Online Video-Mediated Compassion Training Program for Mental Health and Well-Being of University Students.

College students experiencing psychological distress have significantly greater negative emotions than students who practice compassionate thinking. We have developed Eight Steps to Great Compassion (ESGC), an innovative brief and no-cost online video training program about how to increase compassion among busy and young adult university students. To examine the effectiveness and benefits of the ESGC, a single-group pre-test-post-test quantitative design with undergraduate university students (N = 92; Mage = 20.39) evaluated its effects. The results from the post-test showed that the ESGC had a significant positive impact on increased feelings of compassion towards oneself, compassion for others, and the sense of personal well-being from the pre-test. The analysis of the PERMA-Profiler subscales also reflected a statistically significant increase in overall well-being and health and a decrease in negative emotions and loneliness. From the Post-Survey Lesson Feedback, 88% of the participants reported significant positive changes in themselves and the way that they live due to the program. These findings appear to show important implications for improving healthy minds and reducing negative emotions among university students.

Relationship of compassion for self and others to sense of well-being of college students.

Objective: The mental health issues among college students have increased significantly in recent years. The primary purpose of this study was to explore and describe the relationship between self-compassion, compassion for others, and a sense of well-being among undergraduate college students. Participants: This study surveyed N = 651 college students aged 18-24 years at an urban university in the Northeast. Methods: Students completed an online survey through Survey Monkey that was comprised of questions about their selfcompassion, compassion for others, and overall sense of well-being. Results: The results indicate that self-compassion, compassion for others, and sense of well-being are positively related. Exploratory tests for sex differences showed that females reported having significantly higher compassion for others while males reported having substantially higher self-compassion. Conclusion: The authors discuss the implications of the results and suggest a need for more compassion education programs at institutions of higher education. Suggestions are made for future experimental research that measures the impact of self-compassion and compassion for others, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted many college students' education, economy, relationships, and job prospects.