Effectiveness of self-compassion training on hopelessness and resilience in parents of children with cancer

Objectives: the psychological state of parents, who are considered the primary caregivers of a sick child, can affect the child's behavior and emotions. This study analyzed the effectiveness of self-compassion training on hopelessness and resilience in the parents of children with cancer.

Methods: this was an experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design and a control group. The statistical population included all parents of children with cancer hospitalized in Amir Kabir Hospital of Arak in 2020. The research sample consisted of 30 parents of children with cancer selected through convenience sampling. The participants were equally divided into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups at random. The research instruments were the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). The experimental group underwent eight 90 min sessions of self-compassion training on a weekly basis. Finally, the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was employed for data analysis.

Results: the mean (±SD) of the post-test scores of hopelessness and resilience were reported 10.20 (±4.95) and 43.33 (±4.27), respectively, in the experimental group, whereas they were reported 13.78 (±4.94) and 38.73 (±4.07), respectively, in the control group. According to the results, self-compassion training had significant effects on the resilience and hopelessness of the parents of children with cancer (p < 0.01). Self-compassion training had a positive, significant effect on their resilience. It was also efficient in decreasing their hopelessness.

Conclusions: self-compassion training improved resilience and mitigated hopelessness in the parents of children with cancer.