The Effectiveness and Acceptability of Formal Versus Informal Mindful Self-Compassion for Adolescents

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if two types of mindful self-compassion programs work to improve coping in adolescents. The investigators 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, the investigators 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

Conditions

• Coping

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

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.

BEHAVIORAL

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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cambridge Health Alliance

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD · Cambridge Health Alliance

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

14 Years

Max Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-13

Primary Completion

2027-04-30

Completion

2027-04-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations