Pathways by Which Self-Compassion Improves Positive Body Image: A Qualitative Analysis.

The current study applied consensual qualitative research-modified to essays written by 51 college women completing an expressive writing intervention over three time points for a total of 153 essays to identify how increases in self-compassion improve body image. A qualitative coding team tracked changes in affect and cognition over three time points. The results demonstrated that college women consistently expressed body acceptance and psychological flexibility. Additionally, the participants expressed important increases in mindfulness as well as decreases in social influences, feelings of separation, negative health behaviors, and attention to media messages. Decreases were found in their expressions of body functionality, love and kindness toward their body, and internal locus of control. These findings suggest pathways through which self-compassion may improve women's body image by increasing mindfulness and decreasing the negative ways of relating to one's body, specifically in the areas of media, clothing, make-up, and negative social interactions.

Unpacking the layers: a meta-ethnography of cancer survivors' loneliness.

PURPOSE: To review the empirical qualitative literature on cancer survivor's experiences with loneliness to inform assessments and interventions for improving cancer survivors' social well-being. METHODS: A rigorous systematic review of qualitative studies published in five databases between 1993 and 2016 was conducted. Three coders reviewed 285 titles and abstracts and, after applying a critical review process, 20 manuscripts were synthesized using meta-ethnography. RESULTS: The synthesis of the 20 studies provided a framework for understanding survivors' layers of loneliness at the level of the individual, their social support system, the healthcare system, and society. Internally, survivors described loneliness resulting from feelings of inauthenticity, of being alone in their cancer experience, and of lack of control. In their social networks, survivors attributed loneliness to others' avoidance, misperceptions of cancer, and others' failure to recognize the effects of cancer after active treatment. Unmet needs after treatment contributed to feelings of loneliness within the healthcare system. Further, societal stigma around cancer and pressures to experience growth after cancer created another layer of loneliness. The results suggest the need to move beyond an individual level perspective in assessing and treating loneliness in cancer survivors. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-ethnography presents an integrated framework of loneliness in cancer survivors as a multi-layered experience. Implications for Cancer Survivors Conceptualizing loneliness from a systemic perspective adds missing pieces to the loneliness puzzle by encouraging assessment and intervention at interacting levels of functioning; considering how individuals respond to and are affected by their social systems can deepen our understanding of cancer survivorship.

Test of a social cognitive model of well-being among breast cancer survivors.

Given the potentially long-standing emotional impact of breast cancer, theoretical models are needed to identify critical resources and coping strategies that optimize survivors' long-term adjustment. This study tested a model of well-being recovery with breast cancer survivors at 4 years post-treatment. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relationships between affect, loneliness, self-compassion, self-efficacy for coping with cancer, well-being, and life satisfaction. Two model variations offered good fit to the data, accounting for large portions of the variance in well-being and life satisfaction. Coping efficacy mediated paths from affect and loneliness to emotional well-being and life satisfaction.