Clinicians report high levels of psychological distress that may be related to the increased frequency in which they encounter moral challenges.1 Research supports teaching self-compassion and mindfulness, as veterinary students with these skills have higher resilience.2
This study investigated the feasibility and efficacy of mindfulness and compassion-focused imagery (a type of compassion-focused therapy) for decreasing self-criticism and perfectionism. Veterinary professionals (n = 128) in a variety of roles (eg, student, government, industry) initially completed a demographics questionnaire, as well as 5 questionnaires measuring perfectionism, self-criticism and self-reassurance, fears of compassion, resilience, and work-related rumination. The 5 questionnaires were repeated after 2 weeks, immediately prior to a 14-day intervention consisting of fourteen 10-minute videos of guided exercises.
Two videos taught psychoeducation and the compassion-focused therapy approach; 4 videos taught soothing rhythm breathing and mindfulness (foundational skills for engaging with compassionate imagery); and 8 videos taught compassionate imagery. The 5 questionnaires and a participant experience questionnaire assessing the acceptability of the intervention were administered immediately following the intervention. The 5 questionnaires were repeated a final time after another 2 weeks.
Sixty-three participants completed the study. The 50.8% attrition rate was considered reasonable for a low-cost, self-directed online intervention conducted during the 2020 pandemic. A common barrier to engagement was difficulty making time to participate, particularly due to disruptions in routines as a result of the pandemic.
Benefits reported by participants were understanding emotions, developing compassion, and slowing down. When asked directly, 86.1% of respondents reported feeling they benefited from the intervention; 75% intended to continue using the exercises.