TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiences of Self-Criticism and Self-Compassion in People Diagnosed With Cancer
T2 - A Multimethod Qualitative Study
AU - Austin, Judith
AU - Drossaert, Constance H.C.
AU - Sanderman, Robbert
AU - Schroevers, Maya J.
AU - Bohlmeijer, Ernst T.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Michelle van Vlierberghe and Mara Velmans for conducting the individual interviews and Jelle van Dijk for co-facilitating the group interviews. We extend our gratitude to Barbara Doeleman-Van Veldhoven of BFC Mindfulness & Compassie for supplying the audio-guided exercises. To all study participants, we offer our thank for their willingness to share their experiences. Lastly, we would like to thank the Dutch Cancer Society for providing the funding that supported this work.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Dutch Cancer Society under Grant 11382 (2017-2).
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Austin, Drossaert, Sanderman, Schroevers and Bohlmeijer.
PY - 2021/10/13
Y1 - 2021/10/13
N2 - Objective: Self-criticism is a self-condemning and self-compassion a supportive style of self-to-self relating. These concepts have increasingly been studied in people with cancer, but mainly with quantitative studies. This study is the first to explore how adult cancer patients experience self-criticism and self-compassion in the context of their illness. Design: A multimethod qualitative study design was used, combining individual and group semi-structured interviews. Participants were 26 people with cancer who familiarized themselves with the topic by doing various self-compassion exercises for 2 weeks prior to the interview. Individual and group interviews were analyzed together using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes regarding self-criticism were identified: (1) being harsh or strict with yourself, (2) feeling guilty or angry, (3) feeling useless or like a burden, (4) feeling ashamed and not wanting to show weakness. Six themes regarding self-compassion were identified: (1) being mild to yourself, (2) guarding your boundaries, (3) accepting the illness and limitations, (4) maintaining a positive perspective, (5) connecting to others, and (6) taking responsibility for your health. Conclusion: Our findings offer insights into practical and daily life experiences of self-criticism and self-compassion of people with cancer, which can aid the further development of theory, scales and interventions.
AB - Objective: Self-criticism is a self-condemning and self-compassion a supportive style of self-to-self relating. These concepts have increasingly been studied in people with cancer, but mainly with quantitative studies. This study is the first to explore how adult cancer patients experience self-criticism and self-compassion in the context of their illness. Design: A multimethod qualitative study design was used, combining individual and group semi-structured interviews. Participants were 26 people with cancer who familiarized themselves with the topic by doing various self-compassion exercises for 2 weeks prior to the interview. Individual and group interviews were analyzed together using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes regarding self-criticism were identified: (1) being harsh or strict with yourself, (2) feeling guilty or angry, (3) feeling useless or like a burden, (4) feeling ashamed and not wanting to show weakness. Six themes regarding self-compassion were identified: (1) being mild to yourself, (2) guarding your boundaries, (3) accepting the illness and limitations, (4) maintaining a positive perspective, (5) connecting to others, and (6) taking responsibility for your health. Conclusion: Our findings offer insights into practical and daily life experiences of self-criticism and self-compassion of people with cancer, which can aid the further development of theory, scales and interventions.
KW - cancer
KW - multimethod
KW - qualitative research
KW - self-compassion
KW - self-criticism
KW - UT-Gold-D
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118296855&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737725
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.737725
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85118296855
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in psychology
JF - Frontiers in psychology
M1 - 737725
ER -
