Effects of the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Program

Last updated: December 5, 2024
Sponsor: Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Inflammation

Treatment

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training

Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training

Clinical Study ID

NCT05695586
PID2021-125918OB-I00
  • Ages 18-65
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The efficacy of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program has been widely researched. However, research on the efficacy of a standardized program, specifically focused on self-compassion skills, such as the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program remains scarce. Moreover, the use of long-term follow-ups and the analysis of regular practice of mindfulness and self-compassion over time to identify possible changes in inflammatory activity and in biomarkers associated with diseases has been even less analysed and represent a gap in this area. In this context, a main hypothesis is proposed: MSC training and the subsequent regular practice will contribute to improve mental health, self-reported health status, psychological wellbeing and health-related biomarkers. This research uses a RCT design to analyse our main hypothesis. Our RCT design includes three conditions, i.e. MSC group compared to a well-established protocol MBSR training group and to a waitlist control group (CG), and four moments of measure, i.e. pre- and post-training, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Participants in the experimental conditions will receive, respectively, the MSC and MBSR 8-week trainings and afterwards they will go on with weekly MSC/MBSR guided practices over a 12-month period. In addition to an analysis of the relative efficacy of MSC compared to MBSR and CG, we will also study the mechanisms involved in the efficacy of MSC training.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy individuals

  • Not having previous experience in mindfulness and/or self-compassion practices.

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having suffered or currently suffer from a psychiatric disorder, being inpsychiatric or psychological treatment,

  • Suffering from a severe medical disorder that could affect inflammatory response, aswell as systemic inflammation (cancer, AIDS or any other chronic disease that occurswith inflammation, including COVID-19).

  • Having received psychotropic medication within 2 weeks prior to blood extractions (as it interferes with the immune and neuroendocrine systems), or having signs ofacute infection on the day of the blood extraction.

  • The influence of variables that may affect some of the biomarkers (e.g., time ofsample collection, seasonality, BMI, diet, omega-3, vitamin D, nutritionalsupplements, etc.) will also be taken into account.

Study Design

Total Participants: 170
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training
Phase:
Study Start date:
November 14, 2022
Estimated Completion Date:
February 19, 2024

Connect with a study center

  • Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca

    Salamanca, Salamanca (Castilla Y León) 37002
    Spain

    Site Not Available

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