Self-compassion modulates autonomic and psychological responses to stress among adults with generalized anxiety disorders.

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Frontiers in Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-03-14 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1461758

Lijun Sun, Xuejun Qi, Xi Luo, Ying Wang, Xianwei Che, Yonghui Shen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Self-compassion is associated with emotional well-being, yet its benefits in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients remain unclear. This study investigated the impact of self-compassion on emotional and physiological stress responses in individuals diagnosed with GAD.

Methods: Seventy-seven GAD patients were categorized into high (n = 39) and low (n = 38) self-compassion groups using the Self-Compassion Scale. Electrocardiograms were recorded during a stress-inducing task, in which negative feedback was provided on personal intelligence and career development. Participants reported state anxiety and perceived stress pre- and post-task.

Results: When exposed to a stressor, individuals with higher self-compassion had lower heart rates (t ₍₇₅₎ = -2.06, p = 0.043), higher heart rate variability (t ₍₇₅₎ = 2.73, p = 0.04), and lower anxiety (t ₍₇₅₎ = -2.07, p = 0.041) compared to the lower self-compassion group. Moreover, heart rate variability was negatively correlated with anxiety across patients (r = -0.31, df = 75, p = 0.03).

Conclusion: These results highlight the role of self-compassion in managing psychological and physiological responses to stress in GAD patients and indicate the potential of self-compassion interventions in GAD treatments.

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自我同情调节广泛性焦虑障碍成人对压力的自主神经和心理反应。

背景：自我同情与情绪健康有关，但其对广泛性焦虑障碍（GAD）患者的益处尚不清楚。本研究探讨了自我同情对广泛性焦虑症患者情绪和生理应激反应的影响。方法：采用自我同情量表将77例广泛性焦虑症患者分为高自我同情组（n = 39）和低自我同情组（n = 38）。在压力诱导任务期间记录心电图，并提供关于个人智力和职业发展的负面反馈。参与者报告了任务前后的状态焦虑和感知压力。结果：与低自我同情组相比，高自我同情组暴露于压力源时心率较低（t (75) = -2.06, p = 0.043），心率变异性较高（t (75) = 2.73, p = 0.04），焦虑程度较低（t (75) = -2.07, p = 0.041）。此外，心率变异性与患者焦虑呈负相关（r = -0.31, df = 75, p = 0.03）。结论：这些结果突出了自我同情在管理GAD患者对压力的心理和生理反应中的作用，并表明自我同情干预在GAD治疗中的潜力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Psychiatry Medicine-Psychiatry and Mental Health

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

8.50%

发文量

2813

审稿时长

14 weeks

期刊介绍： Frontiers in Psychiatry publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research across a wide spectrum of translational, basic and clinical research. Field Chief Editor Stefan Borgwardt at the University of Basel is supported by an outstanding Editorial Board of international researchers. This multidisciplinary open-access journal is at the forefront of disseminating and communicating scientific knowledge and impactful discoveries to researchers, academics, clinicians and the public worldwide. The journal''s mission is to use translational approaches to improve therapeutic options for mental illness and consequently to improve patient treatment outcomes.