Compassionate Hearts Protect Against Wandering Minds: Self-compassion Moderates the Effect of Mind-Wandering on Depression

• Published in: Spirituality in clinical practice (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 5; no. 3; p. 155
• Main Authors: Greenberg, Jonathan, Datta, Tanya, Shapero, Benjamin G, Sevinc, Günes, Mischoulon, David, Lazar, Sara W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2018
• Subjects: Depression; mind-wandering; Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy; self-compassion
• ISSN: 2326-4500
• DOI: 10.1037/scp0000168

Depression is associated with high levels of mind-wandering and low levels of self-compassion. However, little is known about whether and how these two factors interact with one another to influence depressive symptoms. The current study examined the interaction between mind-wandering, self-compassion and depressive symptoms in a depressed sample and tested the effects of an eight-week Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program on these constructs. At baseline, mind-wandering was associated with higher depressive symptoms only among individuals with low self-compassion. Self-compassion additionally predicted depressive improvement. As expected, MBCT increased self-compassion and reduced mind-wandering compared to a treatment-as-usual control group. Overall, longitudinal changes in self-compassion produced a moderation effect similar to the one at baseline so that increases in mind-wandering were associated with increases in depressive symptoms only among those who decreased in self-compassion. Results provide the first evidence that self-compassion can protect against the deleterious effects of mind-wandering among depressed participants, both at baseline and longitudinally. Findings also suggest that self-compassion is an effective predictor of depressive improvement. Finally, MBCT is effective not only at reducing depressive symptoms, but also at targeting protective and risk factors associated with depression.