Nurturing compassion in schools: A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of a Compassionate Mind Training program for teachers

Abstract

Objectives Schools are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis, with teachers reporting high levels of stress and burnout, which has adverse consequences to their mental and physical health. Addressing mental and physical health problems and promoting wellbeing in educational settings is thus a global priority. This study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8-week Compassionate Mind Training program for Teachers (CMT-T) on indicators of psychological and physiological wellbeing. Methods A pragmatic randomized controlled study with a stepped-wedge design was conducted in a sample of 155 public school teachers, who were randomized to CMT-T (n = 80) or a waitlist control group (WLC; n = 75). Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, burnout, overall and professional wellbeing, compassion and self-criticism at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-months follow-up. In a sub-sample (CMT-T, n = 51; WLC n = 36) resting heart-rate variability (HRV) was measured at baseline and post-intervention. Results CMT-T was feasible and effective. Compared to the WLC, the CMT-T group showed improvements in self-compassion, compassion to others, positive affect, and HRV as well as reductions in fears of compassion, anxiety and depression. WLC participants who received CMT-T revealed additional improvements in compassion for others and from others, and satisfaction with professional life, along with decreases in burnout and stress. Teachers scoring higher in self-criticism at baseline revealed greater improvements post CMT-T. At 3-month follow-up improvements were retained. Conclusions CMT-T shows promise as a compassion-focused intervention for enhancing compassion, wellbeing and reducing psychophysiological distress in teachers, contributing to nurturing compassionate, prosocial and resilient educational environments. Given its favourable and sustainable effects on wellbeing and psychophysiological distress, and low cost to deliver, broader implementation and dissemination of CMT-T is encouraged.

Compassionate Work Environments and Their Role in Teachers’ Life Satisfaction: The Contribution of Perceived Collective School Performance and Burnout

“…A recent study showed that teachers who received an 8-week compassionate mind training program (CMT-T) improved their self-compassion ability and compassion for other skills. As a result, the authors pointed out that following the training, the teachers had developed a more kind, caring toward themselves and a nonjudgmental attitude toward their suffering, as well as a greater motivation to act compassionately to alleviate the other people’s suffering [ 124 ]. The conjunct effect on self- and other-oriented compassion is particularly interesting.…”

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Impact the Self-Compassion App Has on Levels of Compassion, Self-Criticism, and Wellbeing

“…Psychoeducation about the model is key within CFT and CMT. According to Gilbert compassion is: "a sensitivity to suffering in self and others, with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it" (p. 19) [4]. The qualities and skills of compassion can be taught and aim to help people cultivate a compassionate mind.…”

“…CMT is a programme of contemplative, imaginal and body-based practices that can also be used in non-clinical populations to help people cultivate compassion [1,4,[11][12][13][14]. CMT programmes have helped boost wellbeing and levels of compassion in a variety of populations including healthcare educators and providers [15,16], teachers and support staff in schools [17][18][19], healthcare professionals enrolled on a CFT module [13], trainee therapists [20,21], and the general public [22,23].…”

Children’s Perspectives on Using Serious Games as a Complement to Promoting Their Social–Emotional Skills

“…Particularly, empathy, compassion, and cooperation are linked to psychological well-being in adolescents [ 18 , 19 ] and adults [ 20 ]. Additionally, compassion-based interventions have benefits for both intra- and interpersonal relationships and seem to promote not only compassion but also self-regulation abilities in diverse populations and settings [ 21 ], including in the school context [ 15 , 16 , 22 ]. Despite its beneficial results, programs that complement SEL with compassionate components are still scarce in young populations or educational settings.…”