scholarly journals A review of the effect of compassion on mental health: emotion regulation as a possible mechanism of action

Author(s):  
Andrés S. Lombas

This article provides a review of the current state of research on compassion. First, the construct of compassion is addressed from a Buddhist perspective. Second, this article reviews the empirical literature on the relation of self-compassion to mental health, including findings from correlational studies as well as intervention studies. Third, compassion and empathy are conceptually differentiated, providing empirical evidence that supports this distinction. Fourth, the idea is discussed that a possible mechanism of action for self-compassion on mental health may be through improvements on emotion regulation. Finally, it is concluded that research on compassion is still emergent and directions for future research are suggested.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elissa Kozlov ◽  
Bahar Niknejad ◽  
M. C. Reid

Background: Patients with advanced illness often have high rates of psychological symptoms. Many multicomponent palliative care intervention studies have investigated the efficacy of overall symptom reduction; however, little research has focused explicitly on how interventions address psychological symptoms associated with serious illness. Methods: The current study reviewed 59 multicomponent palliative care intervention articles and analyzed the mental health components of palliative care interventions and their outcomes in order to better understand the current state of psychological care in palliative care. Results: The majority of articles (69.5%) did not provide any details regarding the psychological component delivered as part of the palliative care intervention. Most (54.2%) studies did not specify which provider on the team was responsible for providing the psychological intervention. Studies varied regarding the type of outcome measure utilized; multi-symptom assessment scales were used in 54.2% of studies, mental health scales were employed in 25.4%, quality of life and distress scales were used in 16.9%, and no psychological scales were reported in 28.8%. Fewer than half the studies (42.4%) documented a change in a psychological outcome. Discussion and Conclusion: The majority of analyzed studies failed to describe how psychological symptoms were identified and treated, which discipline on the team provided the treatment, and whether psychological symptoms improved as a result of the intervention. Future research evaluating the effects of palliative care interventions on psychological symptoms will benefit from using reliable and valid psychological outcome measures and providing specificity regarding the psychological components of the intervention and who provides it.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun W Jerdan ◽  
Mark Grindle ◽  
Hugo C van Woerden ◽  
Maged N Kamel Boulos

BACKGROUND eHealth interventions are becoming increasingly used in public health, with virtual reality (VR) being one of the most exciting recent developments. VR consists of a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment viewed through a head-mounted display. This medium has provided new possibilities to adapt problematic behaviors that affect mental health. VR is no longer unaffordable for individuals, and with mobile phone technology being able to track movements and project images through mobile head-mounted devices, VR is now a mobile tool that can be used at work, home, or on the move. OBJECTIVE In line with recent advances in technology, in this review, we aimed to critically assess the current state of research surrounding mental health. METHODS We compiled a table of 82 studies that made use of head-mounted devices in their interventions. RESULTS Our review demonstrated that VR is effective in provoking realistic reactions to feared stimuli, particularly for anxiety; moreover, it proved that the immersive nature of VR is an ideal fit for the management of pain. However, the lack of studies surrounding depression and stress highlight the literature gaps that still exist. CONCLUSIONS Virtual environments that promote positive stimuli combined with health knowledge could prove to be a valuable tool for public health and mental health. The current state of research highlights the importance of the nature and content of VR interventions for improved mental health. While future research should look to incorporate more mobile forms of VR, a more rigorous reporting of VR and computer hardware and software may help us understand the relationship (if any) between increased specifications and the efficacy of treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Owen ◽  
Louise Crouch-Read ◽  
Matthew Smith ◽  
Paul Fisher

Abstract For more than a decade, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) has been training a new workforce of psychological therapists. Despite evidence of stress and burnout both in trainee mental health professionals, and qualified IAPT clinicians, little is known about these topics in IAPT trainees. Consequently, this systematic review sought to establish the current state of the literature regarding stress and burnout in IAPT trainees. Electronic databases were searched to identify all published and available unpublished work relating to the topic. On the basis of pre-established eligibility criteria, eight studies (including six unpublished doctoral theses) were identified and assessed for quality. This review identifies that research into the experience of IAPT trainees is under-developed. Existing evidence tentatively suggests that IAPT trainees may experience levels of stress and burnout that are higher than their qualified peers and among the higher end of healthcare professionals more generally. The experience of fulfilling dual roles as mental health professionals and university students concurrently appears to be a significant source of stress for IAPT trainees. More research regarding the levels and sources of stress and burnout in IAPT trainees is urgently needed to confirm and extend these findings. Recommendations for future research in the area are given. Key learning aims (1) To establish the current state of the literature regarding stress and burnout in IAPT trainees. (2) To raise practitioner, service and education-provider awareness regarding the levels and perceived sources of stress and burnout in IAPT trainees. (3) To make recommendations regarding future research on the topic.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Christine Babyar

Purpose Physician stress and burnout is a serious and common concern in healthcare, with over half of physicians in the USA meeting at least one criterion for burnout. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A review on current state of physician stress and burnout research, from 2008 to 2016, was undertaken. A subsequent perspective paper was shaped around these reviews. Findings Findings reveal research strength in prevalence and incidence with opportunities for stronger intervention studies. While descriptive studies on causes and consequences of physician burnout are available, studies on interventions and prevention of physician burnout are lacking. Future research on physician stress and burnout should incorporate intervention studies and take care to avoid limitations found in current research. Accountability and prevention of physician burnout is the responsibility of the healthcare industry as a whole, and organizational strategies must be emphasized in future research. Originality/value The value of this research comes in the original comprehensive review, international inclusion and succinct summary of physician burnout research and strategies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie N. Jackson

The last 15 years has seen a tremendous growth in research on structural priming among second language (L2) speakers. Structural priming is the phenomenon whereby speakers are more likely to repeat a structure they have recently heard or produced. Research on L2 structural priming speaks to key issues regarding the underlying linguistic and cognitive mechanisms that support L2 acquisition and use, and the extent to which lexical and grammatical information are shared across an L2 speaker’s languages. As the number of researchers investigating L2 priming and its implications for L2 learning continues to grow, it is important to assess the current state of research in this area and establish directions for continued inquiry. The goal of the current review is to provide an overview of recent research on within-language L2 structural priming, with an eye towards the open questions that remain.


2021 ◽  
pp. 3-11
Author(s):  
Suddhasvatta Das ◽  
Kevin Gary

AbstractDue to the fast-paced nature of the software industry and the success of small agile projects, researchers and practitioners are interested in scaling agile processes to larger projects. Agile software development (ASD) has been growing in popularity for over two decades. With the success of small-scale agile transformation, organizations started to focus on scaling agile. There is a scarcity of literature in this field making it harder to find plausible evidence to identify the science behind large scale agile transformation. The objective of this paper is to present a better understanding of the current state of research in the field of scaled agile transformation and explore research gaps. This tertiary study identifies seven relevant peer reviewed studies and reports research findings and future research avenues.


2013 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 43-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Schmidt ◽  
Sebastian F. Kaltwasser ◽  
Carsten T. Wotjak

PTSD can develop in the aftermath of traumatic incidents like combat, sexual abuse, or life threatening accidents. Unfortunately, there are still no biomarkers for this debilitating anxiety disorder in clinical use. Anyhow, there are numerous studies describing potential PTSD biomarkers, some of which might progress to the point of practical use in the future. Here, we outline and comment on some of the most prominent findings on potential imaging, psychological, endocrine, and molecular PTSD biomarkers and classify them into risk, disease, and therapy markers. Since for most of these potential PTSD markers a causal role in PTSD has been demonstrated or at least postulated, this review also gives an overview on the current state of research on PTSD pathobiology.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 529-546
Author(s):  
Christofer Laurell ◽  
Sten Soderman

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of articles on sport published in leading business studies journals within marketing, organisational studies and strategy.Design/methodology/approachBased on a review of 38 identified articles within the subfields of marketing, strategy and organisation studies published between 2000 and 2015, the articles’ topical, theoretical and methodological orientation within the studied subfields were analysed followed by a cross-subfield analysis.FindingsThe authors identify considerable differences in topical, theoretical and methodological orientation among the studied subfields’ associated articles. Overall, the authors also find that articles across all subfields tend to be focussed on contributing to mature theory, even though the subfield of marketing in particular exhibits contributions to nascent theory in contrast to organisation studies and strategy.Originality/valueThis paper contributes by illustrating the current state of research that is devoted or related to the phenomenon of sport within three subfields in business studies. Furthermore, the authors discuss the role played by leading business studies journalsvis-à-vissport sector-specific journals and offer avenues for future research.


Author(s):  
Daniel J. Kruger ◽  
Jessica S. Kruger

Health-related research is broad, diverse, and fragmented theoretically, methodologically, and across disciplines. The understanding and improvement of human health would be accelerated by establishing a universal and deep framework integrating varied undertakings. This framework is evolutionary theory, the most powerful explanatory system in the life sciences and the only framework that can unify knowledge in otherwise disparate fields of human research. Darwinian medicine has already made considerable progress in the practical understanding of human physiology and other areas informing medical care. Within evolutionary theory, life history theory in particular holds the promise of promoting understanding of variation in behavioral patterns related to health and why they vary consistent with environmental conditions. This chapter describes the current state of research exemplifying an evolutionary approach to health-related psychology and behavior and outlines directions for future research and intervention efforts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 745-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhijun Wang ◽  
Xiaojuan Wang ◽  
Weiqin Zuo ◽  
Xiaotong Ma ◽  
Ning Li

The capacity of coal to adsorb methane is greatly affected by temperature and, in recent years, temperature-dependent adsorption has been studied by many researchers. Even so, comprehensive conclusions have not been reached and conflicting experimental results are common. This paper reviews the current state of research regarding the temperature-dependent adsorption of methane in coal and catalogs the conclusions from experiments conducted on that subject by 28 researchers, as published between 1995 and 2017. Probability theory and statistics are used to show that the conclusion generally accepted by most researchers is that the amount of methane adsorbed by coal decreases with increasing temperature. It is highly likely that the Langmuir volume decreases as the temperature rises, and it is also probable that the Langmuir pressure increases at higher temperatures. Equations are presented that express the relationships between methane adsorption, Langmuir volume, Langmuir pressure, and temperature. Future research should be directed toward determining the relationship between Langmuir pressure and temperature. The results of the study presented herein provide a theoretical basis for predicting the gas content in coal seams and improving the efficiency of coalbed methane development.


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