Self-Compassion and Mental Health in Cancer Survivors.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Influence of Self-Compassion on Psychological Health after a Cancer Diagnosis.
IRAS ID
141670
Contact name
Leah Glover
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Past research finds self-compassion to be associated with improved psychological health following a diagnosis of breast cancer, whereas the opposite is true when people feel they are responsible in some way for getting cancer, for example, because of their lifestyle prior to diagnosis. The current study aims to replicate these past findings as well as investigate the previously unexplored idea that self-compassion can protect against anxiety and depression when people feel personally responsible for getting cancer. This study hopes to support the benefits of self-compassion and therefore the use of self-compassion enhancing psychological interventions such as Compassionate Mind Training (Gilbert & Irons, 2005) and Compassion Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2009) for people who are experiencing psychological distress following a cancer diagnosis, particularly because of feelings of personal responsibility. Enhancing the understanding of effective psychological interventions for this population supports the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (Department of Health & Macmillan Cancer Support, 2010; 2013) that encourages new care practices to enable cancer survivors to live as healthy and active lives as possible.
The study is expected to run between June 2014 and September 2015 and fulfils part of the researcher’s Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology. Volunteering participants who access study information via Macmillan websites or oncology healthcare professionals at either Hull’s Castle Hill Hospital or York Hospital will be asked to complete four questionnaires, either online or on paper. These collect information on the participant’s demographics, perceptions of personal responsibility for getting cancer and levels of self-compassion and anxiety and depression symptoms. Participants will be eligible to take part if they are aged over 18, have been diagnosed with cancer, can speak, read and write/type in English and feel able to complete a 15-to-30 minute reading and writing/typing task. All responses will be anonymous and no personally identifiable data will be collected.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NE/0134
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion