Abstract
This study examines self-criticism as a mechanism through which compassion meditation reduces depressive symptoms in low-income African American men and women (N = 59) who had recently attempted suicide. After completing several measures, including the Levels of Self-Criticism Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a six-session compassion meditation (CM) group (Grady Compassion and Meditation Program) or a six-session support group. As predicted, path analysis results showed that treatment condition led to changes in self-criticism from pre- to posttreatment, with those receiving CM showing greater reductions in levels of self-criticism than those randomized to the support group. Path analyses also revealed that changes in self-criticism fully mediated the link between condition and changes in depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance and value of targeting levels of self-criticism in compassion-based interventions to reduce the depressive symptoms of suicidal African Americans.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 160-168 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior |
Volume | 48 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 The American Association of Suicidology