Brief mindfulness and self-compassion program (Mind-OP) for reducing envy: randomized trial with university students

Date
2021-04
Authors
Bukhari, Ali
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Arts, University of Regina
Abstract

Background: Envy is a negative, often painful emotion comprised of a social comparison followed by negative self-evaluations. Envy is associated with symptoms of several conditions (e.g., depression; anxiety). Mindfulness and self-compassion approaches have been shown to increase positive self-evaluations, suggesting that these approaches may work to reduce feelings of envy; however, to date no mindfulness-based interventions have targeted envy. Purpose: In the current study, we aimed to examine: (1) whether dispositional envy could be ameliorated using a tailored 5-week, online, self-guided mindfulness and selfcompassion intervention (Mind-OP+); and (2) whether the relevant mechanism of this improvement was through improvements to self-evaluations. Method: A total of n = 56 eligible participants were randomized into the Mind-OP+ treatment condition (n = 30) or the waitlist control condition (n = 26), wherein participants completed weekly self-report measures in parallel with the treatment condition. Results: Per-protocol analyses revealed that participants assigned to the Mind-OP+ condition experienced significantly reduced envy (d = .81), as well as significantly higher self-compassion (d = .54), as compared to those in the waitlist control group post-intervention. A mediation analysis revealed that this decrease in envy was fully mediated by increased self-compassion. Limitations: The small sample size of the current trial and lack of an active comparison condition limits the generalizability of the obtained results. Implications: This trial is the first to demonstrate that envy is a targetable and treatable emotion, and that self-compassion is a relevant mechanism of envy worthy of further investigation.

Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology, University of Regina. 44 p.
Keywords
Envy, Mindfulness (Psychology), Anxiety, Stress (Psychology), Self-compassion, Mind-OP+, Self-evaluation, Self-esteem
Citation