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NCT Number: NCT06538597

Online Mindful Self-Compassion Training for Medical Students: an Exploratory Feasibility Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to develop and investigate a compassion-based intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities (SCHC) course) in medical students. The main objectives are:

1. Explore the feasibility of trial processes including recruitment, adherence, retention, and follow-up 2. Explore the experiences of medical students with the Compassion-based intervention, including perceived effects, barriers and facilitators to participation, suggestions for improvement 3. Determine potential effects on burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, self-compassion, compassion for others, empathy, mindfulness, perceived stress, and emotional regulation.

Participants will be asked to take part in a 6-week online Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course and report changes in levels of burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, self-compassion, compassion for others, empathy, mindfulness, perceived stress, and emotional regulation from pre- to post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. Additionally, participants will be asked to take part in a semi-structured interview to explore their experiences with the course, perceived effects, and suggestions for improvement.

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Key information

Conditions

Self-Compassion

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1, Canada

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Robert Simpson, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

416-360-4000 ext. 40047

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Enrolled in first or second-year of the MD or MD/PhD program at the University of Toronto,
  • Over 18 years of age,
  • Able to speak, read, and write in English,
  • Willing to take part in the SCHC course for up to the full 6-week duration,
  • Willing to complete all study related questionnaires

Exclusion criteria

  • Those already having completed a mindful self-compassion course or Mindfulness based-intervention (Mindfulness-based stress reduction or Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) within the past 12 months.

Treatment and study plan

Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)

Behavioral

An online 6-week mindful self-compassion course with weekly sessions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Recruitment

    Time frame: 4 months

    The investigators will measure the number of participants eligible for and recruited to the study.

  2. Retention

    Time frame: 4 months

    The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome data.

  3. Adherence

    Time frame: 4 months

    The investigators will measure the number of participants who completed the Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course.

  4. Follow-up rates

    Time frame: 4 months

    The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome measures pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) Version 5

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures the positive and negative effects of one's compassion for those that they help. Includes with subscales for compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (including burnout). Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores on the compassion satisfaction sub-scale indicating higher compassion satisfaction, and higher scores on compassion fatigue sub-scale indicating higher burnout.

  2. Self-Compassion Scale - Short Form

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures how one typically acts towards themselves in difficult times. The total score ranges from a 1-5, with higher scores representing high self-compassion.

  3. Relational Compassion Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measure's ones tendencies for receiving and providing relational compassion. Answers are assessed using a 4-point Likert scale. Higher scores represent higher compassion for self and others.

  4. The Brief Interpersonal Reactivity Index

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures the different ways that people may think about their lives. Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores representing higher empathic responsiveness.

  5. Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: Short Form

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures one's tendencies to engage in mindfulness practices. Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores representing more mindfulness.

  6. Perceived Stress Scale-10

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures one's thoughts and feelings pertaining to stress. The total score can range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

  7. Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form

    Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention

    Measures emotion regulation. Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Higher values indicate greater difficulties in emotion regulation.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Claire Zhang, BSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

Robert Simpson, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

416-360-4000 ext. 40047

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Robert Simpson

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 6, 2024
Registry last updated
Mar 30, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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