Compassion, Mindfulness, and the Happiness of Healthcare Workers

Explore (NY). 2017 May-Jun;13(3):201-206. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.02.001. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

Abstract

Context: Decreased well-being of healthcare workers expressed as stress and decreased job satisfaction influences patient safety, patient satisfaction, and cost containment. Self-compassion has garnered recent attention due to its positive association with well-being and happiness. Discovering novel pathways to increase the well-being of healthcare workers is essential.

Objective: This study sought to explore the influence of self-compassion on employee happiness in healthcare professionals.

Design, setting, and participants: A total of 400 participants (mean age = 45 ± 14, 65% female) healthcare workers at a large teaching hospital were randomly asked to complete questionnaires assessing their levels of happiness and self-compassion, life conditions, and habits.

Measures: Participants completed the Happiness Scale and Self-Compassion Scales, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire as well as variables associated with well-being: relationship status, the number of hours spent exercising a week, attendance at a wellness facility, and engagement in a regular spiritual practice.

Results: Self-compassion was significantly and independently associated with perceived happiness explaining 39% of its variance after adjusting for age, marital status, gender, time spent exercising, and attendance to an exercise facility. Two specific subdomains of self-compassion from the instrument used, coping with isolation and mindfulness, accounted for 95% of the self-compassion effect on happiness.

Conclusion: Self-compassion is meaningfully and independently associated with happiness and well-being in healthcare professionals. Our results may have practical implications by providing specific self-compassion components to be targeted in future programs aimed at enhancing well-being in healthcare professionals.

Keywords: happiness; healthcare workers; job stress; mindfulness; self-compassion.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Emotions
  • Empathy
  • Exercise
  • Female
  • Happiness*
  • Health Personnel / psychology*
  • Hospitals, Teaching
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mindfulness / statistics & numerical data*
  • Self Concept*
  • Spirituality
  • Surveys and Questionnaires