBTR-R focused on fostering the capacities to decenter and disengage from maladaptive thought content common to shame and guilt, and to adaptively respond to these mental states using skillful action (Aizik-Reebs et al, 2022; Van den Brink & Koster, 2015). Fourth, psychoeducation about posttraumatic stress, stress reactivity, and depression is integrated in the intervention to normalize and de-stigmatize, trauma- and stress-related mental health problems, and thereby feelings of posttraumatic shame and guilt (Dutton et al, 2013; Kelly & Garland, 2016).…”

Self-compassion and self-coldness and their relationship with psychological distress and subjective well-being among community-based Hazaras in Australia

“…Cultural orientation could influence how diverse communities view and engage with self-compassion (Chio et al, 2021). Although compassion- and mindfulness-focused psychological therapies have proven useful in the treatment of PTSD and depression among EDP (Aizik-Reebs et al, 2022), it is uncertain how these might be received by Hazaras experiencing significant post-migration acculturative difficulties.…”

“…visa refusals, learning English), self-compassion might support EDP to relate to these difficulties with reduced beliefs about isolation, hopelessness, self-blame and an increased sense of self-kindness (Hinton et al, 2013; Hocking, 2021). Self-compassion has been negatively associated with psychopathology among trauma survivors (Germer & Neff, 2015; Scoglio et al, 2018; Thompson & Waltz, 2008), and has moderated the relationship between chronic ostracism and depressive symptoms among a general community sample (Jiang & Chen, 2020) Recent research has also found self-coldness was associated (and self-compassion was inversely associated) with psychopathology among Eritrean asylum seekers residing in Israel (Aizik-Reebs et al, 2022).…”

“…An understanding of individual psychological processes (such as cognitive processes) helps to place the person in the context of their environment (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Self-criticism (also termed selfcoldness) has mediated the effect of psychological treatment on depression and PTSD among refugees, and selfcompassion (involving extending warmth, care and kindness towards the self during times of personal suffering; Neff, 2003b) has mediated the effect of psychological treatment on PTSD among refugees (Aizik-Reebs et al, 2022). The broader systems of EDP can include factors, such as family reunion rights under migration programmes, which the individual may not have direct control over.…”