Effect of Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program on Self-Compassion, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Professional Quality of Life in Midwives and Nurses Working in Obstetrics: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT07643181 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: E-95531838-050.99-171586
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study aims to examine the effect of a Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program on self-compassion levels, secondary traumatic stress, and professional quality of life in midwives and nurses working in obstetrics. Healthcare professionals in this field are frequently exposed to traumatic experiences such as complicated deliveries, perinatal loss, and obstetric emergencies, which may lead to secondary traumatic stress and reduced professional quality of life over time. This study is designed as a pre-test/post-test randomized controlled trial. A total of 80 participants (40 intervention, 40 control) will be recruited from Gaziantep Cengiz Gökçek Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. The intervention group will receive an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program (one session per week, 60-90 minutes each). The control group will receive no intervention. Outcomes will be measured before and after the program using validated scales for self-compassion, secondary traumatic stress, and professional quality of life.

Conditions

Secondary Traumatic Stress; Self-Compassion; Professional Quality of Life

Keywords

Midwives; Mindfulness; Nurses; Secondary Traumatic Stress; Professional Quality of Life; Self-Compassion

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Self-Compassion Level

  Measured by the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF). Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-compassion.

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Self-Compassion Level

  Measured by the Self-Compassion Scale Short Form (SCS-SF). Scores range from 11 to 55. Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-compassion.

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Professional Quality of Life

  Measured by the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). Includes three subscales: compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress.

  Baseline and 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program (one session per week, 60-90 minutes each).

Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants receive no intervention during the study period. Only pre-test and post-test measurements are applied.

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program BEHAVIORAL

An 8-week mindfulness-based self-compassion program consisting of one session per week (60-90 minutes each). Sessions include mindfulness exercises, self-compassion practices, emotional awareness activities, and experiential exercises. The program is conducted by the principal investigator.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Working as a midwife or nurse in obstetrics
• Actively employed in the relevant unit of the study institution
• years of age or older
• Able to read and understand Turkish
• Willing to participate voluntarily in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Incomplete or incorrect completion of data collection forms
• Leaving the institution or withdrawing from the study during the research process
• Failure to complete post-test measurements
• Having participated in a self-compassion, mindfulness, or similar psychoeducation program within the last six months
• Intervention group participants are expected to attend at least 80% of program sessions. Participants attending fewer than seven out of eight sessions will be excluded from the analysis.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Agri Ibrahim Cecen University: lead

Related Publications (1)

• Bride, B. E., Radey, M., & Figley, C. R. (2004). Development and validation of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. Research on Social Work Practice, 14(1), 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731503254106 Delaney, M. C. (2018). Caring for the caregivers: Evaluation of the effect of an eight-week pilot mindful self-compassion (MSC) training program on nurses' compassion fatigue and resilience. PLoS ONE, 13(11), Makale e0207261. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207261 Franco, P. L., Knox, M. C., Gulbas, L. E., & Gregory, K. (2024). Learning self-compassion through social connection at work: The experiences of healthcare professionals in a 6-week intervention. Qualitative Social Work, 23(2), 364-381. https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250221145941 Gilbert-Ouimet, M., Zahiriharsini, A., Lam, L., & Truchon, M. (2024). Associations between self-compassion and moral injury among healthcare workers: A cross-sectional study. Nursing Ethics, 32, 1510 - 1527. https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330241299536. Jung, E., & Jung, Y.-E. (2025). The impact of self-compassion on enhancing the professional quality of life for healthcare workers. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 40(14), Makale e141. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e141 Mangoulia, P., Tsokas, N., Koukia, E., Malli, F., Missouridou, E., Dafogianni, C., Kyranou, M., & Fradelos, E. C. (2025). Cultivating self-compassion to improve social workers' professional quality of life in primary healthcare. Healthcare, 13(11), Makale 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111313 Nadarajan, S., Chui, P., Lee, W., & Zaini, N. (2025). Factors influencing compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among nurses: a study in a tertiary hospital. BMC Nursing, 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02736-3. Neff, K. D., Knox, M. C., Long, P., & Gregory, K. (2020). Caring for others without losing yourself: An adaptation of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Healthcare Communities. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 76(9), 1543-1562.

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Compassion Fatigue

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Fatigue; Fatigue; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Occupational Stress; Stress, Psychological

Study Officials

• Ebru Solmaz, PhD

  Agri Ibrahim Ceçen University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Ebru Solmaz, PhD

CONTACT

+905377737260; esolmaz@agri.edu.tr

Fadime BİÇER ŞAHİN, PhD

CONTACT

+905522980842; fadimebicersahin@gibtu.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (8-week Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Program) or the control group (no intervention) using a computer-generated random number list.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 8, 2026
• First Posted: June 11, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: June 11, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share