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The Effectiveness and Acceptability of Formal Versus Informal Mindful Self-Compassion for Adolescents
Sponsor: Cambridge Health Alliance
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if two types of mindful self-compassion programs work to improve coping in adolescents. We will also learn about adolescents' liking of, and the other potential mental health and academic benefits of, these programs. The main questions this clinical trial aims to answer are: * Do two types of mindful self-compassion programs improve coping in adolescents? * Do two types of mindful self-compassion programs improve mental health (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) and academic outcomes (e.g., academic engagement) in adolescents? * How satisfactory are two types of mindful self-compassion programs for adolescents? To do this, researchers will compare adolescents who complete two types of mindful self-compassion programs to adolescents in a "waitlist control" condition (who complete no study tasks during the program period, but will have the opportunity to complete the program at the end of the study). Participants will: * Complete a brief phone interview to confirm their eligibility (15 min) * Complete an online survey including questions about coping, mental health, and academic engagement (30 min) * Complete a live, online, four-week-long mindful self-compassion program OR no study tasks during this four-week period (if randomly assigned to a waitlist condition) * Complete an online survey 1 week after the 4-week period, including questions about coping, mental health, and academic engagement, as well as their liking of the program they completed (if applicable) * Complete an online survey 1 month after the 4-week period, including questions about coping, mental health, and academic engagement * (Waitlist condition only) Have the opportunity to complete one of the two mindful self-compassion programs after the study had ended
Official title: Formal Versus Informal Mindful Self-Compassion Programming for Adolescents
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
14 Years - 19 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
135
Start Date
2026-04-01
Completion Date
2027-04-30
Last Updated
2026-04-07
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Formal Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC-F)
The MSC-F and MSC-I programs will be adaptations of the Mindful Self-Compassion - Teen (MSC-T) program (formerly Making Friends With Yourself; Bluth et al., 2016). MSC-T includes the instruction of both formal and informal practices; the adapted programs will thus disentangle the two approaches to allow for their direct comparison. The adapted MSC-F and MSC-I programs will comprise weekly hour-long virtual group sessions held over four weeks and led in real time by IRB-approved CHA researchers and clinicians. Each session will include (i) psychoeducation related to stress, mindfulness, self-compassion, and healthy/unhealthy coping, (ii) in-session mindfulness practice, and (iii) group discussion. Content will be identical across the MSC-F and MSC-I programs aside from the specific practices taught (i.e., whether exclusively formal or informal). Weekly home practice will be assigned and supporting handouts and audio files (where applicable) will be shared following each session.
Informal Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC-I)
The MSC-F and MSC-I programs will be adaptations of the Mindful Self-Compassion - Teen (MSC-T) program (formerly Making Friends With Yourself; Bluth et al., 2016). MSC-T includes the instruction of both formal and informal practices; the adapted programs will thus disentangle the two approaches to allow for their direct comparison. The adapted MSC-F and MSC-I programs will comprise weekly hour-long virtual group sessions held over four weeks and led in real time by IRB-approved CHA researchers and clinicians. Each session will include (i) psychoeducation related to stress, mindfulness, self-compassion, and healthy/unhealthy coping, (ii) in-session mindfulness practice, and (iii) group discussion. Content will be identical across the MSC-F and MSC-I programs aside from the specific practices taught (i.e., whether exclusively formal or informal). Weekly home practice will be assigned and supporting handouts and audio files (where applicable) will be shared following each session.
Locations (1)
Center for Mindfulness and Compassion
Malden, Massachusetts, United States