At a glance
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Influence of a Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Intervention in Psychotherapists: Analysis of Its Effects on Empathy, the Therapeutic Alliance and the Symptomatic Evolution of Their Patients
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating MCBI and Active Comparator for Mindfulness, Compassion and 2 related conditions. Completed, enrolled 204 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
It has been shown that mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) applied to psychotherapists improve their empathy and increase the therapeutic alliance. It is expected that these improvements may beneficially affect the results of psychotherapy. However, new studies are needed to examine whether an MBI can have an effect on the healthy evolution of these professionals' patients. The objective of this project is to analyze the influence of a mindfulness and compassion based intervention (MCBI) applied to psychotherapists, on the empathy perceived by their patients, the therapeutic alliance and their symptomatology. This study is a randomized clinical trial of an intervention based on MBSR and adapted to the population of psychotherapists, including in the last two sessions the practice of compassion, called Mindfulness and Compassion Based Intervention (MCBI). The subjects (n = 63) were randomly assigned to MCBI (n = 33) or to a Waiting List group in which they fill in a self-record of their own feelings, thoughts, etc. in therapy for 8 weeks (n = 30). Participants in the MCBI intervention condition were asked to meet weekly during a two-hour session for two months. Pre / post-intervention and five-month evaluations were performed as a follow-up. Mindfulness measures (FFMQ) will be taken for the evaluation of psychotherapists, Self-compassion (SCS-SF), negative symptomatology (DASS-21), empathy (EUS-T, TECA), personal therapist style (EPT-C) and mindfulness instructional style (MIQ). For the evaluation of patients, measures of mindfulness (FFMQ), self-compassion (SCS-SF) will be taken - to try to control without these skills they can be vicariously modified without being directly trained-, subjective well-being (PHI), psychological well-being (BSI), therapeutic alliance (WATOCI, ENAT) and perceived empathy (EUS-P).
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
The topics covered in the sessions are: Week 1: Introduction to mindfulness and attention to breathing. Week 2. Open awareness of bodily sensations. Week 3: Work with thoughts, introductory theory and practice in attention to sounds. Week 4: Working with thoughts, advanced theory and practice in mental landscape. Week 5: Introductory theory and practice in labeling emotions. Session 6: Advanced theory in working with emotions and practice in difficult emotions. Week 7: Introductory theory on self-compassion and compassion. Practice in self-compassion. Week 8: Practice in compassion and active compassion (acts of kindness and shared humanity).
Free observation of the psychotherapist's own feelings, thoughts, distractions, biases and behavior in general for 8 weeks. Observations of these variables are recorded during psychotherapy sessions with patients participating in the research.