2012/04/11 by Ruth A. Baer, Emily L. B. Lykins, Jessica R. Peters · 392 citations
Psychology · #Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions #COVID-19 and Mental Health #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #Mindfulness #Self-compassion #Psychology #Meditation #Clinical psychology #Compassion #Mindfulness meditation #Well-being #Psychotherapist
paper · doi:10.1080/17439760.2012.674548
published in The Journal of Positive Psychology 7(3), 230-238 (Routledge)
openalex publication_date 2012/04/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Mindfulness training has well-documented effects on psychological health. Recent findings suggest that increases in both mindfulness and self-compassion may mediate these outcomes; however, their separate and combined effects are rarely examined in the same participants. This study investigated cross-sectional relationships between self-reported mindfulness, self-compassion, meditation experience, and psychological wellbeing in 77 experienced meditators and 75 demographically matched nonmeditators. Most mindfulness and self-compassion scores were significantly correlated with meditation experience and psychological wellbeing. Mindfulness and self-compassion accounted for significant independent variance in wellbeing. A significant relationship between meditation experience and wellbeing was completely accounted for by a combination of mindfulness and self-compassion scores. Findings suggest that both mindfulness and self-compassion skills may play important roles in the improved wellbeing associated with mindfulness training; however, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings.