Examining the Effectiveness of a Self-Compassion Intervention in Preventing Burnout in Nursing Students

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to develop a program to enhance self-compassion in nursing students and to determine its effectiveness in preventing burnout.

Methods: A three-session group class program was conducted for 157 second-year nursing students at a general hospital. The program measured attributes, burnout, and self-compassion, and the mean values of each variable before and after the intervention were compared, and the relationship between the amount of change in each variable was examined.

Results: The 126 respondents who provided valid responses were included in the analysis. Self-compassion significantly increased after the intervention, and “common humanity” and “over-identification” among the sub-factors increased and decreased, respectively. Regarding burnout, although there was no significant difference in the total score before and after the intervention, the subfactor “decreased sense of personal accomplishment” was significantly improved, while “depersonalization” was significantly increased.

Conclusion: Based on these results, this program is potentially effective in increasing self-compassion among nursing students. We further discuss the usefulness of self-compassion in preventing burnout, along with related future directions.