Ereira, Isabel; (2024) Acceptability and Feasibility of a Novel Compassion Focused Intervention for Trainee Mental Healthcare Professionals. Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).

Text Acceptability and Feasibility of a Novel Compassion Focused Intervention for Trainee Mental Healthcare Professionals.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 October 2025. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Aims: Trainee mental healthcare professionals (tMHCPs) face distinctive challenges as part of their role and training, including working with clients experiencing high levels of emotional distress, and managing risks. Research for healthcare professionals demonstrates that practicing compassion through a variety of experiential practices can lead to higher levels of compassion for others, sensitivity to suffering, and motivation to help. This research endeavours to tackle the problem for tMHCPs of poorer wellbeing, by assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a novel compassion-focused intervention for tMHCPs. As Beaumont and Martin (2016) proposed, “self-compassion may be the remedy for self-criticism, it is necessary for self-care and is a quality needed for students entering the demanding world of therapeutic work.” Method: The compassion-focused intervention was developed with key stakeholders and delivered to training courses of both clinical psychologists and psychological wellbeing practitioners. A total of 45 participated in all three time-points. Mixed-methods design was employed to assess both the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Outcome measures for wellbeing, self-criticism, compassion and beliefs about emotion were assessed and compared across three time-points (T1 was prior to the intervention, T2 was two weeks post intervention, T3 was two months following the intervention). Results: The results indicated that the intervention was both feasible and acceptable. The ANOVA revealed score changes on outcome measures across the three time-points, demonstrating higher scores of self-compassion (p<0.001) and a reduction in self-criticism scores (p = 0.04). Conclusions: The study has promising results and paves the way for a Randomised Controlled Trial to be carried out with the aim of assessing and demonstrating efficacy and causation. The findings are promising and indicate the potential benefits of embedding this intervention within professional psychology training programmes.

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