What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Matos, Marcela
Data de Publicação: 2021
Outros Autores: Gilbert, Paul, Gonçalves, Elsa, Melo, Inês, Baumann, Tahlia, Xin Qi Yiu, Rebecca, R. Steindl, Stanley
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: por
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_64-2_1
Resumo: Empirical research has documented the benefits of compassion for mental health, psychosocial and physiological wellbeing. Yet, definitions of compassion vary amongst theoretical approaches, researchers, clinicians and lay people. The meaning and nature of compassion can be misunderstood and become linked to fears, blocks and resistances to compassion. The current paper defines compassion from the perspective of compassion focused therapy (CFT) and distinguishes it from other commonly related concepts, using a qualitative methodological approach. Participants’ understanding of compassion was explored through their selection of the words they associated with compassion and self-compassion, and descriptions of recalled experiences of giving and receiving compassion, with cultural differences further examined. A sample of 584 adult participants was recruited from general community populations in Australia (n = 296), Portugal (n = 183) and Singapore (n = 105) and completed a self report questionnaire assessing the meaning and the subjective experiences of compassion. Empathy, Kindness and Understanding were the three words participants most frequently associated with ‘Compassion’. The most frequent three words selected by participants associated with ‘Self-compassion’ were Acceptance, Strength and Understanding. Various cultural differences among countries were identified and discussed. The findings also clarified participants’ experiences of compassion for others, receiving compassion from others and self-compassion, identified similarities and differences between countries, and revealed a significant proportion of people who were unable to recollect/ describe compassion experiences (across the three flows). The findings are discussed in light of a CFT framework and clinical implications for CFT practitioners are derived.
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spelling What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassionO que é Compaixão? Um estudo multicultural sobre as associações semânticas e experiências subjetivas de compaixãoCompassionSelf-compassionCompassion Focused TherapySemantic associationSubjective experiencesQualitative dataCompaixãoAuto-compaixãoTerapia Focada na CompaixãoAssociação semânticaExperiências subjetivasDados qualitativosEmpirical research has documented the benefits of compassion for mental health, psychosocial and physiological wellbeing. Yet, definitions of compassion vary amongst theoretical approaches, researchers, clinicians and lay people. The meaning and nature of compassion can be misunderstood and become linked to fears, blocks and resistances to compassion. The current paper defines compassion from the perspective of compassion focused therapy (CFT) and distinguishes it from other commonly related concepts, using a qualitative methodological approach. Participants’ understanding of compassion was explored through their selection of the words they associated with compassion and self-compassion, and descriptions of recalled experiences of giving and receiving compassion, with cultural differences further examined. A sample of 584 adult participants was recruited from general community populations in Australia (n = 296), Portugal (n = 183) and Singapore (n = 105) and completed a self report questionnaire assessing the meaning and the subjective experiences of compassion. Empathy, Kindness and Understanding were the three words participants most frequently associated with ‘Compassion’. The most frequent three words selected by participants associated with ‘Self-compassion’ were Acceptance, Strength and Understanding. Various cultural differences among countries were identified and discussed. The findings also clarified participants’ experiences of compassion for others, receiving compassion from others and self-compassion, identified similarities and differences between countries, and revealed a significant proportion of people who were unable to recollect/ describe compassion experiences (across the three flows). The findings are discussed in light of a CFT framework and clinical implications for CFT practitioners are derived.Estudos empíricos têm documentado os benefícios da compaixão para a saúde mental, bem-estar psicossocial e fisiológico. No entanto, as definições de compaixão variam entre abordagens teóricas, investigadores, clínicos e leigos. O significado e a natureza da compaixão podem ser mal compreendidos e ligados a medos, bloqueios e resistências à compaixão. O presente artigo define a compaixão a partir da perspetiva da terapia focada na compaixão (TFC) e distingue-a de outros conceitos comumente associados, usando uma abordagem metodológica qualitativa. A compreensão dos participantes sobre o que é a compaixão foi explorada através da seleção das palavras que eles associavam com compaixão e auto-compaixão, e das suas descrições de experiências passadas de dar e receber compaixão, com diferenças culturais sendo também examinadas. Uma amostra de 584 participantes adultos foi recrutada da comunidade geral na Austrália (n = 296), Portugal (n = 183) e Singapura (n = 105), e completou um questionário de auto-resposta que avaliava o significado e as experiências subjetivas de compaixão. Empatia, Bondade e Compreensão foram as três palavras que os participantes mais frequentemente associaram a ‘Compaixão’. As três palavras mais frequentemente selecionadas pelos participantes associadas à ‘Auto-compaixão’ foram Aceitação, Força e Compreensão. Várias diferenças culturais entre os países foram identificadas e discutidas. As descobertas também esclareceram as experiências dos participantes de compaixão pelos outros, receber compaixão de outros e auto-compaixão, identificaram semelhanças e diferenças entre países e revelaram que uma proporção significativa de pessoas não conseguiu lembrar/descrever experiências de compaixão. Os resultados são discutidos à luz da abordagem de TFC e são derivadas implicações clínicas para psicoterapeutas de TFC.Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra2021-12-28info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_64-2_1https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_64-2_1Psychologica; Vol. 64 No. 2 (2021); 11-50Psychologica; Vol. 64 N.º 2 (2021); 11-501647-86060871-465710.14195/1647-8606_64-2reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAPporhttps://impactum-journals.uc.pt/psychologica/article/view/11313https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/psychologica/article/view/11313/8591Direitos de Autor (c) 2021 Marcela Matos, Paul Gilbert, Elsa Gonçalves, Inês Melo, Tahlia Baumann, Rebecca Xin Qi Yiu, Stanley R. Steindlhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessMatos, MarcelaGilbert, PaulGonçalves, ElsaMelo, InêsBaumann, TahliaXin Qi Yiu, RebeccaR. Steindl, Stanley2023-05-31T13:59:55Zoai:impactum-journals.uc.pt:article/11313Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T17:59:01.349431Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
O que é Compaixão? Um estudo multicultural sobre as associações semânticas e experiências subjetivas de compaixão
title What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
spellingShingle What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
Matos, Marcela
Compassion
Self-compassion
Compassion Focused Therapy
Semantic association
Subjective experiences
Qualitative data
Compaixão
Auto-compaixão
Terapia Focada na Compaixão
Associação semântica
Experiências subjetivas
Dados qualitativos
title_short What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
title_full What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
title_fullStr What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
title_full_unstemmed What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
title_sort What is compassion? A multicultural study on the semantic associations and subjective experiences of compassion
author Matos, Marcela
author_facet Matos, Marcela
Gilbert, Paul
Gonçalves, Elsa
Melo, Inês
Baumann, Tahlia
Xin Qi Yiu, Rebecca
R. Steindl, Stanley
author_role author
author2 Gilbert, Paul
Gonçalves, Elsa
Melo, Inês
Baumann, Tahlia
Xin Qi Yiu, Rebecca
R. Steindl, Stanley
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Matos, Marcela
Gilbert, Paul
Gonçalves, Elsa
Melo, Inês
Baumann, Tahlia
Xin Qi Yiu, Rebecca
R. Steindl, Stanley
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Compassion
Self-compassion
Compassion Focused Therapy
Semantic association
Subjective experiences
Qualitative data
Compaixão
Auto-compaixão
Terapia Focada na Compaixão
Associação semântica
Experiências subjetivas
Dados qualitativos
topic Compassion
Self-compassion
Compassion Focused Therapy
Semantic association
Subjective experiences
Qualitative data
Compaixão
Auto-compaixão
Terapia Focada na Compaixão
Associação semântica
Experiências subjetivas
Dados qualitativos
description Empirical research has documented the benefits of compassion for mental health, psychosocial and physiological wellbeing. Yet, definitions of compassion vary amongst theoretical approaches, researchers, clinicians and lay people. The meaning and nature of compassion can be misunderstood and become linked to fears, blocks and resistances to compassion. The current paper defines compassion from the perspective of compassion focused therapy (CFT) and distinguishes it from other commonly related concepts, using a qualitative methodological approach. Participants’ understanding of compassion was explored through their selection of the words they associated with compassion and self-compassion, and descriptions of recalled experiences of giving and receiving compassion, with cultural differences further examined. A sample of 584 adult participants was recruited from general community populations in Australia (n = 296), Portugal (n = 183) and Singapore (n = 105) and completed a self report questionnaire assessing the meaning and the subjective experiences of compassion. Empathy, Kindness and Understanding were the three words participants most frequently associated with ‘Compassion’. The most frequent three words selected by participants associated with ‘Self-compassion’ were Acceptance, Strength and Understanding. Various cultural differences among countries were identified and discussed. The findings also clarified participants’ experiences of compassion for others, receiving compassion from others and self-compassion, identified similarities and differences between countries, and revealed a significant proportion of people who were unable to recollect/ describe compassion experiences (across the three flows). The findings are discussed in light of a CFT framework and clinical implications for CFT practitioners are derived.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021-12-28
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dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.14195/1647-8606_64-2_1
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dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/psychologica/article/view/11313
https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/psychologica/article/view/11313/8591
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Psychologica; Vol. 64 No. 2 (2021); 11-50
Psychologica; Vol. 64 N.º 2 (2021); 11-50
1647-8606
0871-4657
10.14195/1647-8606_64-2
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