The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders
ObjectiveAlthough research on psychological interventions in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has provided evidence of their effectiveness regarding self-reported outcomes, few studies have examined their psychophysiological effects. Heart rate is emerging as a potential biomarker of efficacy in a...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1483827/full |
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| author | Xuejun Qi Yonghui Shen Xianwei Che Ying Wang Xi Luo Lijun Sun |
| author_facet | Xuejun Qi Yonghui Shen Xianwei Che Ying Wang Xi Luo Lijun Sun |
| author_sort | Xuejun Qi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveAlthough research on psychological interventions in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has provided evidence of their effectiveness regarding self-reported outcomes, few studies have examined their psychophysiological effects. Heart rate is emerging as a potential biomarker of efficacy in anxiety disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a self-compassion intervention versus a mindfulness intervention on physiological arousal in response to induced stress.MethodsForty-seven patients with GAD had heart rate data collected during a stress task before and after a 2-week pharmacological treatment (known as treatment as usual, TAU), a self-compassion intervention + TAU or a mindfulness intervention + TAU. They also reported state anxiety, positive affect, and negative affect at pre- and post- intervention before the stress task. ANOVAs were conducted to analyze the effects on electrocardiogram data self-reported measurements.ResultsSelf-compassion intervention uniquely decreased heart rate response to a stressor whereas mindfulness intervention did not. Both treatments decreased state anxiety and negative affect to a stressor, while increased positive affect in this context. We also demonstrated a significant correlation between decreased heart rate response and less negative emotions.ConclusionThe Findings provides novel physiological evidence that self-compassion interventions buffer stress reactivity in individuals with GAD. Attention shall be paid to the limitations in small and unequal sample size and a non-randomized study design. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9f724893194948669b4e575a2dc2c19c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-9f724893194948669b4e575a2dc2c19c2025-02-04T12:32:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-02-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.14838271483827The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disordersXuejun Qi0Yonghui Shen1Xianwei Che2Ying Wang3Xi Luo4Lijun Sun5Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, ChinaAffiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, ChinaCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, ChinaCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, ChinaAffiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, ChinaObjectiveAlthough research on psychological interventions in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has provided evidence of their effectiveness regarding self-reported outcomes, few studies have examined their psychophysiological effects. Heart rate is emerging as a potential biomarker of efficacy in anxiety disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a self-compassion intervention versus a mindfulness intervention on physiological arousal in response to induced stress.MethodsForty-seven patients with GAD had heart rate data collected during a stress task before and after a 2-week pharmacological treatment (known as treatment as usual, TAU), a self-compassion intervention + TAU or a mindfulness intervention + TAU. They also reported state anxiety, positive affect, and negative affect at pre- and post- intervention before the stress task. ANOVAs were conducted to analyze the effects on electrocardiogram data self-reported measurements.ResultsSelf-compassion intervention uniquely decreased heart rate response to a stressor whereas mindfulness intervention did not. Both treatments decreased state anxiety and negative affect to a stressor, while increased positive affect in this context. We also demonstrated a significant correlation between decreased heart rate response and less negative emotions.ConclusionThe Findings provides novel physiological evidence that self-compassion interventions buffer stress reactivity in individuals with GAD. Attention shall be paid to the limitations in small and unequal sample size and a non-randomized study design.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1483827/fullmindfulnessself-compassionheart rategeneralized anxiety disorderstress |
| spellingShingle | Xuejun Qi Yonghui Shen Xianwei Che Ying Wang Xi Luo Lijun Sun The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders Frontiers in Psychiatry mindfulness self-compassion heart rate generalized anxiety disorder stress |
| title | The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| title_full | The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| title_fullStr | The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| title_short | The effect of self-compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| title_sort | effect of self compassion versus mindfulness interventions on autonomic responses to stress in generalized anxiety disorders |
| topic | mindfulness self-compassion heart rate generalized anxiety disorder stress |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1483827/full |
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