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PS937: Compassion Focused Approaches - Coggle Diagram
PS937: Compassion Focused Approaches
Self Compassion
What is it?
Mindfulness
being aware / recognise when we are stressed / struggling
without being judgmental / over-reacting
Self-kindness
being supportive and understanding towards ourselves when we are having a hard time
rather than be harshly self-critical
Connectedness
remembering that everyone makes mistakes and experience difficulties at times
we are not alone
Common Myths (Fears, Blocks, Resistances)
laziness
selfish
weak / sissy
Realities
Being compassionate to ourselves help us take responsibility and learn from our mistakes
Improves well-being
Improves
Happiness
Life Satisfaction
Work Satisfaction
Optimism
Social Relationships
Reduces
anxiety
depression
stress
perfectionism
shame
body dissatisfaction
eating disorders
Not about ...
being better than others
success
more about inherent worth as human being
Linked to ...
Motivation
less fear of failure, more likely to try again
more personal responsibility
more motivation to repair past mistakes
Healthier Behaviours
more likely to eat well
more exercise
Improved Relationships
rated more positively by their partners
not selfish
more giving
more caring
more loving
more compassionate
more supportive of autonomy
Less angry
malleable
can be taught
e.g. Mindful Self Compassion Programme (MSCP) - Kirstin Neff
e.g. Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) - Paul Gilbert
Science of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) by Paul Gilbert
seeks to be
science based
integrative
(consilient)
evolution informed
Evolution of emotions and the brain
amygdala ~ hypothalamus
amygdala detect fear and threat-stimuli
determine whether emotional or physiological response is needed
if physiological needed, amygdala sends signal to hypothalamus to activate appropriate bodily response - such as fight-or-flight reaction through the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis
direct neural pathways
stria terminalis
ventral amydalofugal pathway
release cortiotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) - which triggers production of stress hormones like cortisol
fight or flight
feedback loop - bidirectional communication to regulate emotional and physiological states
overactivation can lead responses to perceived threats as exaggerated or persistent
chronic stress
anxiety disorders
PTSD
Disgust and Insular Cortex
for animals - it is about sensory disgust
for humans, this include moral disgust - which is intensely context-dependent
our mind evolves - change via natural selection from challenges of survival and reproduction
3 Challenges of Life
Protection
Resource Acquisition
Rest and Digest
Four Functions of Mind
Motives
Emotions
Reasoning
Behaviours
biopsychosocial
approach to the human mind
with an aim to address the harmful suffering causing aspects of our evolved mind
powerful epigenetic process that primes the phenotype for adopting a caring lifestyle as opposed to hostile lifestyle
sensitive periods, vulnerability (not inevitability)
addresses
harmful suffering causing aspects of our evolved minds
via promotion of caring relationships to self and others
defined in many ways
focus: basic motive with Stimulus Response algorithm
sensitivity to the suffering / distress of self and others
with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it
3 Flows
Self
From Others
To Others
3 Systems (Gilbert, 2009)
Soothing
affiliating and reassuring
function
slow down
soothe
rest and digest
safeness
kindness
care
Drive
motivation and resource seeking
function
achieve goals
consume
accomplish tasks
Threat
detection and protection
function
manage threats
protection
survive
seek safety
Exploring Compassion in Specific Groups
Autism Spectrum Disorders
neurodevelopmental condition broadly characterised by social and communication difficulties in addition to restrictive and repetitive behaviours (APA, 2013)
Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP)
Evidence of heritable nature of autism
autistic traits are normally distributed in GenPop
Mild traits or characteristics associated with ASD are present in individuals who do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for autism
e.g. relatives of individuals with autism - sub-clinical traits - suggest a genetic and familial link
Core traits
Social Communication Diffierences
difficulties with social interaction paritcularly subtle social cues
social withdrawal at times
Repetitive or Restricted Behaviours
Cognitive & Emotional Styles
high attention to details
tendency for anxiety or perfectionism
challenging to understand perspectives different from their own
lower self-compassion in autistic vs non-autistic individuals
John found that self-compassion is the critical mechanism through which autistic traits influence emotional outcomes
emotional distress in individuals with autistic traits is not inevitable but may arise from a lack of self-compassion
Self-Other Imbalance
Compassionate Brain (CB) Theory
an imbalance in the distribution of compassion between oneself and others affect mental health
Self-Other Imbalance Hypothesis of Autism
autistic individuals may exhibit a greater degree of self-other imbalance
particularly low self-compassion
particularly high compassion for others
particularly females
this tendency is associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression and mediated the relationship between autistic traits and anxiety/depression
Enhancing our understanding of compassion in autism can inform the development of targeted psychological interventions, potentially improving the mental health and QOL for persons with autism.
associated with five factors
self-sacrifice
compassion rejection
other-focused masking
strong justice / fairness
need for approval
Double Compassion Problem
when individuals with autism relate to the experiences or struggles of similar others, their levels of compassion may exceed those displayed by neurotypical individuals
more pronounced given the challenges they face when interacting socially with people of different neurotypes and the stronger connections they report with others who share a similar neurotype