Influence of fears of compassion on body image shame and disordered eating.

PubMed

Dias, Bernardo Santos; Ferreira, Cláudia; Trindade, Inês A

2018-06-07

The current study tested a path model examining the impact of fears of compassion in the adoption of disordered eating and whether social safeness and body shame would mediate this relationship. Participants were 645 women (aged between 18 and 55) from the general community, who completed an online survey. Results indicated that fears of compassion were negatively associated with one's ability to feel secure and safe within close relationships, and positively linked with higher levels of body shame and disordered eating. The tested model accounted for 62% of the variance of disordered eating. Path analyses results revealed that the three dimensions of fears of compassion impacted on disordered eating. Particularly, fear of expressing compassion for others presented a direct impact on disordered eating. Moreover, fears of self-compassion and fears of receiving compassion from others partially impacted on disordered eating attitudes and behaviours, through the mechanisms of social safeness and body image-focused shame. These findings suggested that women who present higher levels of fear of self-compassion and of receiving signs of affection and compassion from others tend to feel more insecure in their social group, which seem explain body shame and the engagement in disordered eating behaviours. This study highlights the pathogenic impact of fears of compassion on body image and eating attitudes and behaviours. The current data seem to offer relevant insights for research and clinical practice, by supporting the relevance of developing compassionate abilities and attitudes to target body image and eating-related difficulties.

Accuracy Analysis of Precise Point Positioning of Compass Navigation System Applied to Crustal Motion Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuebing

2017-04-01

Based on the observation data of Compass/GPSobserved at five stations, time span from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016. UsingPPP positioning model of the PANDA software developed by Wuhan University,Analyzedthe positioning accuracy of single system and Compass/GPS integrated resolving, and discussed the capability of Compass navigation system in crustal motion monitoring. The results showed that the positioning accuracy in the east-west directionof the Compass navigation system is lower than the north-south direction (the positioning accuracy de 3 times RMS), in general, the positioning accuracyin the horizontal direction is about 1 2cm and the vertical direction is about 5 6cm. The GPS positioning accuracy in the horizontal direction is better than 1cm and the vertical direction is about 1 2cm. The accuracy of Compass/GPS integrated resolving is quite to GPS. It is worth mentioning that although Compass navigation system precision point positioning accuracy is lower than GPS, two sets of velocity fields obtained by using the Nikolaidis (2002) model to analyze the Compass and GPS time series results respectively, the results showed that the maximum difference of the two sets of velocity field in horizontal directions is 1.8mm/a. The Compass navigation system can now be used to monitor the crustal movement of the large deformation area, based on the velocity field in horizontal direction.

Relationships between nurses' empathy, self-compassion and dimensions of professional quality of life: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Duarte, Joana; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Cruz, Bárbara

2016-08-01

Job stress and burnout are common among healthcare professionals, and nurses in particular. In addition to the heavy workload and lack of recourses, nurses are also confronted with emotionally intense situations associated with illness and suffering, which require empathic abilities. Although empathy is one of the core values in nursing, if not properly balanced it can also have detrimental consequences, such as compassion fatigue. Self-compassion, on the other hand, has been shown to be a protective factor for a wide range of well-being indicators and has been associated with compassion for others. The main goal of this study was to explore how empathy and self-compassion related to professional quality of life (compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout). In addition, we wanted to test whether self-compassion may be a protective factor for the impact of empathy on compassion fatigue. Using a cross-sectional design, 280 registered nurses from public hospitals in Portugal's north and center region were surveyed. Professional quality of life (Professional Quality of Life), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and self-compassion (Self-compassion Scale) were measured using validated self-report measures. Correlations and regression analyses showed that empathy and self-compassion predicted the three aspects of professional quality of life. Empathic concern was positively associated with compassion satisfaction as well as with compassion fatigue. Mediation models suggested that the negative components of self-compassion explain some of these effects, and self-kindness and common humanity were significant moderators. The same results were found for the association between personal distress and compassion fatigue. High levels of affective empathy may be a risk factor for compassion fatigue, whereas self-compassion might be protective. Teaching self-compassion and self-care skills may be an important feature in interventions that aim to reduce burnout and compassion fatigue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dark state population determines magnetic sensitivity in radical pair magnetoreception model.

PubMed

Xu, Bao-Ming; Zou, Jian

2016-03-01

What is the real role of the quantum coherence and entanglement in the radical pair (RP) compass, and what determines the singlet yield have not been fully understood. In this paper, we find that the dark states of the two-electron Zeeman energy operator (TEZE) play an important role in the RP compass. We respectively calculate the singlet yields for two initial states in this dark state basis: the coherent state and the same state just removing the dark state coherence. For the later there is neither dark state coherence nor entanglement in the whole dynamical process. Surprisingly we find that in both cases the singlet yields are the same, and based on this result, we believe that the dark state population determines the singlet yield completely, and the dark state coherence and entanglement have little contribution to it. Finally, we also find that the dark state population as well as the singlet yield anisotropy is fragile to the vertical magnetic noise. However, the orientation is robust and is even enhanced by the parallel magnetic noise because the dark states expand a decoherence-free subspace. The dark state population as well as the orientation is more robust to the hyperfine coupling noise.

Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation: Advancing Computational Science for Future Accelerators and Accelerator Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spentzouris, P.; /Fermilab; Cary, J.

The design and performance optimization of particle accelerators are essential for the success of the DOE scientific program in the next decade. Particle accelerators are very complex systems whose accurate description involves a large number of degrees of freedom and requires the inclusion of many physics processes. Building on the success of the SciDAC-1 Accelerator Science and Technology project, the SciDAC-2 Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation (ComPASS) is developing a comprehensive set of interoperable components for beam dynamics, electromagnetics, electron cooling, and laser/plasma acceleration modelling. ComPASS is providing accelerator scientists the tools required to enable the necessarymore » accelerator simulation paradigm shift from high-fidelity single physics process modeling (covered under SciDAC1) to high-fidelity multiphysics modeling. Our computational frameworks have been used to model the behavior of a large number of accelerators and accelerator R&D experiments, assisting both their design and performance optimization. As parallel computational applications, the ComPASS codes have been shown to make effective use of thousands of processors. ComPASS is in the first year of executing its plan to develop the next-generation HPC accelerator modeling tools. ComPASS aims to develop an integrated simulation environment that will utilize existing and new accelerator physics modules with petascale capabilities, by employing modern computing and solver technologies. The ComPASS vision is to deliver to accelerator scientists a virtual accelerator and virtual prototyping modeling environment, with the necessary multiphysics, multiscale capabilities. The plan for this development includes delivering accelerator modeling applications appropriate for each stage of the ComPASS software evolution. Such applications are already being used to address challenging problems in accelerator design and optimization. The ComPASS organization for software development and applications accounts for the natural domain areas (beam dynamics, electromagnetics, and advanced acceleration), and all areas depend on the enabling technologies activities, such as solvers and component technology, to deliver the desired performance and integrated simulation environment. The ComPASS applications focus on computationally challenging problems important for design or performance optimization to all major HEP, NP, and BES accelerator facilities. With the cost and complexity of particle accelerators rising, the use of computation to optimize their designs and find improved operating regimes becomes essential, potentially leading to significant cost savings with modest investment.« less

Exploring self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes.

PubMed

Ferguson, Leah J; Kowalski, Kent C; Mack, Diane E; Sabiston, Catherine M

2014-04-01

Using a mixed methods research design, we explored self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being in young women athletes. In a quantitative study (n = 83), we found that self-compassion and eudaimonic well-being were positively related (r = .76, p < .01). A model of multiple mediation was proposed, with self-compassion, passivity, responsibility, initiative, and self-determination accounting for 83% of the variance in eudaimonic well-being. In a qualitative study (n = 11), we explored when and how self-compassion might be useful in striving to reach one's potential in sport. Self-compassion was described as advantageous in difficult sport-specific situations by increasing positivity, perseverance, and responsibility, as well as decreasing rumination. Apprehensions about fully embracing a self-compassionate mindset in sport warrant additional research to explore the seemingly paradoxical role of self-compassion in eudaimonic well-being.

Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Increase Self-Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Yadavaia, James E.; Hayes, Steven C.; Vilardaga, Roger

2014-01-01

Self-compassion has been shown to be related to several types of psychopathology, including traumatic stress, and has been shown to improve in response to various kinds of interventions. Current conceptualizations of self-compassion fit well with the psychological flexibility model, which underlies acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). However, there has been no research on ACT interventions specifically aimed at self-compassion. This randomized trial therefore compared a 6-hour ACT-based workshop targeting self-compassion to a wait-list control. From pretreatment to 2-month follow-up, ACT was significantly superior to the control condition in self-compassion, general psychological distress, and anxiety. Process analyses revealed psychological flexibility to be a significant mediator of changes in self-compassion, general psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress. Exploratory moderation analyses revealed the intervention to be of more benefit in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress to those with greater trauma history. PMID:25506545

Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Increase Self-Compassion: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Yadavaia, James E; Hayes, Steven C; Vilardaga, Roger

2014-10-01

Self-compassion has been shown to be related to several types of psychopathology, including traumatic stress, and has been shown to improve in response to various kinds of interventions. Current conceptualizations of self-compassion fit well with the psychological flexibility model, which underlies acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). However, there has been no research on ACT interventions specifically aimed at self-compassion. This randomized trial therefore compared a 6-hour ACT-based workshop targeting self-compassion to a wait-list control. From pretreatment to 2-month follow-up, ACT was significantly superior to the control condition in self-compassion, general psychological distress, and anxiety. Process analyses revealed psychological flexibility to be a significant mediator of changes in self-compassion, general psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress. Exploratory moderation analyses revealed the intervention to be of more benefit in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress to those with greater trauma history.

SGMM: Smart Grid Maturity Model. A Zero-depth Entry to Using the TSP: How TSP Was Used to Turn Around the SGMM Project that Was Drowning in Details

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-04

Compass Survey Questionnaire-based assessment yields maturity ratings and comparisons Navigation Process Expert-led workshops to complete... Compass and use results to develop consensus aspirations Training Overview Seminar and SGMM Navigator Course Partner Program License organizations...journey 19 SGMM Compass Survey Contains • One question for each expected characteristic in the model and • Attribute and performance questions

78 FR 35073 - Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC and Compass EMP Funds Trust; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-11

... Chief, at (202) 551-6821 (Division of Investment Management, Exemptive Applications Office... management investment company currently comprising 23 series (the ``Compass Funds'').\\1\\ Each series of the... series of the Trust and any other existing or future registered open-end management investment company or...

Association among self-compassion, childhood invalidation, and borderline personality disorder symptomatology in a Singaporean sample.

PubMed

Keng, Shian-Ling; Wong, Yun Yi

2017-01-01

Linehan's biosocial theory posits that parental invalidation during childhood plays a role in the development of borderline personality disorder symptoms later in life. However, little research has examined components of the biosocial model in an Asian context, and variables that may influence the relationship between childhood invalidation and borderline symptoms. Self-compassion is increasingly regarded as an adaptive way to regulate one's emotions and to relate to oneself, and may serve to moderate the association between invalidation and borderline symptoms. The present study investigated the association among childhood invalidation, self-compassion, and borderline personality disorder symptoms in a sample of Singaporean undergraduate students. Two hundred and ninety undergraduate students from a large Singaporean university were recruited and completed measures assessing childhood invalidation, self-compassion, and borderline personality disorder symptoms. Analyses using multiple regression indicated that both childhood invalidation and self-compassion significantly predicted borderline personality disorder symptomatology. Results from moderation analyses indicated that relationship between childhood invalidation and borderline personality disorder symptomatology did not vary as a function of self-compassion. This study provides evidence in support of aspects of the biosocial model in an Asian context, and demonstrates a strong association between self-compassion and borderline personality disorder symptoms, independent of one's history of parental invalidation during childhood.

Compassion satisfaction: A concept analysis in nursing.

PubMed

Sacco, Tara L; Copel, Linda Carman

2018-01-01

Nurses experience an intrinsic sense of fulfillment derived from their work in caring for other people. There is a need to further investigate the concept of compassion satisfaction as it is experienced in the profession of nursing. The aim of this analysis is to provide clarity to the concept of compassion satisfaction in nursing. A search of social work and nursing literature was completed. The search terms "compassion satisfaction," "nursing," "social workers," "teachers," and "educators" were entered in various combinations to the CINAHL, Journals@Ovid, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source, ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsychINFO, ERIC, and Education Full Text databases. A comprehensive review of the literature was completed to identify features of compassion satisfaction. Utilizing the Walker and Avant method, assumptions, antecedents, characteristics, and consequences of compassion satisfaction were identified. A conceptual model of compassion satisfaction was developed encompassing 7 antecedents, 11 characteristics, and 8 consequences. Further, a theoretical definition of compassion satisfaction in nursing was derived. There is a need to focus on the positive effects of caring. This concept analysis provides the initial step to strengthening the science related to compassion satisfaction in nursing and other helping professions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Community Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation (ComPASS) Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cary, John R.; Cowan, Benjamin M.; Veitzer, S. A.

2016-03-04

Tech-X participated across the full range of ComPASS activities, with efforts in the Energy Frontier primarily through modeling of laser plasma accelerators and dielectric laser acceleration, in the Intensity Frontier primarily through electron cloud modeling, and in Uncertainty Quantification being applied to dielectric laser acceleration. In the following we present the progress and status of our activities for the entire period of the ComPASS project for the different areas of Energy Frontier, Intensity Frontier and Uncertainty Quantification.

Estimation Model of Spacecraft Parameters and Cost Based on a Statistical Analysis of COMPASS Designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerberich, Matthew W.; Oleson, Steven R.

2013-01-01

The Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team at Glenn Research Center has performed integrated system analysis of conceptual spacecraft mission designs since 2006 using a multidisciplinary concurrent engineering process. The set of completed designs was archived in a database, to allow for the study of relationships between design parameters. Although COMPASS uses a parametric spacecraft costing model, this research investigated the possibility of using a top-down approach to rapidly estimate the overall vehicle costs. This paper presents the relationships between significant design variables, including breakdowns of dry mass, wet mass, and cost. It also develops a model for a broad estimate of these parameters through basic mission characteristics, including the target location distance, the payload mass, the duration, the delta-v requirement, and the type of mission, propulsion, and electrical power. Finally, this paper examines the accuracy of this model in regards to past COMPASS designs, with an assessment of outlying spacecraft, and compares the results to historical data of completed NASA missions.

A daily diary study of self-compassion, body image, and eating behavior in female college students.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Stephen, Elizabeth

2016-06-01

Although self-compassion is associated with healthier body image and eating behavior, these findings have generally emerged at the between-persons level only. The present study investigated the unique contributions of within-person variability in self-compassion, and between-persons differences in self-compassion, to body image and eating behavior. Over seven days, 92 female college students completed nightly measures of self-compassion, self-esteem, dietary restraint, intuitive eating, body appreciation, body satisfaction, and state body image. Multilevel modeling revealed that within-persons, day-to-day fluctuations in self-compassion contributed to day-to-day fluctuations in body image and eating. Between-persons, participants' average levels of self-compassion across days contributed to their average levels of body image and eating over the week. Results generally held when controlling for within- and between-persons self-esteem. Evidently, the eating and body image benefits of self-compassion may come not only from being a generally self-compassionate person, but also from treating oneself more self-compassionately than usual on a given day. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Simplified Baseband Prefilter Model with Adaptive Kalman Filter for Ultra-Tight COMPASS/INS Integration

PubMed Central

Luo, Yong; Wu, Wenqi; Babu, Ravindra; Tang, Kanghua; Luo, Bing

2012-01-01

COMPASS is an indigenously developed Chinese global navigation satellite system and will share many features in common with GPS (Global Positioning System). Since the ultra-tight GPS/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integration shows its advantage over independent GPS receivers in many scenarios, the federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration has been investigated in this paper, particularly, by proposing a simplified prefilter model. Compared with a traditional prefilter model, the state space of this simplified system contains only carrier phase, carrier frequency and carrier frequency rate tracking errors. A two-quadrant arctangent discriminator output is used as a measurement. Since the code tracking error related parameters were excluded from the state space of traditional prefilter models, the code/carrier divergence would destroy the carrier tracking process, and therefore an adaptive Kalman filter algorithm tuning process noise covariance matrix based on state correction sequence was incorporated to compensate for the divergence. The federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration was implemented with a hardware COMPASS intermediate frequency (IF), and INS's accelerometers and gyroscopes signal sampling system. Field and simulation test results showed almost similar tracking and navigation performances for both the traditional prefilter model and the proposed system; however, the latter largely decreased the computational load. PMID:23012564

Cognitions as mediators in the relationship between self-compassion and affect

PubMed Central

Arimitsu, Kohki; Hofmann, Stefan G.

2014-01-01

Previous studies suggest that self-compassion is related to numerous facets of mental health, but the role of cognitions in this relationship remains unknown. To examine the mediating role of cognitions in the relationship between self-compassion and anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction when controlling for self-esteem in Japanese people, we conducted two studies. Study 1 (N = 231) examined the relationship between self-compassion and affect by modeling negative automatic thoughts as a mediator; Study 2 (N = 233) tested whether positive and negative automatic thoughts meditate this relationship. Results suggested that both self-compassion and self-esteem increased positive automatic thoughts and decreased trait anxiety, whereas only self-esteem increased life satisfaction and decreased depression directly. Positive automatic thoughts increased life satisfaction and decreased depression and trait anxiety, and positive automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between self-compassion and negative affect. These findings suggest that both positive and negative automatic thoughts mediate the relationship between self-compassion and affect in Japanese people. PMID:25395717

A worthy self is a caring self: Examining the developmental relations between self-esteem and self-compassion in adolescents.

PubMed

Donald, James N; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Parker, Philip D; Sahdra, Baljinder K; Marshall, Sarah L; Guo, Jiesi

2017-08-18

Self-compassion has been framed as a healthy alternative to self-esteem, as it is nonevaluative. However, rather than being alternatives, it may be that the two constructs develop in a mutually reinforcing way. The present study tested this possibility among adolescents. A large adolescent sample (N = 2,809; 49.8% female) reported levels of trait self-esteem and self-compassion annually for 4 years. Autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation models were used to estimate the reciprocal longitudinal relations between the two constructs. Self-esteem consistently predicted changes in self-compassion across the 4 years of the study, but not vice versa. Self-esteem appears to be an important antecedent of the development of self-compassion, perhaps because the capacity to extend compassion toward the self depends on one's appraisals of worthiness. These findings add important insights to our theoretical understanding of the development of self-compassion. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gender Role Conflict, Emotional Approach Coping, Self-Compassion and Distress in Prostate Cancer Patients: A Model of Direct and Moderating Effects.

PubMed

Lennon, Jennifer; Hevey, David; Kinsella, Louise

2018-05-14

Gender role conflict or the negative consequences of male socialization may compromise men's adjustment to prostate cancer by shaping how patients perceive and cope with their illness. Given mixed findings regarding how gender role conflict interacts with emotional approach coping to regulate distress in prostate cancer patients, the present study examined the effects of emotional approach coping, when considered alongside self-compassion, the ability to be kind and understanding of oneself. 92 prostate cancer patients completed questionnaires measuring gender role conflict, emotional approach coping, self-compassion and distress. A moderated mediation model was tested, where emotional approach coping mediated the path between gender role conflict and distress and self compassion moderated paths between (a) gender role conflict and emotional approach coping, and (b) gender role conflict and distress. Results partially supported this model with all study variables predicting distress in the expected directions. Emotional approach coping did not mediate associations between gender role conflict and distress; however, self-compassion did moderate the pathway between these variables. Results indicated that higher levels of self-compassion might protect men from distress related to emasculating aspects of the cancer experience. Further investigation is required to understand how self-compassion interacts with emotionality and subsequently influences distress in prostate cancer patients. To better understand the effectiveness of emotional approach coping in reducing distress in prostate cancer patients, it is recommended that future research accounts for the receptiveness of social environments to men's emotional displays. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Replication and extension of the dual pathway model of disordered eating: The role of fear of negative evaluation, suggestibility, rumination, and self-compassion.

PubMed

Maraldo, Toni M; Zhou, Wanni; Dowling, Jessica; Vander Wal, Jillon S

2016-12-01

The dual pathway model, a theoretical model of eating disorder development, suggests that thin ideal internalization leads to body dissatisfaction which leads to disordered eating via the dual pathways of negative affect and dietary restraint. While the dual pathway model has been a valuable guide for eating disorder prevention, greater knowledge of characteristics that predict thin ideal internalization is needed. The present study replicated and extended the dual pathway model by considering the addition of fear of negative evaluation, suggestibility, rumination, and self-compassion in a sample of community women and female university students. Results showed that fear of negative evaluation and suggestibility predicted thin ideal internalization whereas rumination and self-compassion (inversely) predicted body dissatisfaction. Negative affect was predicted by fear of negative evaluation, rumination, and self-compassion (inversely). The extended model fit the data well in both samples. Analogue and longitudinal study of these constructs is warranted in future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-compassion, attitudes to ageing and indicators of health and well-being among midlife women.

PubMed

Brown, Lydia; Bryant, Christina; Brown, Valerie; Bei, Bei; Judd, Fiona

2016-10-01

Attitudes to ageing exert a powerful influence on health and well-being, yet surprisingly little research has examined factors that contribute to the formation of these attitudes. The aim of this study was to consider the potential role of self-compassion in predicting attitudes to ageing, which in turn contribute to positive and negative mental well-being and self-reported health. This was a cross-sectional study using data from 517 midlife women aged between 40 and 60. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships between self-compassion, three facets of attitudes to ageing and well-being outcomes. Together, self-compassion and attitudes to ageing explained between 36% and 67% of the variance in well-being. Self-compassion was a strong predictor of attitudes towards psychosocial loss, physical change and psychological growth (β range: .22-.51). Furthermore, the relationship between self-compassion and well-being outcomes was partially mediated by attitudes to physical change. Self-compassion may be a modifiable internal resource to promote healthy attitudes to ageing in midlife, when ageing becomes personally relevant. Moreover, attitudes towards physical change may help explain how self-compassion promotes well-being among midlife women.

Barriers to Medical Compassion as a Function of Experience and Specialization: Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and General Practice.

PubMed

Fernando, Antonio T; Consedine, Nathan S

2017-06-01

Compassion is an expectation of patients, regulatory bodies, and physicians themselves. Most research has, however, studied compassion fatigue rather than compassion itself and has concentrated on the role of the physician. The Transactional Model of Physician Compassion suggests that physician, patient, external environment, and clinical factors are all relevant. Because these factors vary both across different specialities and among physicians with differing degrees of experience, barriers to compassion are also likely to vary. We describe barriers to physician compassion as a function of specialization (psychiatry, general practice, surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics) and physician experience. We used a cross-sectional study using demographic data, specialization, practice parameters, and the Barriers to Physician Compassion Questionnaire. Nonrandom convenience sampling was used to recruit 580 doctors, of whom 444 belonged to the targeted speciality groups. The sample was characterized before conducting a factorial Multivariate Analysis of Covariance and further post hoc analyses. A 5 (speciality grouping) × 2 (more vs. less physician experience) Multivariate Analysis of Covariance showed that the barriers varied as a function of both speciality and experience. In general, psychiatrists reported lower barriers, whereas general practitioners and internal medicine specialists generally reported greater barriers. Barriers were generally greater among less experienced doctors. Documenting and investigating barriers to compassion in different speciality groups have the potential to broaden current foci beyond the physician and inform interventions aimed at enhancing medical compassion. In addition, certain aspects of the training or practice of psychiatry that enhance compassion may mitigate barriers to compassion in other specialities. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polarized skylight navigation in insects: model and electrophysiology of e-vector coding by neurons in the central complex.

PubMed

Sakura, Midori; Lambrinos, Dimitrios; Labhart, Thomas

2008-02-01

Many insects exploit skylight polarization for visual compass orientation or course control. As found in crickets, the peripheral visual system (optic lobe) contains three types of polarization-sensitive neurons (POL neurons), which are tuned to different ( approximately 60 degrees diverging) e-vector orientations. Thus each e-vector orientation elicits a specific combination of activities among the POL neurons coding any e-vector orientation by just three neural signals. In this study, we hypothesize that in the presumed orientation center of the brain (central complex) e-vector orientation is population-coded by a set of "compass neurons." Using computer modeling, we present a neural network model transforming the signal triplet provided by the POL neurons to compass neuron activities coding e-vector orientation by a population code. Using intracellular electrophysiology and cell marking, we present evidence that neurons with the response profile of the presumed compass neurons do indeed exist in the insect brain: each of these compass neuron-like (CNL) cells is activated by a specific e-vector orientation only and otherwise remains silent. Morphologically, CNL cells are tangential neurons extending from the lateral accessory lobe to the lower division of the central body. Surpassing the modeled compass neurons in performance, CNL cells are insensitive to the degree of polarization of the stimulus between 99% and at least down to 18% polarization and thus largely disregard variations of skylight polarization due to changing solar elevations or atmospheric conditions. This suggests that the polarization vision system includes a gain control circuit keeping the output activity at a constant level.

Effect of Meaningful Recognition on Critical Care Nurses' Compassion Fatigue.

PubMed

Kelly, Lesly A; Lefton, Cindy

2017-11-01

As caregivers in high-pressure environments, critical care nurses are at risk for burnout and secondary trauma-components of compassion fatigue. Recent findings have increased understanding of the phenomena, specifically that satisfaction and meaningful recognition may play a role in reducing burnout and raising compassion satisfaction; however, no large multisite studies of compassion fatigue have been conducted. To examine the effect of meaningful recognition and other predictors on compassion fatigue in a multicenter national sample of critical care nurses. A quantitative, descriptive online survey was completed by 726 intensive care unit nurses in 14 hospitals with an established meaningful recognition program and 410 nurses in 10 hospitals without such a program. Site coordinators at each hospital coordinated distribution of the survey to nurses to assess multiple predictors against outcomes, measured by the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Cross-validation and linear regression modeling were conducted to determine significant predictors of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Similar levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and intent to leave were reported by nurses in hospitals with and without meaningful recognition programs. Meaningful recognition was a significant predictor of decreased burnout and increased compassion satisfaction. Additionally, job satisfaction and job enjoyment were highly predictive of decreased burnout, decreased secondary traumatic stress, and increased compassion satisfaction. In addition to acknowledging and valuing nurses' contributions to care, meaningful recognition could reduce burnout and boost compassion satisfaction. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Tracking Electromagnetic Energy With SQUIDs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is a gadget used to measure extremely weak signals, specifically magnetic flux. It can detect subtle changes in energy, up to 100 billion times weaker than the electromagnetic energy required to move a compass needle. SQUIDs are used for a variety of testing procedures where extreme sensitivity is required and where the test instrument need not come into direct contact with the test subject. NASA uses SQUIDs for remote, noncontact sensing in a variety of venues, including monitoring the Earth s magnetic field and tracking brain activity of pilots. Scientists at NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center have been making extensive use of this technology, from astrophysical research, to tracking the navigational paths of bees in flight to determine if they are using internal compasses. These very sensitive measurement devices have a wide variety of uses within NASA and even more uses within the commercial realm.

Oncologist burnout and compassion fatigue: investigating time pressure at work as a predictor and the mediating role of work-family conflict.

PubMed

Kleiner, Sibyl; Wallace, Jean E

2017-09-11

Oncologists are at high risk of poor mental health. Prior research has focused on burnout, and has identified heavy workload as a key predictor. Compassion fatigue among physicians has generally received less attention, although medical specialties such as oncology may be especially at risk of compassion fatigue. We contribute to research by identifying predictors of both burnout and compassion fatigue among oncologists. In doing so, we distinguish between quantitative workload (e.g., work hours) and subjective work pressure, and test whether work-family conflict mediates the relationships between work pressure and burnout or compassion fatigue. In a cross-sectional study, oncologists from across Canada (n = 312) completed questionnaires assessing burnout, compassion fatigue, workload, time pressure at work, work-family conflict, and other personal, family, and occupational characteristics. Analyses use Ordinary Least Squares regression. Subjective time pressure at work is a key predictor of both burnout and compassion fatigue. Our results also show that work-family conflict fully mediates these relationships. Overall, the models explain more of the variation in burnout as compared to compassion fatigue. Our study highlights the need to consider oncologists' subjective time pressure, in addition to quantitative workload, in interventions to improve mental health. The findings also highlight a need to better understand additional predictors of compassion fatigue.

A social neuroscience-informed model for teaching and practising compassion in health care.

PubMed

Lown, Beth A

2016-03-01

Empathy and compassion are important catalysts for the healing process, but some research suggests their decline during training and practice. Compassion involves recognition, understanding, emotional resonance and empathic concern for another's concerns, distress, pain and suffering, coupled with their acknowledgement, and motivation and relational action to ameliorate these conditions. Neuroscientists have identified neural networks that generate shared representations of directly experienced and observed feelings, sensations and actions. When shared representations evoke empathic concern or compassion for another's painful situation, humans experience altruistic motivation to help. The resulting behaviours are associated with activation of areas in the brain associated with affiliation and reward. Activation of these neural networks is sensitive to multiple inter- and intrapersonal influences. These include the ability to focus one's attention, the ability to receive and accurately interpret input about distress, the perspective one adopts in order to understand another's experience, self-other boundary awareness, the degree to which one values another's welfare, the ability to recognise and regulate one's own emotions, the ability to attend to one's own wellbeing through self-care and self-compassion, effective communication skills, reflection and meta-cognition. Current research suggests that compassion can be modulated through education and training and is associated with positive emotions, a sense of affiliation, reward and prosocial behaviours. A compassion process model and framework with examples of educational goals, interventions and resources for curriculum development are described. However, education must be aligned with changes in clinical practice to sustain compassionate care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

e-CBT (myCompass), Antidepressant Medication, and Face-to-Face Psychological Treatment for Depression in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Comparison

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background The economic cost of depression is becoming an ever more important determinant for health policy and decision makers. Internet-based interventions with and without therapist support have been found to be effective options for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. With increasing demands on health resources and shortages of mental health care professionals, the integration of cost-effective treatment options such as Internet-based programs into primary health care could increase efficiency in terms of resource use and costs. Objective Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention (myCompass) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression compared to treatment as usual and cognitive behavior therapy in a stepped care model. Methods A decision model was constructed using a cost utility framework to show both costs and health outcomes. In accordance with current treatment guidelines, a stepped care model included myCompass as the first low-intervention step in care for a proportion of the model cohort, with participants beginning from a low-intensity intervention to increasing levels of treatment. Model parameters were based on data from the recent randomized controlled trial of myCompass, which showed that the intervention reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress and improved work and social functioning for people with symptoms in the mild-to-moderate range. Results The average net monetary benefit (NMB) was calculated, identifying myCompass as the strategy with the highest net benefit. The mean incremental NMB per individual for the myCompass group was AUD 1165.88 compared to treatment as usual and AUD 522.58 for the cognitive behavioral therapy model. Conclusions Internet-based interventions can provide cost-effective access to treatment when provided as part of a stepped care model. Widespread dissemination of Internet-based programs can potentially reduce demands on primary and tertiary services and reduce unmet need. PMID:26561555

e-CBT (myCompass), Antidepressant Medication, and Face-to-Face Psychological Treatment for Depression in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Comparison.

PubMed

Solomon, Daniela; Proudfoot, Judith; Clarke, Janine; Christensen, Helen

2015-11-11

The economic cost of depression is becoming an ever more important determinant for health policy and decision makers. Internet-based interventions with and without therapist support have been found to be effective options for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. With increasing demands on health resources and shortages of mental health care professionals, the integration of cost-effective treatment options such as Internet-based programs into primary health care could increase efficiency in terms of resource use and costs. Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention (myCompass) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression compared to treatment as usual and cognitive behavior therapy in a stepped care model. A decision model was constructed using a cost utility framework to show both costs and health outcomes. In accordance with current treatment guidelines, a stepped care model included myCompass as the first low-intervention step in care for a proportion of the model cohort, with participants beginning from a low-intensity intervention to increasing levels of treatment. Model parameters were based on data from the recent randomized controlled trial of myCompass, which showed that the intervention reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress and improved work and social functioning for people with symptoms in the mild-to-moderate range. The average net monetary benefit (NMB) was calculated, identifying myCompass as the strategy with the highest net benefit. The mean incremental NMB per individual for the myCompass group was AUD 1165.88 compared to treatment as usual and AUD 522.58 for the cognitive behavioral therapy model. Internet-based interventions can provide cost-effective access to treatment when provided as part of a stepped care model. Widespread dissemination of Internet-based programs can potentially reduce demands on primary and tertiary services and reduce unmet need.

Magnetic Orientation in Birds and Other Animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiltschko, Wolfgang

The use of the geomagnetic field for compass orientation is widespread among animals, with two types of magnetic compass mechanisms described: an shape inclination compass in birds, turtles and salamanders and a shape polarity compass in arthropods, fishes and mammals. Additionally, some vertebrates appear to derive positional information from the total intensity and/or inclination of the geomagnetic field. For magnetoreception by animals, two models are currently discussed, the shape Radical Pair model assuming light-dependent processes by specialized photopigments, and the shape Magnetite hypothesis proposing magnetoreception by crystals of magnetite, Fe304. Behavioral experiments with migratory birds, testing them under monochromatic lights and subjecting them to a brief, strong pulse that could reverse the magnetization of magnetite particles, produced evidence for both mechanisms. However, monochromatic lights affect old, experienced and young birds alike, whereas the pulse affects only experienced birds, leaving young, inexperienced birds unaffected. These observations suggest that a radical pair mechanism provides birds with directional information for their innate magnetic compass and a magnetite-based mechanism possibly mediates information about total intensity for indicating position.

Phenomenology of COMPASS data: Multiplicities and phenomenology - part II

DOE PAGES

Anselmino, M.; Boglione, M.; Gonzalez H., J. O.; ...

2015-01-23

In this study, we present some of the main features of the multidimensional COMPASS multiplicities, via our analysis using the simple Gaussian model. We briefly discuss these results in connection with azimuthal asymmetries.

Compassion training in healthcare: what are patients' perspectives on training healthcare providers?

PubMed

Sinclair, Shane; Torres, Mia-Bernadine; Raffin-Bouchal, Shelley; Hack, Thomas F; McClement, Susan; Hagen, Neil A; Chochinov, Harvey M

2016-07-11

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate advanced cancer patients' perspectives on the importance, feasibility, teaching methods, and issues associated with training healthcare providers in compassionate care. This study utilized grounded theory, a qualitative research method, to develop an empirical understanding of compassion education rooted in direct patient reports. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain an in-depth understanding of compassion training from the perspectives of hospitalized advanced cancer patients (n = 53). Data were analyzed in accordance with grounded theory to determine the key elements of the underlying theory. Three overarching categories and associated themes emerged from the data: compassion aptitude, cultivating compassion, and training methods. Participants spoke of compassion as an innate quality embedded in the character of learners prior to their healthcare training, which could be nurtured through experiential learning and reflective practices. Patients felt that the innate qualities that learners possessed at baseline were further fashioned by personal and practice experiences, and vocational motivators. Participants also provided recommendations for compassion training, including developing an interpersonal relationship with patients, seeing the patient as a person, and developing a human connection. Teaching methods that patients suggested in compassion training included patient-centered communication, self-reflection exercises, and compassionate role modeling. This study provides insight on compassion training for both current and future healthcare providers, from the perspectives of the end recipients of healthcare provider training - patients. Developing a theoretical base for patient centred, evidence-informed, compassion training is a crucial initial step toward the further development of this core healthcare competency.

Self-compassion and physical health: Exploring the roles of perceived stress and health-promoting behaviors

PubMed Central

Homan, Kristin J; Sirois, Fuschia M

2017-01-01

Growing evidence indicates that self-compassion is associated with better physical health, but the pathways that mediate this relationship are not well understood. This study tested a serial mediation model that linked self-compassion, perceived stress, health behaviors, and a comprehensive index of physical health. A sample of 176 individuals completed an online survey posted on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Self-compassion had an indirect effect on physical health via both mediators and through the sequential pathway, suggesting that taking a kind, accepting and mindful stance toward one’s flaws and failures may have benefits for reducing stress and promoting health behaviors. PMID:29379620

Self-compassion matters: The relationships between perceived social support, self-compassion, and subjective well-being among LGB individuals in Turkey.

PubMed

Toplu-Demirtaş, Ezgi; Kemer, Gülşah; Pope, Amber L; Moe, Jeffry L

2018-04-01

Research on the well-being of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people has predominately focused on Western (-ized) societies where individualism, and not collectivism, is emphasized. In the present study, we utilized a mediator model via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between self-compassion (i.e., self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness), perceived social support (i.e., family, friends, and significant others), and subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) in a sample of LGB-identified individuals living in Turkey, a traditionally collectivistic culture (Hofstede, 2001). A sample of 291 LGB individuals (67 lesbian, 128 gay, and 96 bisexual) completed an online survey including the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale, and Self-kindness, Common Humanity, and Mindfulness subscales of the Self-Compassion Scale. The results of SEM for the hypothesized mediator model revealed that self-compassion mediated the relationships between perceived social support from family and significant others and subjective well-being, explaining the 77% of the variance in subjective well-being. Implications for the literature base on LGB well-being are discussed, with a focus on the cross-cultural applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Investigation of the Structural Relationships Between Social Support, Self-Compassion, and Subjective Well-Being in Korean Elite Student Athletes.

PubMed

Jeon, Hyunsoo; Lee, Keunchul; Kwon, Sungho

2016-08-01

The study examined whether self-compassion mediates the relationship between social support and subjective well-being, as perceived by athletes. It also investigated the structural relationships between these variables. Participants were 333 athletes attending high school or university. Structural equation analysis showed that self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between social support and subjective well-being. To test the stability of the model, a multiple group analysis was performed according to sex of participant and school level, and this demonstrated that the model had similar fit to the data regardless of group. The confirmation that self-compassion plays an intermediary role in the relationship between social support and subjective well-being demonstrates that self-compassionate attitudes can be fostered by social support, and that, in turn, has a positive effect on an individual's subjective well-being. © The Author(s) 2016.

A Diary Study of Self-Compassion, Upward Social Comparisons, and Body Image-Related Outcomes.

PubMed

Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie; Dodos, Louisa; Chatzisarantis, Nikos; Ntoumanis, Nikos

2017-07-01

Self-compassion may protect individuals experiencing poor body image and associated maladaptive outcomes. The purpose of the study was to examine within-person associations (whilst controlling for between-person differences) between appearance-related self-compassion, appearance-related threats (operationalised as upward appearance comparisons), and body image-related variables, namely, social physique anxiety, drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction. A diary methodology was used whereby young women (n = 126; M age = 21.26) responded to brief online surveys three times per day (11am, 3pm, and 7pm) every second day for one week (i.e. a total of 12 measurement points). Results of mixed linear modeling revealed that both state appearance-related upward comparisons and self-compassion independently predicted all three outcomes in a positive and negative fashion, respectively. No significant interaction effects between state appearance-related upward comparisons and self-compassion were found. The results suggested that appearance-based self-compassion was important, not just when there was a potential threat to body image via upward appearance comparisons. The findings highlight the importance of fostering self-compassion on a daily level. © 2017 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

The five-factor model of personality, work stress and professional quality of life in neonatal intensive care unit nurses.

PubMed

Barr, Peter

2018-06-01

The study aim was to determine the direct and indirect relations of the five-factor model of personality traits and work stress with professional quality of life in neonatal nurses. Neonatal intensive care nursing has positive and negative effects on neonatal nurses' psychological well-being. Although individual and situational factors interact to influence professional quality of life, there have been few studies of these relationships in neonatal nurses. A cross-sectional study conducted in 2016. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure professional quality of life (burnout, secondary traumatic stress and compassion satisfaction), five-factor model of personality traits (neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and openness) and work stress (role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload). One hundred and forty (34%) of 405 eligible neonatal nurses provided the data. After controlling for work stress, neuroticism and agreeableness were related to burnout, neuroticism was related to secondary traumatic stress, and extraversion was related to compassion satisfaction. Work stress controlled for personality traits was related to burnout and secondary traumatic stress, but not to compassion satisfaction. Neuroticism moderated the effect of work stress on secondary traumatic stress and agreeableness and openness moderated the effect of work stress on compassion satisfaction. Work stress mediated the effect of neuroticism and extraversion on burnout and the effects of extraversion and conscientiousness on compassion satisfaction. Strategies to reduce work stress may not lessen burnout and secondary traumatic stress or increase compassion satisfaction in neonatal nurses who are prone to high neuroticism, low agreeableness and low extraversion. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Are Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Related to Psychological Distress and Communication in Couples Facing Lung Cancer? A Dyadic Approach.

PubMed

Schellekens, Melanie P J; Karremans, Johan C; van der Drift, Miep A; Molema, Johan; van den Hurk, Desiree G M; Prins, Judith B; Speckens, Anne E M

2017-01-01

Lung cancer patients and their spouses report high rates of distress. Due to the increasing popularity of and evidence for mindfulness-based interventions in cancer, mindfulness and self-compassion have been identified as potentially helpful skills when coping with cancer. This dyadic study examined how mindfulness and self-compassion are related to psychological distress and communication about cancer in couples facing lung cancer. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, self-reported mindfulness, self-compassion, psychological distress and communication about cancer were analyzed in a cross-sectional sample of 88 couples facing lung cancer. Regarding psychological distress, no difference was found between patients and spouses. In both partners, own levels of mindfulness ( B  = -0.19, p  = .002) and self-compassion ( B  = -0.45, p  < .001) were negatively related to own distress levels. At a dyadic level, own self-compassion was less strongly associated with distress if the partner reported high self-compassion ( B  = 0.03, p  = .049). Regarding communication about cancer, patients reported to communicate more openly with their partner than with spouses. However, after controlling for gender, this difference was no longer significant. In both partners, own self-compassion ( B  = 0.03, p  = .010) was significantly associated with own communication while mindfulness was not. A trend showed that mindfulness of the partner was related to more open communication in the individual ( B  = 0.01, p  = .080). These findings give a first indication that mindfulness and self-compassion skills may go beyond the individual and could impact couple functioning. Future research should examine whether couples facing (lung) cancer may benefit from programs in which mindfulness and self-compassion are cultivated.

Examining Burnout, Depression, and Self-Compassion in Veterans Affairs Mental Health Staff.

PubMed

Atkinson, David M; Rodman, John L; Thuras, Paul D; Shiroma, Paulo R; Lim, Kelvin O

2017-07-01

Burnout, a state of emotional exhaustion associated with negative personal and occupational outcomes, is prevalent among healthcare providers. A better understanding of the psychological factors that may be associated with resilience to burnout is essential to develop effective interventions. Self-compassion, which includes kindness toward oneself, recognition of suffering as part of shared human experience, mindfulness, and nonjudgment toward inadequacies and failures, may be one such factor. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between burnout, depression, and self-compassion in Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health staff. Cross-sectional study. VA medical center and affiliated community-based clinics. VA mental health staff. The 19-item Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the 26-item Self-Compassion Scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item depression screen. Demographic information included age, sex, years worked in current position, and number of staff supervised. One hundred and twenty-eight of a potential 379 individuals (33.8%) responded. Clerical support, nursing, social work, psychology, and psychiatry were the major professions represented. Self-compassion was inversely correlated with burnout (r = -0.41, p < 0.001), and inversely correlated with depression (r pb  = -0.39, p < 0.001). The inverse relationship between self-compassion and burnout remained significant even after accounting for depressive symptoms and demographic variables in a multiple linear regression model. Of all the variables examined, self-compassion was the strongest predictor of burnout. The results of this study support the hypothesis that self-compassion may be associated with resilience to burnout. Alternatively, decreased self-compassion may be a downstream effect of increased burnout. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed to determine the directional relationship between these factors, and whether interventions that cultivate self-compassion may decrease burnout and/or protect against its negative personal and professional outcomes.

Socialization in Context: Exploring Longitudinal Correlates of Mothers’ Value Messages of Compassion and Caution

PubMed Central

Wray-Lake, Laura; Flanagan, Constance A.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

2012-01-01

This study examined correlates of mothers’ value messages using mother and adolescent reports across three years (N =1638 dyads). Two fundamental socialization dimensions were assessed: compassion messages (e.g., caring for others) and caution messages (e.g., being wary of others). Multilevel models revealed distinct between-person and within-person correlates for mothers’ compassion and caution messages. Individual differences in compassion messages were predicted by family context (e.g., mothers’ knowledge of friends and concerns for their child’s future) and neighborhood cohesion. Within-person effects demonstrated that compassion declined in concert with adolescents’ experiences of being bullied. Caution messages were predicted by mothers’ education levels, race/ethnicity, and marital status, and increased in relation to mothers’ concerns and perceptions that illegal substances were easily attainable in the community. Tests of age, period, and cohort effects unexpectedly revealed that longitudinal changes in compassion and caution were best explained by period effects. Consistent with new developments in value socialization theory, results suggest that mothers place emphasis on certain values based on their backgrounds, their children’s characteristics, and the broader social context. PMID:22059448

Commissioning and validation of fluence-based 3D VMAT dose reconstruction system using new transmission detector.

PubMed

Nakaguchi, Yuji; Oono, Takeshi; Maruyama, Masato; Shimohigashi, Yoshinobu; Kai, Yudai; Nakamura, Yuya

2018-06-01

In this study, we evaluated the basic performance of the three-dimensional dose verification system COMPASS (IBA Dosimetry). This system is capable of reconstructing 3D dose distributions on the patient anatomy based on the fluence measured using a new transmission detector (Dolphin, IBA Dosimetry) during treatment. The stability of the absolute dose and geometric calibrations of the COMPASS system with the Dolphin detector were investigated for fundamental validation. Furthermore, multileaf collimator (MLC) test patterns and a complicated volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan were used to evaluate the accuracy of the reconstructed dose distributions determined by the COMPASS. The results from the COMPASS were compared with those of a Monte Carlo simulation (MC), EDR2 film measurement, and a treatment planning system (TPS). The maximum errors for the absolute dose and geometrical position were - 0.28% and 1.0 mm for 3 months, respectively. The Dolphin detector, which consists of ionization chamber detectors, was firmly mounted on the linear accelerator and was very stable. For the MLC test patterns, the TPS showed a > 5% difference at small fields, while the COMPASS showed good agreement with the MC simulation at small fields. However, the COMPASS produced a large error for complex small fields. For a clinical VMAT plan, COMPASS was more accurate than TPS. COMPASS showed real delivered-dose distributions because it uses the measured fluence, a high-resolution detector, and accurate beam modeling. We confirm here that the accuracy and detectability of the delivered dose of the COMPASS system are sufficient for clinical practice.

Modeling Compassion in Critical, Justice-Oriented Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conklin, Hilary Gehlbach

2008-01-01

As the work of teacher education becomes increasingly focused on the challenges of helping mostly white, monolingual, middle-class prospective teachers become compassionate, successful teachers of racially, culturally, linguistically, economically, and academically diverse students, some teacher educators struggle to find compassion for the…

The incommensurability of nursing as a practice and the customer service model: an evolutionary threat to the discipline.

PubMed

Austin, Wendy J

2011-07-01

Corporate and commercial values are inducing some healthcare organizations to prescribe a customer service model that reframes the provision of nursing care. In this paper it is argued that such a model is incommensurable with nursing conceived as a moral practice and ultimately places nurses at risk. Based upon understanding from ongoing research on compassion fatigue, it is proposed that compassion fatigue as currently experienced by nurses may not arise predominantly from too great a demand for compassion, but rather from barriers to enacting compassionate care. These barriers are often systemic. The paradigm shift in which healthcare environments are viewed as marketplaces rather than moral communities has the potential to radically affect the evolution of nursing as a discipline. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Empathy and feelings of guilt experienced by nurses: A cross-sectional study of their role in burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms.

PubMed

Duarte, Joana; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2017-06-01

The main goal of this study was to explore the relationships between empathy, empathy-based pathogenic guilt and professional quality of life (burnout and compassion fatigue). We aim to test a model in which we hypothesize that when empathic feelings are related to pathogenic guilt, burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms may be increased. Empathy is at the core of nursing practice, and has been associated with positive outcomes not only for the healthcare provider but also for the patient. However, empathy is also at the core of guilt feelings that, when excessive and misdirected, can lead to pathogenic guilt beliefs. We focused on two types of empathy-based guilt characterized by excessive responsibility over others' well-being and how these can be related to professional quality of life. This study is a cross-sectional self-report survey. Data were collected during 2014 and 2015. Two hundred ninety-eight nurses from public hospitals in Portugal's north and center region were surveyed. Professional quality of life (burnout and compassion fatigue), empathy, and empathy-based guilt were measured using validated self-report measures. Correlation analyses showed that empathy-based guilt was positively associated with empathy, and with burnout and compassion fatigue. Results from multiple mediation models further indicated when empathy is associated with empathy-based guilt, this leads to greater levels of burnout and compassion fatigue. Given the nature of their work, nurses who experience pathogenic guilt feelings may have compromised well-being, and this should be addressed in training programs aiming at preventing or treating burnout and compassion fatigue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-Compassion as a Resource in the Self-Stigma Process of Overweight and Obese Individuals

PubMed Central

Hilbert, Anja; Braehler, Elmar; Schmidt, Ricarda; Löwe, Bernd; Häuser, Winfried; Zenger, Markus

2015-01-01

Objective Self-stigma in overweight and obese individuals has strong associations with impairment in mental and global health. This study sought to explore self-compassion as a psychological resource in the self-stigma process. Methods In a 2012 representative German population survey of N = 1,158 overweight and obese individuals, self-compassion was examined as a mediator between self-stigma and mental and physical health outcomes, including BMI (kg/m2), using structural equation modeling and controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results Psychological variables were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires. Self-compassion partially mediated the relationships between self-stigma and depression, somatic symptoms, and health status / quality of life, lowering the predictive effect of self-stigma on the outcomes by approximately one-third. In contrast, self-compassion, because it was unrelated to BMI, did not mediate the association between self-stigma and BMI. Conclusion Self-compassion has the potential to act as a buffer against the mental and global health detriments of self-stigma in overweight and obesity and could thus represent a target for interventions to reduce self-stigma and prevent these health impairments. In order to influence the association between self-stigma and BMI, self-compassion should conceptually be linked to weight management. PMID:26422226

Professionalism, professionalization, expertise and compassion: a qualitative study of medical residents.

PubMed

Phillips, Susan P; Dalgarno, Nancy

2017-01-23

Formal and informal medical curricula convey expectations about professionalization, that is, the development of physician identity, and also about professionalism. This study examined whether, in general, junior residents experienced any dissonance between these roles and focused particularly on how they negotiated conflicts between compassion, self-care, duty and medical expertise. In 2015, purposive sampling was used to select 21 first-year residents at a Canadian medical school. Participants listened to a 5-min audio-recording narrated in either male or female voice. Facing compassion fatigue after three obstetrical disasters over less than 2 days the resident narrator asks to go home. Participants reacted in writing to questions about this request and relevant teaching/modelling. Responses were analyzed using a qualitative, exploratory, thematic research design. Four themes were identified: i) empathy, self-doubt and fear of weakness, ii) the need for support from and communication with physicians and others, iii) education received, and iv) professionalization outranks professionalism. Participants agreed that under the circumstances the narrator's care, compassion and request were appropriate. Never the less, many grappled with feeling that asking to be relieved of work demonstrated weakness and a shirking of responsibility. Respondents had received no formal teaching about balancing compassion for patients or self with professional duty. Preceptors' informal teaching and modeling valorized scientific disengagement above all else. What emerged was participants' drive to become detached clinicians who set aside emotional responses and interactions that could impede and be incompatible with professionalization. However, participants also recognized and lamented what was lost in such a transformation. In the transition from student to practitioner, trainees' views and the modeling they receive shift emotion and compassion, whether for self or patients, from assets to liabilities as they aim to be invincible medical experts.

Community mental health nurses' and compassion: an interpretative approach.

PubMed

Barron, K; Deery, R; Sloan, G

2017-05-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The concept of compassion is well documented in the healthcare literature but has received limited attention in mental health nursing. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Mental health nurses struggle with defining compassion. The study, with its limitations, brings greater clarity to the meaning of compassion for community mental health nurses and NHS organizations. Mental health nurses need time to reflect on their provision of compassionate care. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The study has shown that compassion is important for NHS healthcare management, frontline mental health nurses and policy-makers in UK, and there is potential for sharing practice and vision across NHS organisations. Mental health nurses could benefit from training to facilitate their understanding of compassionate practices. Emphasis should be placed on the importance of self-compassion and how this can be nurtured from the secure base of clinical supervision. Introduction There is increasing emphasis in policy, research and practice in the UK and internationally on the importance of caring in health care. Compassion needs to be at the core of all healthcare professionals' practice. Recently, health care has received negative attention through media and government reports which cite a lack of compassion in care. Rationale The concept of compassion has received limited attention in community mental health nursing. Aim Based on data taken from semi-structured interviews with community mental health nurses, this paper aims to describe interpretations and perspectives of compassion to gain insight and development of its meaning. Method A naturalistic, interpretive approach was taken to the study. Semi-structured interviews with nine mental health nurses were analysed using Burnard's 14-step model of thematic analysis. Findings The research illuminates the complexity of compassion and how its practice impacts on emotional responses and relationships with self, patients, colleagues and the employing organization. Participants identified difficulties engaging with compassionate practice whilst recognizing it as a driving force underpinning provision of care. Implications for practice Mental health nurses need to be supported to work towards a greater understanding of compassionate care for clinical practice and the need for self-compassion. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Are improvements in shame and self-compassion early in eating disorders treatment associated with better patient outcomes?

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Carter, Jacqueline C; Borairi, Sahar

2014-01-01

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT; Gilbert, 2005, 2009) is a transdiagnostic treatment approach focused on building self-compassion and reducing shame. It is based on the theory that feelings of shame contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology, whereas self-compassion contributes to the alleviation of shame and psychopathology. We sought to test this theory in a transdiagnostic sample of eating disorder patients by examining whether larger improvements in shame and self-compassion early in treatment would facilitate faster eating disorder symptom remission over 12 weeks. Participants were 97 patients with an eating disorder admitted to specialized day hospital or inpatient treatment. They completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire, Experiences of Shame Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale at intake, and again after weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12. Multilevel modeling revealed that patients who experienced greater decreases in their level of shame in the first 4 weeks of treatment had faster decreases in their eating disorder symptoms over 12 weeks of treatment. In addition, patients who had greater increases in their level of self-compassion early in treatment had faster decreases in their feelings of shame over 12 weeks, even when controlling for their early change in eating disorder symptoms. These results suggest that CFT theory may help to explain the maintenance of eating disorders. Clinically, findings suggest that intervening with shame early in treatment, perhaps by building patients' self-compassion, may promote better eating disorders treatment response. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neural integration underlying a time-compensated sun compass in the migratory monarch butterfly

PubMed Central

Shlizerman, Eli; Phillips-Portillo, James; Reppert, Steven M.

2016-01-01

Migrating Eastern North American monarch butterflies use a time-compensated sun compass to adjust their flight to the southwest direction. While the antennal genetic circadian clock and the azimuth of the sun are instrumental for proper function of the compass, it is unclear how these signals are represented on a neuronal level and how they are integrated to produce flight control. To address these questions, we constructed a receptive field model of the compound eye that encodes the solar azimuth. We then derived a neural circuit model, which integrates azimuthal and circadian signals to correct flight direction. The model demonstrates an integration mechanism, which produces robust trajectories reaching the southwest regardless of the time of day and includes a configuration for remigration. Comparison of model simulations with flight trajectories of butterflies in a flight simulator shows analogous behaviors and affirms the prediction that midday is the optimal time for migratory flight. PMID:27149852

Abortion providers, stigma and professional quality of life.

PubMed

Martin, Lisa A; Debbink, Michelle; Hassinger, Jane; Youatt, Emily; Harris, Lisa H

2014-12-01

The Providers Share Workshop (PSW) provides abortion providers safe space to discuss their work experiences. Our objectives were to assess changes in abortion stigma over time and explore how stigma is related to aspects of professional quality of life, including compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue for providers participating in the workshops. Seventy-nine providers were recruited to the PSW study. Surveys were completed prior to, immediately following and 1 year after the workshops. The outcome measures were the Abortion Provider Stigma Survey and the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) survey. Baseline ProQOL scores were compared to published averages using t tests. Changes in abortion stigma and aspects of professional quality of life were assessed by fitting a two-level random-effects model with repeated measures at level 1 (period-level) and static measures (e.g., demographic data) at level 2 (person-level). Potential covariates included age, parenting status, education, organizational tenure, job type and clinic type (stand-alone vs. hospital-based clinics). Compared to other healthcare workers, abortion providers reported higher compassion satisfaction (t=2.65, p=.009) and lower burnout (t=5.13, p<.0001). Repeated-measures analysis revealed statistically significant decreases in stigma over time. Regression analysis identified abortion stigma as a significant predictor of lower compassion satisfaction, higher burnout and higher compassion fatigue. Participants in PSW reported a reduction in abortion stigma over time. Further, stigma is an important predictor of compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue, suggesting that interventions aimed at supporting the abortion providing workforce should likely assess abortion stigma. Stigma is an important predictor of compassion satisfaction, burnout and compassion fatigue among abortion care providers. Therefore, strengthening human resources for abortion care requires stigma reduction efforts. Participants in the PSWs show reductions in stigma over time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress in registered nurses in Australia: study 1 results.

PubMed

Hegney, Desley G; Craigie, Mark; Hemsworth, David; Osseiran-Moisson, Rebecca; Aoun, Samar; Francis, Karen; Drury, Vicki

2014-05-01

To explore compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction with the potential contributing factors of anxiety, depression and stress. To date, no studies have connected the quality of work-life with other contributing and co-existing factors such as depression, anxiety and stress. A self-report exploratory cross sectional survey of 132 nurses working in a tertiary hospital. The reflective assessment risk profile model provides an excellent framework for examining the relationships between the professional quality of work factors and contributing factors within the established risk profiles. The results show a definite pattern of risk progression for the six factors examined for each risk profile. Additionally, burnout and secondary traumatic stress were significantly related to higher anxiety and depression levels. Higher anxiety levels were correlated with nurses who were younger, worked full-time and without a postgraduate qualification. Twenty percent had elevated levels of compassion fatigue: 7.6% having a very distressed profile. At-risk nurses' stress and depression scores were significantly higher than nurses with higher compassion satisfaction scores. The employed nurse workforce would benefit from a psychosocial capacity building intervention that reduces a nurse's risk profile, thus enhancing retention. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantum imaging for underwater arctic navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanzagorta, Marco

2017-05-01

The precise navigation of underwater vehicles is a difficult task due to the challenges imposed by the variable oceanic environment. It is particularly difficult if the underwater vehicle is trying to navigate under the Arctic ice shelf. Indeed, in this scenario traditional navigation devices such as GPS, compasses and gyrocompasses are unavailable or unreliable. In addition, the shape and thickness of the ice shelf is variable throughout the year. Current Arctic underwater navigation systems include sonar arrays to detect the proximity to the ice. However, these systems are undesirable in a wartime environment, as the sound gives away the position of the underwater vehicle. In this paper we briefly describe the theoretical design of a quantum imaging system that could allow the safe and stealthy navigation of underwater Arctic vehicles.

Quantum Effects in Biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohseni, Masoud; Omar, Yasser; Engel, Gregory S.; Plenio, Martin B.

2014-08-01

List of contributors; Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. Quantum biology: introduction Graham R. Fleming and Gregory D. Scholes; 2. Open quantum system approaches to biological systems Alireza Shabani, Masoud Mohseni, Seogjoo Jang, Akihito Ishizaki, Martin Plenio, Patrick Rebentrost, Alàn Aspuru-Guzik, Jianshu Cao, Seth Lloyd and Robert Silbey; 3. Generalized Förster resonance energy transfer Seogjoo Jang, Hoda Hossein-Nejad and Gregory D. Scholes; 4. Multidimensional electronic spectroscopy Tomáš Mančal; Part II. Quantum Effects in Bacterial Photosynthetic Energy Transfer: 5. Structure, function, and quantum dynamics of pigment protein complexes Ioan Kosztin and Klaus Schulten; 6. Direct observation of quantum coherence Gregory S. Engel; 7. Environment-assisted quantum transport Masoud Mohseni, Alàn Aspuru-Guzik, Patrick Rebentrost, Alireza Shabani, Seth Lloyd, Susana F. Huelga and Martin B. Plenio; Part III. Quantum Effects in Higher Organisms and Applications: 8. Excitation energy transfer in higher plants Elisabet Romero, Vladimir I. Novoderezhkin and Rienk van Grondelle; 9. Electron transfer in proteins Spiros S. Skourtis; 10. A chemical compass for bird navigation Ilia A. Solov'yov, Thorsten Ritz, Klaus Schulten and Peter J. Hore; 11. Quantum biology of retinal Klaus Schulten and Shigehiko Hayashi; 12. Quantum vibrational effects on sense of smell A. M. Stoneham, L. Turin, J. C. Brookes and A. P. Horsfield; 13. A perspective on possible manifestations of entanglement in biological systems Hans J. Briegel and Sandu Popescu; 14. Design and applications of bio-inspired quantum materials Mohan Sarovar, Dörthe M. Eisele and K. Birgitta Whaley; 15. Coherent excitons in carbon nanotubes Leonas Valkunas and Darius Abramavicius; Glossary; References; Index.

Compassion and Caring: Missing Concepts in Social Studies Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliner, Pearl

1979-01-01

Current social studies programs do not include the study of prosocial behaviors such as altruism, generosity, and compassion. This omission legitimizes the view that human behaviors are self-serving. Curriculum developers should fashion programs which provide prosocial models and opportunities for students to conceptualize such behaviors and…

Self-Compassion Scale (SCS): Psychometric Properties of The French Translation and Its Relations with Psychological Well-Being, Affect and Depression.

PubMed

Kotsou, Ilios; Leys, Christophe

2016-01-01

Over the past few years, the topic of self-compassion has attracted increasing attention from both scientific and clinical fields. The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) was created to specifically capture this way of being kind and understanding towards oneself in moments of turmoil. In this article, we present a French adaptation of the SCS. We first explore the psychometric properties of this adaptation and then investigate its relation to psychological well-being. As in the original version of the SCS, the French adaptation has a strong 6-factor structure but a weaker hierarchical second order structure. However the bi-factor model yields a good omega index suggesting the relevance of a single score accounting for self-compassion. Moreover, there was a relation between the SCS and classical outcomes such as a positive relation with psychological well-being and negative relation with depressive symptoms. We then hypothesized that self-compassion would have a moderating role on the relation between affect and depression. This hypothesis was confirmed: expressing negative affect is correlated with depressive symptoms; however, being kind with oneself lowers depressive symptoms even when expressing negative affect. In conclusion, this research presents a valid self-compassion measure for French-speaking researchers and clinicians and outlines the need for further research on the concept of self-compassion.

Newfound compassion after prostate cancer: a psychometric evaluation of additional items in the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory.

PubMed

Morris, Bronwyn A; Wilson, Bridget; Chambers, Suzanne K

2013-12-01

The most widely used measure of posttraumatic growth (PTG) is the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Qualitative research indicates the importance of increased compassion as a result of struggling with challenges presented by cancer and treatments. However, current PTG measures may not adequately assess compassion. A cross-sectional survey of 514 prostate cancer survivors assessed the PTGI and Dispositional Positive Emotional Scale (DPES). Five additional PTG items were derived from previous qualitative research to assess increased compassion. After removing eight items with complex loadings, a principal components analysis with oblimin rotation revealed a six-component structure. A clear delineation was seen between components relating to compassion, new possibilities, relating to others, personal strength, appreciation of life and spiritual change. Compassion accounted for 48.9 % of variance in data, with the overall model accounting for 79.9 % of variance. Strong factorability was demonstrated through Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (0.92) and Bartlett's test of sphericity (approximate χ (2) = 5,791.85, df 153, p < 0.001). The six-component structure was validated with a confirmatory factor analysis. Strong internal consistency was evidenced through Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.74 to 0.90 for subscales, and item-to-total correlations and inter-item correlations exceeded accepted thresholds of 0.50 and 0.30, respectively. Convergent validity was acceptable between the PTGI compassion subscale and DPES (r = 0.50). Compassion is a highly salient PTG domain after prostate cancer. Further studies can explore this construct with more heterogeneous samples of cancer types and gender.

Effects of compassion meditation on a psychological model of charitable donation.

PubMed

Ashar, Yoni K; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R; Yarkoni, Tal; Sills, Jenifer; Halifax, Joan; Dimidjian, Sona; Wager, Tor D

2016-08-01

Compassion is critical for societal wellbeing. Yet, it remains unclear how specific thoughts and feelings motivate compassionate behavior, and we lack a scientific understanding of how to effectively cultivate compassion. Here, we conducted 2 studies designed to a) develop a psychological model predicting compassionate behavior, and b) test this model as a mediator of a Compassion Meditation (CM) intervention and identify the "active ingredients" of CM. In Study 1, we developed a model predicting compassionate behavior, operationalized as real-money charitable donation, from a linear combination of self-reported tenderness, personal distress, perceived blamelessness, and perceived instrumental value of helping with high cross-validated accuracy, r = .67, p < .0001. Perceived similarity to suffering others did not predict charitable donation when controlling for other feelings and attributions. In Study 2, a randomized controlled trial, we tested the Study 1 model as a mediator of CM and investigated active ingredients. We compared a smartphone-based CM program to 2 conditions-placebo oxytocin and a Familiarity intervention-to control for expectancy effects, demand characteristics, and familiarity effects. Relative to control conditions, CM increased charitable donations, and changes in the Study 1 model of feelings and attributions mediated this effect (pab = .002). The Familiarity intervention led to decreases in primary outcomes, while placebo oxytocin had no significant effects on primary outcomes. Overall, this work contributes a quantitative model of compassionate behavior, and informs our understanding of the change processes and intervention components of CM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationships among health promotion behaviors, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in nurses practicing in a community medical center.

PubMed

Neville, Kathleen; Cole, Donna A

2013-06-01

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among health promotion behaviors, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among nurses practicing in a community medical center. Compassion fatigue and burnout are significant nursing stressors. Programs are available to offset the negative consequence of compassion fatigue and burnout and enhance compassion satisfaction, yet there remains a paucity of literature examining the relationships between health promotion behaviors, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. A nonexperimental design using a convenience sample of nurses completed the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and a demographic data sheet. Statistically significant relationships among health promotional behaviors and compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout were identified. Compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction are outcomes associated with nursing practice. Support for engagement in health promotional behaviors may contribute to nurses' well-being in counteracting compassion fatigue and burnout and enhancing compassion satisfaction.

Practicing patients, compassion, and hope at the end of life: mining the passion of Jesus in Luke for a Christian model of dying well.

PubMed

Vogt, Christopher P

2003-01-01

Four centuries ago, Christian moral theologians addressed the issue of dying by turning to scripture and the virtues. This work revives that tradition by showing that careful theological reflection upon the nature of Christian patience, compassion, and hope illuminates the shape of the Good Death. The author draws upon Luke's passion narrative to develop a better understanding of these virtues. He also takes up the question of whether Jesus' death can be a model of dying well for contemporary Christians. Christians are often advised to look to Jesus in his dying as a model for themselves, but this recommendation typically leaves unanswered what exactly it is about Jesus' dying that is to be imitated. The understanding of patience, compassion, and hope developed here provides a means of sorting through this issue.

A pilot study exploring the relationship between self-compassion, self-judgement, self-kindness, compassion, professional quality of life and wellbeing among UK community nurses.

PubMed

Durkin, Mark; Beaumont, Elaine; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Carson, Jerome

2016-11-01

Compassion fatigue and burnout can impact on performance of nurses. This paper explores the relationship between self-compassion, self-judgement, self-kindness, compassion, professional quality of life, and wellbeing among community nurses. To measure associations between self-compassion, compassion fatigue, wellbeing, and burnout in community nurses. Quantitative data were collected using standardised psychometric questionnaires: (1) Professional Quality of Life Scale; (2) Self-Compassion Scale; (3) short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale; (4) Compassion For Others Scale, used to measure relationships between self-compassion, compassion fatigue, wellbeing, and burnout. A cross sectional sample of registered community nurses (n=37) studying for a postgraduate diploma at a University in the North of England took part in this study. Results show that community nurses who score high on measures of self-compassion and wellbeing, also report less burnout. Greater compassion satisfaction was also positively associated with compassion for others, and wellbeing, whilst also being negatively correlated with burnout. High levels of self-compassion were linked with lower levels of burnout. Furthermore when community nurses have greater compassion satisfaction they also report more compassion for others, increased wellbeing, and less burnout. The implications of this are discussed alongside suggestions for the promotion of greater compassion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring Magnetic Fields with a Compass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunk, Brandon; Beichner, Robert

2011-01-01

A compass is an excellent classroom tool for the exploration of magnetic fields. Any student can tell you that a compass is used to determine which direction is north, but when paired with some basic trigonometry, the compass can be used to actually measure the strength of the magnetic field due to a nearby magnet or current-carrying wire. In this paper, we present a series of simple activities adapted from the Matter & Interactions textbook for doing just this. Interestingly, these simple measurements are comparable to predictions made by the Bohr model of the atom. Although antiquated, Bohr's atom can lead the way to a deeper analysis of the atomic properties of magnets. Although originally developed for an introductory calculus-based course, these activities can easily be adapted for use in an algebra-based class or even at the high school level.

The C.L.E.A.R. Score: a new comprehensive assessment method for academic physicians in military medical centers.

PubMed

Buller, Jerome L; Tetteh, Hassan A

2012-07-01

Evaluation of medical officer performance is a critical leadership role. This study offers a comprehensive evaluation system for military physicians. The Comprehensive Assessment equation (COMPASS equation), a modified Cobb-Douglas equation, was developed to evaluate academic physicians. The COMPASS equation assesses military physicians within five comprehensive dimensions: (1) Clinical (2) Leadership, (3) Educational (4) Administrative, and (5) Research productivity excellence to yield a composite "C.L.E.A.R. Score." The COMPASS equation's fidelity was tested with a cohort of military physicians within the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Capital District Region and a C.L.E.A.R. score was calculated for individual physicians. Mean C.L.E.A.R score was 53.6 +/- 28.8 (range 10.1-98.5). The responsiveness of the model was tested using two hypothetical physician models: "low-performing-faculty" and "super-faculty," and calculated C.L.E.A.R. scores were 6.3 and 153.4, respectively. The C.L.E.A.R. score appears to recognize and assess the performance excellence of military physicians. Weighting measured characteristics of the COMPASS equation can be used to promote organizational priorities. Thus, leaders of military medicine can communicate institutional priorities and inculcate them through use of the COMPASS equation to reward and recognize the activities of military medical officers that are commensurate with institutional goals.

The Impact of Combat Deployment on Health Care Provider Burnout in a Military Emergency Department: A Cross-Sectional Professional Quality of Life Scale V Survey Study.

PubMed

Cragun, Joshua N; April, Michael D; Thaxton, Robert E

2016-08-01

Compassion fatigue is a problem for many health care providers manifesting as physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion. Our objective was to evaluate the association between prior combat deployment and compassion fatigue among military emergency medicine providers. We conducted a nonexperimental cross-sectional survey of health care providers assigned to the San Antonio Military Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine. We used the Professional Quality of Life Scale V survey instrument that evaluates provider burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. Outcomes included burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction raw scores. Scores were compared between providers based on previous combat deployments using two-tailed independent sample t tests and multiple regression models. Surveys were completed by 105 respondents: 42 nurses (20 previously deployed), 30 technicians (11 previously deployed), and 33 physicians (16 previously deployed). No statistically significant differences in burnout, secondary traumatic stress, or compassion satisfaction scores were detected between previously deployed providers versus providers not previously deployed. There was no association between previous combat deployment and emergency department provider burnout, secondary traumatic stress, or compassion satisfaction scores. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Does self-compassion mitigate the relationship between burnout and barriers to compassion? A cross-sectional quantitative study of 799 nurses.

PubMed

Dev, Vinayak; Fernando, Antonio T; Lim, Anecita Gigi; Consedine, Nathan S

2018-05-01

Burnout has numerous negative consequences for nurses, potentially impairing their ability to deliver compassionate patient care. However, the association between burnout and compassion and, more specifically, barriers to compassion in medicine is unclear. This article evaluates the associations between burnout and barriers to compassion and examines whether dispositional self-compassion might mitigate this association. Consistent with prior work, the authors expected greater burnout to predict greater barriers to compassion. We also expected self-compassion - the ability to be kind to the self during times of distress - to weaken the association between burnout and barriers to compassion among nurses. Registered nurses working in New Zealand medical contexts were recruited using non-random convenience sampling. Following consent, 799 valid participants completed a cross-sectional survey including the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, the Barriers to Physician Compassion scale, and a measure of dispositional self-compassion. As expected, greater burnout predicted greater barriers to compassion while self-compassion predicted fewer barriers. However, self-compassion mitigated the association between burnout and burnout related barriers to compassion (but not other barriers). The interaction suggested that suggested that the association was stronger (rather than weaker) among those with greater self-compassion. Understanding the lack of compassion and the effects of burnout in patient care are priorities in health. This report extends evidence on the association between burnout and compassion-fatigue to show that burnout also predicts the experience of specific barriers to compassion. While self-compassion predicted lower burnout and barriers, it may not necessarily reduce the extent to which burnout contributes to the experience of barriers to compassion in medicine. Implications for understanding how burnout manifests in barriers to clinical compassion, interventions and professional training, and future directions in nursing are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compassion fatigue in nurses: A metasynthesis.

PubMed

Nolte, Anna Gw; Downing, Charlene; Temane, Annie; Hastings-Tolsma, Marie

2017-12-01

To interpret the body of qualitative work focusing on compassion fatigue to distil a common understanding that could then be applied to nursing care. Complex demands place extraordinary stress on nurses struggling to work in overburdened healthcare systems. The result can be the inability to care well for others, leading to compassion fatigue, burnout and increased numbers leaving the profession. Metasynthesis offers a means of more fully illuminating compassion fatigue and further understanding of practices which might reduce its negative consequences. Metasynthesis. As a method designed to facilitate knowledge development, metasynthesis allowed for integration of qualitative study findings conducted between 1992-2016 using defined search terms. Six databases were searched for articles published in English. Nine papers met the criteria for review and metasynthesis was conducted using the meta-ethnographic approach detailed by Noblit and Hare. Four themes related to compassion fatigue were found by consensus discussion. The themes included: physical ("just plain worn out") and emotional symptoms ("walking on a tightrope"), triggering factors ("an unbearable weight on shoulders" and "alone in a crowded room"), and measures to overcome/prevent ("who has my back?"). Compassion fatigue is a concept of documented relevance to those in nursing and represents a basic inability to nurture others and engenders a temporal component. Synthesis of studies provides evidence of the veracity of the concept for application to clinical practice and research related to nursing care. Findings provide insight into the clinical milieu needed to prevent compassion fatigue. A theoretical model is presented which can be used to guide future research, as well as the creation of clinical practice policies which might mitigate the development of compassion fatigue and its potential consequences. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Model-Scale Experiment of the Seakeeping Performance for R/V Melville, Model 5720

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

Angle 1 Y None Deg Sensor Bourns Rotary Potentiometer 6574S-1-103 NA 39596 KVH Sin 2 Y None volts Sensor KVH Fluxgate Compass C-100...NA Deg Sensor KVH Calc Heading NA N None DegM Calculated KVH Fluxgate Compass C-100 39449 Bow Tracker Sensor Bottom NA N None...3DM-3XI combined three axis of angular rate gyros, accelerometers, and magnetometers to provide various combinations of gyro stabilized Euler

[Effects of compassion satisfaction and social support in the relationship between compassion fatigue and burnout in hospital nurses].

PubMed

Yom, Young-Hee; Kim, Hyun-Jung

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of compassion satisfaction and social support in the relationship between compassion fatigue and burnout among hospital nurses. The participants were 430 nurses working in general hospitals. Data were collected with self-administrated questionnaires and analyzed by hierarchical multiple regression. (a) Compassion fatigue had a significant positive effect on burnout; (b) social support and compassion satisfaction had negative effects on burnout, and (c) social support and compassion satisfaction did not moderate the effects of compassion fatigue on burnout. These findings provide strong empirical evidence for the importance of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction and social support in explaining burnout of nurses. Also, it would be of great value to further define compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction even though these concepts are not accepted in the realities of health care.

Compassion fatigue among nurses working with older adults.

PubMed

Kolthoff, Kay L; Hickman, Susan E

Nurses who care for older patients are exposed to significant suffering and loss that can lead to the development of compassion fatigue and burnout. An exploratory descriptive study was conducted to assess compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in a group of 42 nurses who worked on a geriatric medicine unit using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue 5 scale. Nurses reported average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. However, new nurses reported higher levels of compassion fatigue (p < .01) and burnout (p = .02) than experienced nurses. Findings suggest the need to purposely build a supportive environment that focuses on new nurses to reduce compassion fatigue and burnout while enhancing compassion satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Association Between Negative Life Events and Suicidal Risk in College Students: Examining Self-Compassion as a Potential Mediator.

PubMed

Chang, Edward C; Yu, Tina; Najarian, Alexandria S-M; Wright, Kaitlin M; Chen, Wenting; Chang, Olivia D; Du, Yifeng; Hirsch, Jameson K

2017-06-01

We tested a hypothesized model consistent with the notion that self-compassion mediates the association between negative life events and suicidal risk (viz., depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors) in college students METHOD: The sample was comprised of 331 college students. Self-compassion facets (viz., self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and overidentification) were used in testing for multiple mediation, controlling for sex. Common humanity, mindfulness, and overidentification were found to mediate the association between negative life events (NLE) and depressive symptoms. However, common humanity was found to be the only mediator of the association between NLE and suicidal behaviors. These findings suggest that there are specific facets of self-compassion that account for the association between NLE and suicidal risk in college students and that (loss of) common humanity plays a central role in this process. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New a1(1420 ) state: Structure, mass, and width

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundu, H.; Agaev, S. S.; Azizi, K.

2018-03-01

The structure, spectroscopic parameters and width of the resonance with quantum numbers JP C=1++ discovered by the COMPASS Collaboration and classified as the a1(1420 ) meson are examined in the context of QCD sum rule method. In the calculations the axial-vector meson a1(1420 ) is treated as a four-quark state with the diquark-antidiquark structure. The mass and current coupling of a1(1420 ) are evaluated using QCD two-point sum rule approach. Its observed decay mode a1(1420 )→f0(980 )π , and kinematically allowed ones, namely a1→K*±K∓ , a1→K*0K¯ 0 and a1→K¯ *0K0 channels are studied employing QCD sum rules on the light-cone. Our prediction for the mass of the a1(1420 ) state ma1=1416-79+81 MeV is in excellent agreement with the experimental result. Width of this state Γ =145.52 ±20.79 MeV within theoretical and experimental errors is also in accord with the COMPASS data.

Body image and college women's quality of life: The importance of being self-compassionate.

PubMed

Duarte, Cristiana; Ferreira, Cláudia; Trindade, Inês A; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2015-06-01

This study explored self-compassion as a mediator between body dissatisfaction, social comparison based on body image and quality of life in 662 female college students. Path analysis revealed that while controlling for body mass index, self-compassion mediated the impact of body dissatisfaction and unfavourable social comparisons on psychological quality of life. The path model accounted for 33 per cent of psychological quality of life variance. Findings highlight the importance of self-compassion as a mechanism that may operate on the association between negative body image evaluations and young women's quality of life. © The Author(s) 2015.

Post-Traumatic Stress, Trauma-Informed Care, and Compassion Fatigue in Psychiatric Hospital Staff: A Correlational Study.

PubMed

Jacobowitz, William; Moran, Christine; Best, Cheryl; Mensah, Lucy

2015-01-01

Assault of staff in psychiatric hospitals is a frequent occurrence, and studies indicate that hospital staff are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We performed a correlational study with a convenience sample of 172 staff in a psychiatric hospital and compared the rate of traumatic events (TEs), resilience, confidence, and compassion fatigue to PTSD symptoms (PTSS). Regression analyses identified two variables that were unique predictors of PTSS: (1) trauma-informed care (TIC) meeting attendance and (2) burnout symptoms. Severe TEs, age, and compassion satisfaction also contributed to the model. Attention to these factors may help reduce PTSS in psychiatric staff.

Factors that influence the development of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in emergency department nurses.

PubMed

Hunsaker, Stacie; Chen, Hsiu-Chin; Maughan, Dale; Heaston, Sondra

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in emergency department nurses throughout the United States and (b) to examine which demographic and work-related components affect the development of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in this nursing specialty. This was a nonexperimental, descriptive, and predictive study using a self-administered survey. Survey packets including a demographic questionnaire and the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5 (ProQOL 5) were mailed to 1,000 selected emergency nurses throughout the United States. The ProQOL 5 scale was used to measure the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout among emergency department nurses. Multiple regression using stepwise solution was employed to determine which variables of demographics and work-related characteristics predicted the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout. The α level was set at .05 for statistical significance. The results revealed overall low to average levels of compassion fatigue and burnout and generally average to high levels of compassion satisfaction among this group of emergency department nurses. The low level of manager support was a significant predictor of higher levels of burnout and compassion fatigue among emergency department nurses, while a high level of manager support contributed to a higher level of compassion satisfaction. The results may serve to help distinguish elements in emergency department nurses' work and life that are related to compassion satisfaction and may identify factors associated with higher levels of compassion fatigue and burnout. Improving recognition and awareness of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout among emergency department nurses may prevent emotional exhaustion and help identify interventions that will help nurses remain empathetic and compassionate professionals. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among Colorado child protection workers.

PubMed

Conrad, David; Kellar-Guenther, Yvonne

2006-10-01

The goal of this study was to understand better the risk of compassion fatigue (the trauma suffered by the helping professional) and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment), and the potential for compassion satisfaction (the fulfillment from helping others and positive collegial relationships) among Colorado county child protection staff using the Compassion Satisfaction/Fatigue Self-Test [Figley, C. R., & Stamm, B. H. (1996). Psychometric review of Compassion Fatigue Self-Test. In B. H. Stamm (Ed.), Measurement of stress, trauma, and adaptation (pp. 127-130). Lutherville, MD: Sidran Press]. An additional goal was to test the relationship of these three constructs to each other. A self-report instrument developed by Stamm and Figley was used to measure the risk of compassion fatigue and burnout and the potential for compassion satisfaction among 363 child protection staff participating in a secondary trauma training seminar. Participants were significantly more likely to have high risk of compassion fatigue, extremely low risk of burnout, and good potential for compassion satisfaction. Participants with high compassion satisfaction had lower levels of compassion fatigue (p=.000; mean=35.73 high compassion satisfaction group, mean=43.56 low group) and lower levels of burnout (p=.000; mean=32.99 high compassion satisfaction group, mean=41.69 low group). Approximately 50% of Colorado county child protection staff suffered from "high" or "very high" levels of compassion fatigue. The risk of burnout was considerably lower. More than 70% of staff expressed a "high" or "good" potential for compassion satisfaction. We believe compassion satisfaction may help mitigate the effects of burnout.

Understanding the roles of self-esteem, self-compassion, and fear of self-compassion in eating disorder pathology: an examination of female students and eating disorder patients.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Vimalakanthan, Kiruthiha; Carter, Jacqueline C

2014-08-01

The present study examined the relative contributions of self-compassion, fear of self-compassion, and self-esteem in eating disorder pathology. One-hundred and fifty-five female undergraduate students and 97 females entering eating disorder treatment completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Fears of Compassion Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. T-tests revealed that the patient group had lower mean self-compassion and higher mean fear of self-compassion than the student group. When controlling for self-esteem, high fear of self-compassion emerged as the strongest predictor of eating disorder pathology in the patient group, whereas low self-compassion was the strongest predictor in the student group. These preliminary results suggest that targeting fear of self-compassion may be important when intervening with individuals suffering from an eating disorder, whereas building self-compassion may be a valuable approach for eating disorder prevention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polarized light modulates light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds

PubMed Central

Muheim, Rachel; Sjöberg, Sissel; Pinzon-Rodriguez, Atticus

2016-01-01

Magnetoreception of the light-dependent magnetic compass in birds is suggested to be mediated by a radical-pair mechanism taking place in the avian retina. Biophysical models on magnetic field effects on radical pairs generally assume that the light activating the magnetoreceptor molecules is nondirectional and unpolarized, and that light absorption is isotropic. However, natural skylight enters the avian retina unidirectionally, through the cornea and the lens, and is often partially polarized. In addition, cryptochromes, the putative magnetoreceptor molecules, absorb light anisotropically, i.e., they preferentially absorb light of a specific direction and polarization, implying that the light-dependent magnetic compass is intrinsically polarization sensitive. To test putative interactions between the avian magnetic compass and polarized light, we developed a spatial orientation assay and trained zebra finches to magnetic and/or overhead polarized light cues in a four-arm “plus” maze. The birds did not use overhead polarized light near the zenith for sky compass orientation. Instead, overhead polarized light modulated light-dependent magnetic compass orientation, i.e., how the birds perceive the magnetic field. Birds were well oriented when tested with the polarized light axis aligned parallel to the magnetic field. When the polarized light axis was aligned perpendicular to the magnetic field, the birds became disoriented. These findings are the first behavioral evidence to our knowledge for a direct interaction between polarized light and the light-dependent magnetic compass in an animal. They reveal a fundamentally new property of the radical pair-based magnetoreceptor with key implications for how birds and other animals perceive the Earth’s magnetic field. PMID:26811473

Polarized light modulates light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds.

PubMed

Muheim, Rachel; Sjöberg, Sissel; Pinzon-Rodriguez, Atticus

2016-02-09

Magnetoreception of the light-dependent magnetic compass in birds is suggested to be mediated by a radical-pair mechanism taking place in the avian retina. Biophysical models on magnetic field effects on radical pairs generally assume that the light activating the magnetoreceptor molecules is nondirectional and unpolarized, and that light absorption is isotropic. However, natural skylight enters the avian retina unidirectionally, through the cornea and the lens, and is often partially polarized. In addition, cryptochromes, the putative magnetoreceptor molecules, absorb light anisotropically, i.e., they preferentially absorb light of a specific direction and polarization, implying that the light-dependent magnetic compass is intrinsically polarization sensitive. To test putative interactions between the avian magnetic compass and polarized light, we developed a spatial orientation assay and trained zebra finches to magnetic and/or overhead polarized light cues in a four-arm "plus" maze. The birds did not use overhead polarized light near the zenith for sky compass orientation. Instead, overhead polarized light modulated light-dependent magnetic compass orientation, i.e., how the birds perceive the magnetic field. Birds were well oriented when tested with the polarized light axis aligned parallel to the magnetic field. When the polarized light axis was aligned perpendicular to the magnetic field, the birds became disoriented. These findings are the first behavioral evidence to our knowledge for a direct interaction between polarized light and the light-dependent magnetic compass in an animal. They reveal a fundamentally new property of the radical pair-based magnetoreceptor with key implications for how birds and other animals perceive the Earth's magnetic field.

Can Self-Compassion Promote Healthcare Provider Well-Being and Compassionate Care to Others? Results of a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Sinclair, Shane; Kondejewski, Jane; Raffin-Bouchal, Shelley; King-Shier, Kathryn M; Singh, Pavneet

2017-07-01

This meta-narrative review, conducted according to the RAMESES (Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards) standards, critically examines the construct of self-compassion to determine if it is an accurate target variable to mitigate work-related stress and promote compassionate caregiving in healthcare providers. PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched. Studies were coded as referring to: (1) conceptualisation of self-compassion; (2) measures of self-compassion; (3) self-compassion and affect; and (4) self-compassion interventions. A narrative approach was used to evaluate self-compassion as a paradigm. Sixty-nine studies were included. The construct of self-compassion in healthcare has significant limitations. Self-compassion has been related to the definition of compassion, but includes limited facets of compassion and adds elements of uncompassionate behavior. Empirical studies use the Self-Compassion Scale, which is criticised for its psychometric and theoretical validity. Therapeutic interventions purported to cultivate self-compassion may have a broader effect on general affective states. An alleged outcome of self-compassion is compassionate care; however, we found no studies that included patient reports on this primary outcome. We critically examine and delineate self-compassion in healthcare providers as a composite of common facets of self-care, healthy self-attitude, and self-awareness rather than a construct in and of itself. © 2017 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

Exploring the link between maternal attachment-related anxiety and avoidance and mindful parenting: The mediating role of self-compassion.

PubMed

Moreira, Helena; Carona, Carlos; Silva, Neuza; Nunes, Joana; Canavarro, Maria Cristina

2016-12-01

Mindful parenting has been described as a set of parental practices or skills that seek to enhance moment-to-moment awareness in the parent-child relationship. Although it has been suggested that adopting a mindful approach in parenting may foster positive parent-child relationships and promote the psychological functioning of children and parents, little is known about the factors that may be associated with this parental skill. In this study, we aimed to examine whether attachment-related anxiety and avoidance were associated with mindful parenting through self-compassion. The sample included 290 mothers of school-aged children and adolescents recruited in school settings, who completed self-reported measures of adult attachment (Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationships Structures), self-compassion (Self-compassion Scale), and mindful parenting (Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale). Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed mediation model and to ascertain direct and indirect effects among study variables. Whereas attachment avoidance had a direct effect on mindful parenting, attachment anxiety was indirectly associated with mindful parenting through self-compassion. Specifically, higher levels of anxiety were associated with lower self-compassion, which, in turn, was associated with lower levels of mindful parenting. Higher levels of avoidance were directly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting. These results demonstrate that mothers' attachment dimensions play an important role in their levels of mindful parenting, although through different pathways. Interventions aimed at promoting mindful parenting skills should attempt to promote parents' self-compassion and consider parents' levels of attachment insecurity. The results underline the important role of mothers' attachment on levels of mindful parenting and evidence different pathways through which attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are associated with this parental skill. Higher levels of attachment avoidance were directly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting, whereas higher levels of anxiety were indirectly associated with lower levels of mindful parenting through lower levels of self-compassion. Mothers who are more self-compassionate are more able to adopt a mindful stance in the parent-child relationship. Parenting interventions aimed at promoting mindfulness skills in the parenting context can benefit from including self-compassionate exercises and are particularly important for insecurely attached parents. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Toroidal modeling of the n = 1 intrinsic error field correction experiments in EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xu; Liu, Yueqiang; Sun, Youwen; Wang, Huihui; Gu, Shuai; Jia, Manni; Li, Li; Liu, Yue; Wang, Zhirui; Zhou, Lina

2018-05-01

The m/n = 2/1 resonant vacuum error field (EF) in the EAST tokamak experiments, inferred from the compass coil current amplitude and phase scan for mode locking, was found to depend on the parity between the upper and lower rows of the EF correction (EFC) coils (Wang et al 2016 Nucl. Fusion 56 066011). Here m and n are the poloidal and toroidal harmonic numbers in a torus, respectively. This experimental observation implies that the compass scan results cannot be simply interpreted as reflecting the true intrinsic EF. This work aims at understanding this puzzle, based on toroidal modeling of the EFC plasma discharge in EAST using the MARS-F code (Liu et al 2000 Phys. Plasmas 7 3681). By varying the amplitude and phase of the assumed n = 1 intrinsic vacuum EF with different poloidal spectra, and by computing the plasma response to the assumed EF, the compass scan predicted 2/1 EF, based on minimizing the computed resonant electromagnetic torque, can be made to match well with that of the EFC experiments using both even and odd parity coils. Moreover, the compass scan predicted vacuum EFs are found to be significantly differing from the true intrinsic EF used as input to the MARS-F code. While the puzzling result remains to be fully resolved, the results from this study offer an improved understanding of the EFC experiments and the compass scan technique for determining the intrinsic resonant EF.

Predicting body appreciation in young women: An integrated model of positive body image.

PubMed

Andrew, Rachel; Tiggemann, Marika; Clark, Levina

2016-09-01

This study examined a range of predictors, based on previous theoretical models, of positive body image in young adult women. Participants were 266 women who completed an online questionnaire measuring body appreciation, activity participation, media consumption, perceived body acceptance by others, self-compassion, and autonomy. Potential mechanisms in predicting body appreciation assessed were self-objectification, social appearance comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation. Results indicated that greater perceived body acceptance by others and self-compassion, and lower appearance media consumption, self-objectification, social comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation were related to greater body appreciation. An integrated model showed that appearance media (negatively) and non-appearance media and self-compassion (positively) were associated with lower self-objectification, social comparison, and thin-ideal internalisation, which in turn related to greater body appreciation. Additionally, perceived body acceptance by others was directly associated with body appreciation. The results contribute to an understanding of potential pathways of positive body image development, thereby highlighting possible intervention targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development of fears of compassion scale Japanese version.

PubMed

Asano, Kenichi; Tsuchiya, Masao; Ishimura, Ikuo; Lin, Shuzhen; Matsumoto, Yuki; Miyata, Haruko; Kotera, Yasuhiro; Shimizu, Eiji; Gilbert, Paul

2017-01-01

Cultivation of compassion is a useful way to treat mental problems, but some individuals show resistance. Fears of compassion can be an obstacle for clinicians when providing psychotherapy, and for clients when engaging in interpersonal relationships. Despite its importance, a Japanese version of fears of compassion scales (for others, from others, and for self) has not yet been developed. This study developed a Japanese version of the Fears of Compassion Scales and tested its reliability and validity. This study used a cross-sectional design, and a self-report procedure for collecting data. A total of 485 students (121 males and 364 females) answered self-report questionnaires, including the draft Fears of Compassion Scales-Japanese version. There were distinctive factor structures for fear of compassion from others, and for self. The fear of compassion from others scale consisted of concern about compassion from others and avoidance of compassion from others. All scales had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, and construct validity. Discrimination and difficulty were also calculated. These results indicate that the Fears of Compassion Scales-Japanese version is a well-constructed and useful measure to assess fears of compassion and the existence of cultural differences in fears of compassion.

Self-compassion training for binge eating disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Carter, Jacqueline C

2015-09-01

The present pilot study sought to compare a compassion-focused therapy (CFT)-based self-help intervention for binge eating disorder (BED) to a behaviourally based intervention. Forty-one individuals with BED were randomly assigned to 3 weeks of food planning plus self-compassion exercises; food planning plus behavioural strategies; or a wait-list control condition. Participants completed weekly measures of binge eating and self-compassion; pre- and post-intervention measures of eating disorder pathology and depressive symptoms; and a baseline measure assessing fear of self-compassion. Results showed that: (1) perceived credibility, expectancy, and compliance did not differ between the two interventions; (2) both interventions reduced weekly binge days more than the control condition; (3) the self-compassion intervention reduced global eating disorder pathology, eating concerns, and weight concerns more than the other conditions; (4) the self-compassion intervention increased self-compassion more than the other conditions; and (5) participants low in fear of self-compassion derived significantly more benefits from the self-compassion intervention than those high in fear of self-compassion. Findings offer preliminary support for the usefulness of CFT-based interventions for BED sufferers. Results also suggest that for individuals to benefit from self-compassion training, assessing and lowering fear of self-compassion will be crucial. Individuals with BED perceive self-compassion training self-help interventions, derived from CFT, to be as credible and as likely to help as behaviourally based interventions. The cultivation of self-compassion may be an effective approach for reducing binge eating, and eating, and weight concerns in individuals with BED. Teaching individuals with BED CFT-based self-help exercises may increase their self-compassion levels over a short period of time. It may be important for clinicians to assess and target clients' fear of self-compassion for clients to benefit from self-compassion training interventions. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Commnity Petascale Project for Accelerator Science And Simulation: Advancing Computational Science for Future Accelerators And Accelerator Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spentzouris, Panagiotis; /Fermilab; Cary, John

The design and performance optimization of particle accelerators are essential for the success of the DOE scientific program in the next decade. Particle accelerators are very complex systems whose accurate description involves a large number of degrees of freedom and requires the inclusion of many physics processes. Building on the success of the SciDAC-1 Accelerator Science and Technology project, the SciDAC-2 Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation (ComPASS) is developing a comprehensive set of interoperable components for beam dynamics, electromagnetics, electron cooling, and laser/plasma acceleration modelling. ComPASS is providing accelerator scientists the tools required to enable the necessarymore » accelerator simulation paradigm shift from high-fidelity single physics process modeling (covered under SciDAC1) to high-fidelity multiphysics modeling. Our computational frameworks have been used to model the behavior of a large number of accelerators and accelerator R&D experiments, assisting both their design and performance optimization. As parallel computational applications, the ComPASS codes have been shown to make effective use of thousands of processors.« less

Cellular Gauge Symmetry and the Li Organization Principle: A Mathematical Addendum. Quantifying energetic dynamics in physical and biological systems through a simple geometric tool and geodetic curves.

PubMed

Yurkin, Alexander; Tozzi, Arturo; Peters, James F; Marijuán, Pedro C

2017-12-01

The present Addendum complements the accompanying paper "Cellular Gauge Symmetry and the Li Organization Principle"; it illustrates a recently-developed geometrical physical model able to assess electronic movements and energetic paths in atomic shells. The model describes a multi-level system of circular, wavy and zigzag paths which can be projected onto a horizontal tape. This model ushers in a visual interpretation of the distribution of atomic electrons' energy levels and the corresponding quantum numbers through rather simple tools, such as compasses, rulers and straightforward calculations. Here we show how this geometrical model, with the due corrections, among them the use of geodetic curves, might be able to describe and quantify the structure and the temporal development of countless physical and biological systems, from Langevin equations for random paths, to symmetry breaks occurring ubiquitously in physical and biological phenomena, to the relationships among different frequencies of EEG electric spikes. Therefore, in our work we explore the possible association of binomial distribution and geodetic curves configuring a uniform approach for the research of natural phenomena, in biology, medicine or the neurosciences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Randomized Control Trial of COMPASS for Improving Transition Outcomes of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Ruble, Lisa A; McGrew, John H; Toland, Michael; Dalrymple, Nancy; Adams, Medina; Snell-Rood, Claire

2018-06-01

The postsecondary outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are significantly worse than peers with other disabilities. One problem is the lack of empirically-supported transition planning interventions to guide services and help produce better outcomes. We applied an implementation science approach to adapt and modify an evidence-based consultation intervention originally tested with young children called the Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success (COMPASS; Ruble et al., The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) and evaluate it for efficacy in a randomized controlled trial for transition-age youth. Results replicated findings with younger students with ASD that IEP outcomes were higher for COMPASS compared to the placebo control group (d = 2.1). Consultant fidelity was high and teacher adherence improved over time, replicating the importance of ongoing teacher coaching.

Pediatric novice nurses: examining compassion fatigue as a mediator between stress exposure and compassion satisfaction, burnout, and job satisfaction.

PubMed

Meyer, Rika M L; Li, Angela; Klaristenfeld, Jessica; Gold, Jeffrey I

2015-01-01

We investigated whether compassion fatigue mediated associations between nurse stress exposure and job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, and burnout, controlling for pre-existing stress. The Life Events Checklist was administered to 251 novice pediatric nurses at the start of the nurse residency program (baseline) and 3 months after to assess pre-existing and current stress exposure. Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout were assessed 3 months after baseline and job satisfaction 6 months after. Stress exposure significantly predicted lower compassion satisfaction and more burnout. Compassion fatigue partially mediated these associations. Results demonstrate a need for hospitals to prevent compassion fatigue in healthcare providers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Palliative Care Professionals' Inner Life: Exploring the Relationships Among Awareness, Self-Care, and Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue, Burnout, and Coping With Death.

PubMed

Sansó, Noemí; Galiana, Laura; Oliver, Amparo; Pascual, Antonio; Sinclair, Shane; Benito, Enric

2015-08-01

Professionals working in the landscape of death and dying frequently are exposed to existential issues, psychological challenges, and emotional distress associated with care at the end of life. Identifying factors that help professionals cope with frequent exposure to issues related to mortality could enhance palliative care providers' and patients' quality of life. To improve our understanding of the factors associated with professionals' inner life, through the assessment of an adapted version of Kearney and Kearney's awareness model of self-care. The main assumptions of the study were that competence in coping with death and awareness would be positively related to compassion satisfaction and negatively to compassion fatigue and burnout; moreover, participating in a specific training program aimed at facing suffering and death, and self-care would positively predict coping with death. A cross-sectional online survey of Spanish palliative care professionals was conducted through the member e-mail list of the Spanish Society of Palliative Care. A total of 387 professionals completed the survey, which included demographic data, and personal and professional scales on the mentioned constructs. Data fit reasonably well with the estimated model. Whereas the hypothesis relating spiritual training to coping with death was not supported by the data, all other aspects of the hypotheses were supported, namely self-care and awareness positively predicted professionals' competence in coping with death, and this, together with awareness, positively predicted compassion satisfaction and negatively predict compassion fatigue and burnout. The awareness-based model of self-care was successfully tested in a multidisciplinary sample of Spanish palliative care professionals. This research applies a quantitative evaluation of the model, providing evidence of a constellation of key variables for health professionals' quality of life, such as specific training, self-care, awareness and coping with death competency. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The development of fears of compassion scale Japanese version

PubMed Central

Asano, Kenichi; Tsuchiya, Masao; Ishimura, Ikuo; Lin, Shuzhen; Matsumoto, Yuki; Miyata, Haruko; Kotera, Yasuhiro; Shimizu, Eiji; Gilbert, Paul

2017-01-01

Objectives Cultivation of compassion is a useful way to treat mental problems, but some individuals show resistance. Fears of compassion can be an obstacle for clinicians when providing psychotherapy, and for clients when engaging in interpersonal relationships. Despite its importance, a Japanese version of fears of compassion scales (for others, from others, and for self) has not yet been developed. This study developed a Japanese version of the Fears of Compassion Scales and tested its reliability and validity. Design This study used a cross-sectional design, and a self-report procedure for collecting data. Methods A total of 485 students (121 males and 364 females) answered self-report questionnaires, including the draft Fears of Compassion Scales—Japanese version. Results There were distinctive factor structures for fear of compassion from others, and for self. The fear of compassion from others scale consisted of concern about compassion from others and avoidance of compassion from others. All scales had good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, face validity, and construct validity. Discrimination and difficulty were also calculated. Conclusions These results indicate that the Fears of Compassion Scales—Japanese version is a well-constructed and useful measure to assess fears of compassion and the existence of cultural differences in fears of compassion. PMID:29023461

Building compassion literacy: Enabling care in primary health care nursing.

PubMed

Burridge, Letitia Helen; Winch, Sarah; Kay, Margaret; Henderson, Amanda

This paper introduces the concept of compassion literacy and discusses its place in nursing within the general practice setting. Compassion literacy is a valuable competency for sustaining the delivery of high quality care. Being compassion literate enables practice nurses to provide compassionate care to their patients and to recognise factors that may constrain this. A compassion literate practice nurse may be more protected from compassion fatigue and its negative consequences. Understanding how to enable self-compassion and how to support the delivery of compassionate care within the primary care team can enhance the care experienced by the patient while improving the positive engagement and satisfaction of the health professionals. The capacity to deliver compassionate care can be depleted by the day-to-day demands of the clinical setting. Compassion literacy enables the replenishing of compassion, but the development of compassion literacy can be curtailed by personal and workplace barriers. This paper articulates why compassion literacy should be an integral aspect of practice nursing and considers strategies for enabling compassion literacy to develop and thrive within the workplace environment. Compassion literacy is also a valuable opportunity for practice nurses to demonstrate their key role within the multidisciplinary team of general practice, directly enhancing the quality of the care delivered.

Interaction of compass sensing and object-motion detection in the locust central complex.

PubMed

Bockhorst, Tobias; Homberg, Uwe

2017-07-01

Goal-directed behavior is often complicated by unpredictable events, such as the appearance of a predator during directed locomotion. This situation requires adaptive responses like evasive maneuvers followed by subsequent reorientation and course correction. Here we study the possible neural underpinnings of such a situation in an insect, the desert locust. As in other insects, its sense of spatial orientation strongly relies on the central complex, a group of midline brain neuropils. The central complex houses sky compass cells that signal the polarization plane of skylight and thus indicate the animal's steering direction relative to the sun. Most of these cells additionally respond to small moving objects that drive fast sensory-motor circuits for escape. Here we investigate how the presentation of a moving object influences activity of the neurons during compass signaling. Cells responded in one of two ways: in some neurons, responses to the moving object were simply added to the compass response that had adapted during continuous stimulation by stationary polarized light. By contrast, other neurons disadapted, i.e., regained their full compass response to polarized light, when a moving object was presented. We propose that the latter case could help to prepare for reorientation of the animal after escape. A neuronal network based on central-complex architecture can explain both responses by slight changes in the dynamics and amplitudes of adaptation to polarized light in CL columnar input neurons of the system. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neurons of the central complex in several insects signal compass directions through sensitivity to the sky polarization pattern. In locusts, these neurons also respond to moving objects. We show here that during polarized-light presentation, responses to moving objects override their compass signaling or restore adapted inhibitory as well as excitatory compass responses. A network model is presented to explain the variations of these responses that likely serve to redirect flight or walking following evasive maneuvers. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A study of the relationship between self-care, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout among hospice professionals.

PubMed

Alkema, Karen; Linton, Jeremy M; Davies, Randall

2008-01-01

Hospice care professionals (HCPs) experience a large number of stressors in their work settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-care, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among HCPs. Thirty-seven HCPs were surveyed regarding their levels of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Respondents also reported the types of self-care activities in which they took part. Results indicated a relationship between self-care strategies and lower levels of burnout and compassion fatigue, and higher levels of compassion satisfaction. Several suggestions are offered for continued research and practice in the hospice care field.

Aircraft compass characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, John B; Smith, Clyde W

1937-01-01

A description of the test methods used at the National Bureau of Standards for determining the characteristics of aircraft compasses is given. The methods described are particularly applicable to compasses in which mineral oil is used as the damping liquid. Data on the viscosity and density of certain mineral oils used in United States Navy aircraft compasses are presented. Characteristics of Navy aircraft compasses IV to IX and some other compasses are shown for the range of temperatures experienced in flight. Results of flight tests are presented. These results indicate that the characteristic most desired in a steering compass is a short period and, in a check compass, a low overswing.

Helping the self help others: self-affirmation increases self-compassion and pro-social behaviors

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Emily K.; Creswell, J. David

2014-01-01

Reflecting on an important personal value in a self-affirmation activity has been shown to improve psychological functioning in a broad range of studies, but the underlying mechanisms for these self-affirmation effects are unknown. Here we provide an initial test of a novel self-compassion account of self-affirmation in two experimental studies. Study 1 shows that an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation (3-min of writing about an important personal value vs. writing about an unimportant value) increases feelings of self-compassion, and these feelings in turn mobilize more pro-social behaviors to a laboratory shelf-collapse incident. Study 2 tests and extends these effects by evaluating whether self-affirmation increases feelings of compassion toward the self (consistent with the self-compassion account) or increases feelings of compassion toward others (an alternative other-directed compassion account), using a validated storytelling behavioral task. Consistent with a self-compassion account, Study 2 demonstrates the predicted self-affirmation by video condition interaction, indicating that self-affirmation participants had greater feelings of self-compassion in response to watching their own storytelling performance (self-compassion) compared to watching a peer’s storytelling performance (other-directed compassion). Further, pre-existing levels of trait self-compassion moderated this effect, such that self-affirmation increased self-compassionate responses the most in participants low in trait self-compassion. This work suggests that self-compassion may be a promising mechanism for self-affirmation effects, and that self-compassionate feelings can mobilize pro-social behaviors. PMID:24860534

Helping the self help others: self-affirmation increases self-compassion and pro-social behaviors.

PubMed

Lindsay, Emily K; Creswell, J David

2014-01-01

Reflecting on an important personal value in a self-affirmation activity has been shown to improve psychological functioning in a broad range of studies, but the underlying mechanisms for these self-affirmation effects are unknown. Here we provide an initial test of a novel self-compassion account of self-affirmation in two experimental studies. Study 1 shows that an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation (3-min of writing about an important personal value vs. writing about an unimportant value) increases feelings of self-compassion, and these feelings in turn mobilize more pro-social behaviors to a laboratory shelf-collapse incident. Study 2 tests and extends these effects by evaluating whether self-affirmation increases feelings of compassion toward the self (consistent with the self-compassion account) or increases feelings of compassion toward others (an alternative other-directed compassion account), using a validated storytelling behavioral task. Consistent with a self-compassion account, Study 2 demonstrates the predicted self-affirmation by video condition interaction, indicating that self-affirmation participants had greater feelings of self-compassion in response to watching their own storytelling performance (self-compassion) compared to watching a peer's storytelling performance (other-directed compassion). Further, pre-existing levels of trait self-compassion moderated this effect, such that self-affirmation increased self-compassionate responses the most in participants low in trait self-compassion. This work suggests that self-compassion may be a promising mechanism for self-affirmation effects, and that self-compassionate feelings can mobilize pro-social behaviors.

Experimental Protein Structure Verification by Scoring with a Single, Unassigned NMR Spectrum.

PubMed

Courtney, Joseph M; Ye, Qing; Nesbitt, Anna E; Tang, Ming; Tuttle, Marcus D; Watt, Eric D; Nuzzio, Kristin M; Sperling, Lindsay J; Comellas, Gemma; Peterson, Joseph R; Morrissey, James H; Rienstra, Chad M

2015-10-06

Standard methods for de novo protein structure determination by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) require time-consuming data collection and interpretation efforts. Here we present a qualitatively distinct and novel approach, called Comparative, Objective Measurement of Protein Architectures by Scoring Shifts (COMPASS), which identifies the best structures from a set of structural models by numerical comparison with a single, unassigned 2D (13)C-(13)C NMR spectrum containing backbone and side-chain aliphatic signals. COMPASS does not require resonance assignments. It is particularly well suited for interpretation of magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectra, but also applicable to solution NMR spectra. We demonstrate COMPASS with experimental data from four proteins--GB1, ubiquitin, DsbA, and the extracellular domain of human tissue factor--and with reconstructed spectra from 11 additional proteins. For all these proteins, with molecular mass up to 25 kDa, COMPASS distinguished the correct fold, most often within 1.5 Å root-mean-square deviation of the reference structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compassion Fatigue and the Healthy Work Environment.

PubMed

Kelly, Lesly; Todd, Michael

2017-01-01

Burnout is a concern for critical care nurses in high-intensity environments. Studies have highlighted the importance of a healthy work environment in promoting optimal nurse and patient outcomes, but research examining the relationship between a healthy work environment and burnout is limited. To examine how healthy work environment components relate to compassion fatigue (eg, burnout, secondary trauma) and compassion satisfaction. Nurses (n = 105) in 3 intensive care units at an academic medical center completed a survey including the Professional Quality of Life and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' Healthy Work Environment standards. Regression models using each Healthy Work Environment component to predict each outcome, adjusting for background variables, showed that the 5 Healthy Work Environment components predicted burnout and that meaningful recognition and authentic leadership predicted compassion satisfaction. Findings on associations between healthy work environment standards and burnout suggest the potential importance of implementing the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses' Healthy Work Environment standards as a mechanism for decreasing burnout. ©2017 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Experimental Protein Structure Verification by Scoring with a Single, Unassigned NMR Spectrum

PubMed Central

Courtney, Joseph M.; Ye, Qing; Nesbitt, Anna E.; Tang, Ming; Tuttle, Marcus D.; Watt, Eric D.; Nuzzio, Kristin M.; Sperling, Lindsay J.; Comellas, Gemma; Peterson, Joseph R.; Morrissey, James H.; Rienstra, Chad M.

2016-01-01

Standard methods for de novo protein structure determination by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) require time-consuming data collection and interpretation efforts. Here we present a qualitatively distinct and novel approach, called Comparative, Objective Measurement of Protein Architectures by Scoring Shifts (COMPASS), which identifies the best structures from a set of structural models by numerical comparison with a single, unassigned 2D 13C-13C NMR spectrum containing backbone and side-chain aliphatic signals. COMPASS does not require resonance assignments. It is particularly well suited for interpretation of magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectra, but also applicable to solution NMR spectra. We demonstrate COMPASS with experimental data from four proteins—GB1, ubiquitin, DsbA, and the extracellular domain of human tissue factor—and with reconstructed spectra from 11 additional proteins. For all these proteins, with molecular mass up to 25 kDa, COMPASS distinguished the correct fold, most often within 1.5 Å root-mean-square deviation of the reference structure. PMID:26365800

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakaguchi, Yuji, E-mail: nkgc2003@yahoo.co.jp; Ono, Takeshi; Onitsuka, Ryota

COMPASS system (IBA Dosimetry, Schwarzenbruck, Germany) and ArcCHECK with 3DVH software (Sun Nuclear Corp., Melbourne, FL) are commercial quasi-3-dimensional (3D) dosimetry arrays. Cross-validation to compare them under the same conditions, such as a treatment plan, allows for clear evaluation of such measurement devices. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of reconstructed dose distributions from the COMPASS system and ArcCHECK with 3DVH software using Monte Carlo simulation (MC) for multi-leaf collimator (MLC) test patterns and clinical VMAT plans. In a phantom study, ArcCHECK 3DVH showed clear differences from COMPASS, measurement and MC due to the detector resolution and the dosemore » reconstruction method. Especially, ArcCHECK 3DVH showed 7% difference from MC for the heterogeneous phantom. ArcCHECK 3DVH only corrects the 3D dose distribution of treatment planning system (TPS) using ArcCHECK measurement, and therefore the accuracy of ArcCHECK 3DVH depends on TPS. In contrast, COMPASS showed good agreement with MC for all cases. However, the COMPASS system requires many complicated installation procedures such as beam modeling, and appropriate commissioning is needed. In terms of clinical cases, there were no large differences for each QA device. The accuracy of the compass and ArcCHECK 3DVH systems for phantoms and clinical cases was compared. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages for clinical use, and consideration of the operating environment is important. The QA system selection is depending on the purpose and workflow in each hospital.« less

Contextual Facilitators and Maintaining of Compassion-Based Care: An Ethnographic Study.

PubMed

Babaei, Sima; Taleghani, Fariba; Keyvanara, Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Compassion is an important part of nursing. It fosters better relationships between nurses and their patients. Moreover, it gives patients more confidence in the care they receive. Determining facilitators of compassion are essential to holistic care. The purpose of this study was to explore these facilitators. This ethnographic study was conducted in 2014-2015 with 20 nurses, 12 patients, and 4 family members in the medical and surgical wards. Data collection was done through observations and in-depth semi-structured interviews with purposive sampling. The study was carried out in 15 months. Data analysis was performed using constant comparison based on Strauss and Corbin. Data analysis defined three main themes and eight subthemes as the fundamentals of compassion-based care. Nurses' personal factors with subcategories of personality, attitudes, and values and holistic view; and socio-cultural factors with subcategories of kindness role model, religious, and cultural values are needed to elicit compassionate behaviors. Initiator factors, with subcategories of patient suffering, patient communication demands, and patient emotional and psychological necessity are also needed to start compassionate behaviors. The findings of this study showed that nurses' communication with patients is nurse's duty in order to understand and respect the needs of patients. Attention should be paid to issues relating to compassion in nursing and practice educational programs. Indeed, creating a care environment with compassion, regardless of any shortcomings in the work condition, would help in the development of effective nursing.

Descriptive study of burnout, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary education institution in KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Mathias, Christina T; Wentzel, Dorien L

2017-09-22

Studies have investigated burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses and effects in the nursing profession. However, there are limited investigations of burnout and compassion fatigue among undergraduate nursing students in South Africa, as nursing students may experience distressful situations during their nursing education course, which may have an impact during their training and in their profession as they graduate. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution in KwaZulu-Natal. Convenience sampling was used. Sixty-seven undergraduate students (26 third-year and 41 fourth-year nursing students) took the self-test Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study results indicate that undergraduate students experienced average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction. As shown in the study, some of the undergraduate students are experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, associated with relieving suffering of others. Therefore, knowledge of compassion fatigue and burnout and the coping strategies should be part of nursing training.

Understanding Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout: a survey of the hospice palliative care workforce.

PubMed

Slocum-Gori, Suzanne; Hemsworth, David; Chan, Winnie W Y; Carson, Anna; Kazanjian, Arminee

2013-02-01

Despite the increasingly crucial role of the healthcare workforce and volunteers working in hospice and palliative care (HPC), very little is known about factors that promote or limit the positive outcomes associated with practicing compassion. The purpose of this study was to: 1) understand the complex relationships among Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout within the hospice and palliative care workforce and 2) explore how key practice characteristics - practice status, professional affiliation, and principal institution - interact with the measured constructs of Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout. Self-reported measures of Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, using validated scales, as well as questions to describe socio-demographic profiles and key practice characteristics were obtained. A national survey of HPC workers, comprising clinical, administrative, allied health workers and volunteers, was completed. Respondents from hospital, community-based and care homes informed the results of our study (n = 630). Our results indicate a significant negative correlation between Compassion Satisfaction and Burnout (r = -0.531, p < 0.001) and between Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue (r = -0.208, p < 0.001), and a significant positive correlation between Burnout and Compassion Fatigue (r = 0.532, p < 0.001). Variations in self-reported levels of the above constructs were noted by key practice characteristics. Levels of all three constructs are significantly, but differentially, affected by type of service provided, principal institution, practice status and professional affiliation. Results indicate that health care systems could increase the prevalence of Compassion Satisfaction through both policy and institutional level programs to support HPC professionals in their jurisdictions.

Role of compassion competence among clinical nurses in professional quality of life.

PubMed

Lee, Y; Seomun, G

2016-09-01

The study aimed to explore measurable compassion competence among nurses and to examine the relationships between nurses' compassion competence and levels of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. Compassion is a vital asset in the nursing profession. It is necessary to explore whether compassion competence is a factor influencing professional quality of life. This study utilized a multicenter descriptive cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from 680 nurses. Professional quality of life based on nurses' general characteristics showed a significant difference in the subjects' age, marital status, education, and total clinical experience. In addition, compassion competence had a significant positive correlation with compassion satisfaction and STS, whereas it had a significant negative correlation with burnout. Compassion competence was a factor influencing compassion satisfaction and burnout in professional quality of life. Our study included nurses with at least 1 year of clinical experience in a single cultural area, which limits its widespread applicability. To improve generalizability, future studies should include clinical nurses of various races, working in diverse cultural areas and with various levels of experience (including entry-level nurses and nursing students). Compassion competence of clinical nurses was a predictive factor for professional quality of life. Hospital administrators, nurse leaders and policy makers should develop and adopt nurse-retaining strategies that focus on improving nurses' compassion competence in order to reduce their burnout. We recommend the development of educational programmes to improve nurses' compassion competence and thereby enhance their professional quality of life. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Design and Calibration of a Novel Bio-Inspired Pixelated Polarized Light Compass.

PubMed

Han, Guoliang; Hu, Xiaoping; Lian, Junxiang; He, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Lilian; Wang, Yujie; Dong, Fengliang

2017-11-14

Animals, such as Savannah sparrows and North American monarch butterflies, are able to obtain compass information from skylight polarization patterns to help them navigate effectively and robustly. Inspired by excellent navigation ability of animals, this paper proposes a novel image-based polarized light compass, which has the advantages of having a small size and being light weight. Firstly, the polarized light compass, which is composed of a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera, a pixelated polarizer array and a wide-angle lens, is introduced. Secondly, the measurement method of a skylight polarization pattern and the orientation method based on a single scattering Rayleigh model are presented. Thirdly, the error model of the sensor, mainly including the response error of CCD pixels and the installation error of the pixelated polarizer, is established. A calibration method based on iterative least squares estimation is proposed. In the outdoor environment, the skylight polarization pattern can be measured in real time by our sensor. The orientation accuracy of the sensor increases with the decrease of the solar elevation angle, and the standard deviation of orientation error is 0 . 15 ∘ at sunset. Results of outdoor experiments show that the proposed polarization navigation sensor can be used for outdoor autonomous navigation.

Design and Calibration of a Novel Bio-Inspired Pixelated Polarized Light Compass

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaoping; Lian, Junxiang; He, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Lilian; Wang, Yujie; Dong, Fengliang

2017-01-01

Animals, such as Savannah sparrows and North American monarch butterflies, are able to obtain compass information from skylight polarization patterns to help them navigate effectively and robustly. Inspired by excellent navigation ability of animals, this paper proposes a novel image-based polarized light compass, which has the advantages of having a small size and being light weight. Firstly, the polarized light compass, which is composed of a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera, a pixelated polarizer array and a wide-angle lens, is introduced. Secondly, the measurement method of a skylight polarization pattern and the orientation method based on a single scattering Rayleigh model are presented. Thirdly, the error model of the sensor, mainly including the response error of CCD pixels and the installation error of the pixelated polarizer, is established. A calibration method based on iterative least squares estimation is proposed. In the outdoor environment, the skylight polarization pattern can be measured in real time by our sensor. The orientation accuracy of the sensor increases with the decrease of the solar elevation angle, and the standard deviation of orientation error is 0.15∘ at sunset. Results of outdoor experiments show that the proposed polarization navigation sensor can be used for outdoor autonomous navigation. PMID:29135927

Affective and physiological responses to the suffering of others: compassion and vagal activity.

PubMed

Stellar, Jennifer E; Cohen, Adam; Oveis, Christopher; Keltner, Dacher

2015-04-01

Compassion is an affective response to another's suffering and a catalyst of prosocial behavior. In the present studies, we explore the peripheral physiological changes associated with the experience of compassion. Guided by long-standing theoretical claims, we propose that compassion is associated with activation in the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system through the vagus nerve. Across 4 studies, participants witnessed others suffer while we recorded physiological measures, including heart rate, respiration, skin conductance, and a measure of vagal activity called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Participants exhibited greater RSA during the compassion induction compared with a neutral control (Study 1), another positive emotion (Study 2), and a prosocial emotion lacking appraisals of another person's suffering (Study 3). Greater RSA during the experience of compassion compared with the neutral or control emotion was often accompanied by lower heart rate and respiration but no difference in skin conductance. In Study 4, increases in RSA during compassion positively predicted an established composite of compassion-related words, continuous self-reports of compassion, and nonverbal displays of compassion. Compassion, a core affective component of empathy and prosociality, is associated with heightened parasympathetic activity. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The influence of personality traits and socio-demographic characteristics on paediatric nurses' compassion satisfaction and fatigue.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Pin; Tsai, Jung-Mei; Lu, Ming-Huei; Lin, Li-Man; Lu, Ching-Hui; Wang, Kai-Wei K

2018-05-01

To explore the level of and the association between, compassion satisfaction and fatigue of paediatric nurses; to determine the association between personality traits and compassion satisfaction and fatigue; to identify the determinants of compassion satisfaction and fatigue. Paediatric nurses are prone to experiencing compassion fatigue associated with caring for children with illness and their families, yet its connection with nurses' personality traits remains unknown. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. The data collection used three instruments measuring socio-demography, responses to the compassion satisfaction and fatigue test and the revised NEO personality inventory. The study used descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analysis for the data collected between April - July 2014. From 173 female paediatric nurses, two-thirds worked in critical care units and indicated a satisfactory level of compassion satisfaction and a low level of compassion fatigue, despite a lack of association between the two concepts. Four determinants-agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness and engaging with outdoor activities-were predictive and explained 43.6% of total variance of compassion satisfaction. Two risk factors of compassion fatigue identified were less emotional stability and singlehood (marital status) and these explained 26.1% of total variance of compassion fatigue. Support for improving agreeableness and emotional stability in paediatric nurses' workplaces including involvement in the outdoor activities and an increase in social connection may enhance compassion satisfaction and prevent exhaustive compassion fatigue. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Investigating how menopausal factors and self-compassion shape well-being: An exploratory path analysis.

PubMed

Brown, Lydia; Bryant, Christina; Brown, Valerie; Bei, Bei; Judd, Fiona

2015-06-01

A large body of work has investigated the relationship between menopausal factors and negative well-being (e.g. anxiety and depressive symptoms), but less is known about positive well-being and its correlates among midlife women. This study tests two models with both positive and negative well-being indices as outcomes: the first included menopausal factors as predictors; the second model expanded the first by adding self-compassion, a protective trait, as a predictor and moderator. Cross-sectional study based on self-report questionnaires from 206 women aged 40-60, currently experiencing hot flushes. Hot flush interference ratings, emotional balance, satisfaction with life, eudaimonic well-being and depressive symptoms. In model one, menopausal stage and hot flush frequency were independent of well-being outcomes. Beliefs about perceived control over menopause was the strongest predictor of well-being (β range: .22-.32), followed by hot flush interference ratings (β range: .15-.33). In model two, self-compassion was the strongest predictor of well-being indices (β range: .20-.39), followed by beliefs about control (β range: .16-.20) and interference ratings (β range: .17-.26). Psychological aspects of the menopause appear more strongly linked to well-being than physiological aspects such as menopausal stage and hot flush frequency. Specifically, self-compassion, feeling in control of menopause and low interference ratings are three factors that are associated with well-being among midlife women. These aspects could be considered in tandem, as a means to support well-being in the context of menopause. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Navigational Mechanisms of Migrating Monarch Butterflies

PubMed Central

Reppert, Steven M.; Gegear, Robert J.; Merlin, Christine

2010-01-01

Recent studies of the iconic fall migration of monarch butterflies have illuminated the mechanisms behind the navigation south, using a time-compensated sun compass. Skylight cues, such as the sun itself and polarized light, are processed through both eyes and likely integrated in the brain’s central complex, the presumed site of the sun compass. Time compensation is provided by circadian clocks that have a distinctive molecular mechanism and that reside in the antennae. Monarchs may also use a magnetic compass, because they possess two cryptochromes that have the molecular capability for light-dependent magnetoreception. Multiple genomic approaches are being utilized to ultimately identify navigation genes. Monarch butterflies are thus emerging as an excellent model organism to study the molecular and neural basis of long-distance migration. PMID:20627420

Stress in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploration of Demands and Resources.

PubMed

Krakovich, Teri M; McGrew, John H; Yu, Yue; Ruble, Lisa A

2016-06-01

We applied the ABCX model of stress and coping to assess the association between child and family demands, school-based resources (i.e., parent-teacher alliance and COMPASS, a consultation intervention), and two measures of parent stress: perceptions of the demands of raising a child (Child domain) and reactions to those demands (Parent domain). Data were analyzed from seventy-nine parents of children ages 3-9 with ASD participating in two randomized controlled trials of COMPASS. Stronger parent-teacher alliance correlated with decreased Parent domain stress and participation in COMPASS correlated with decreased Child domain stress after controlling for baseline stress. The study indicates that school-based resources can help reduce parent stress.

Factors Predicting Burnout Among Chaplains: Compassion Satisfaction, Organizational Factors, and the Mediators of Mindful Self-Care and Secondary Traumatic Stress.

PubMed

Hotchkiss, Jason T; Lesher, Ruth

2018-06-01

This study predicted Burnout from the self-care practices, compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, and organizational factors among chaplains who participated from all 50 states (N = 534). A hierarchical regression model indicated that the combined effect of compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, mindful self-care, demographic, and organizational factors explained 83.2% of the variance in Burnout. Chaplains serving in a hospital were slightly more at risk for Burnout than those in hospice or other settings. Organizational factors that most predicted Burnout were feeling bogged down by the "system" (25.7%) and an overwhelming caseload (19.9%). Each self-care category was a statistically significant protective factor against Burnout risk. The strongest protective factors against Burnout in order of strength were self-compassion and purpose, supportive structure, mindful self-awareness, mindful relaxation, supportive relationships, and physical care. For secondary traumatic stress, supportive structure, mindful self-awareness, and self-compassion and purpose were the strongest protective factors. Chaplains who engaged in multiple and frequent self-care strategies experienced higher professional quality of life and low Burnout risk. In the chaplain's journey toward wellness, a reflective practice of feeling good about doing good and mindful self-care are vital. The significance, implications, and limitations of the study were discussed.

Compassion satisfaction and fatigue: A cross-sectional survey of Australian intensive care nurses.

PubMed

Jakimowicz, Samantha; Perry, Lin; Lewis, Joanne

2017-11-16

Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue influence nurses' intention to stay or leave nursing. Identification of compassion satisfaction or fatigue in critical care nurses is important in this high turnover workforce. The aim of this study was to examine factors predicting and contributing to compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue experienced by critical care nurses in Australian intensive care units. A self-reported cross-sectional survey using an established tool collected data from critical care nurses of two adult Australian intensive care units. Overall, these critical care nurses reported what Professional Quality of Life Scale guidelines designated as 'average' levels of compassion satisfaction and burnout, and 'low' levels of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). Compared to Site B, nurses at Site A had significantly higher compassion satisfaction (p=0.008) and lower STS scores (p=0.025), with site significantly predictive for compassion satisfaction (p<0.024) and STS (p<0.002). Nurses with postgraduate qualifications had significantly higher compassion satisfaction scores (p=0.027), and compassion satisfaction significantly increased with increasing duration of practice (p=0.042) as a nurse and in their current ICU (p=0.038). Burnout scores significantly reduced with increasing age, years of tenure and practice; burnout was predicted by lower years of tenure (p<0.016). These critical care nurses revealed profiles that, whilst not in crisis, fell short of the ideal high compassion satisfaction and moderate/low fatigue. More recent tenure flags those potentially at higher risk of compassion fatigue, whilst the better scores associated with postgraduate education and from one site need further exploration. Further research should develop understanding and interventions to enhance compassion satisfaction and support retention of this crucial nursing workforce. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMPASS: A computational model to predict changes in MMSE scores 24-months after initial assessment of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Zhu, Fan; Panwar, Bharat; Dodge, Hiroko H; Li, Hongdong; Hampstead, Benjamin M; Albin, Roger L; Paulson, Henry L; Guan, Yuanfang

2016-10-05

We present COMPASS, a COmputational Model to Predict the development of Alzheimer's diSease Spectrum, to model Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. This was the best-performing method in recent crowdsourcing benchmark study, DREAM Alzheimer's Disease Big Data challenge to predict changes in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores over 24-months using standardized data. In the present study, we conducted three additional analyses beyond the DREAM challenge question to improve the clinical contribution of our approach, including: (1) adding pre-validated baseline cognitive composite scores of ADNI-MEM and ADNI-EF, (2) identifying subjects with significant declines in MMSE scores, and (3) incorporating SNPs of top 10 genes connected to APOE identified from functional-relationship network. For (1) above, we significantly improved predictive accuracy, especially for the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) group. For (2), we achieved an area under ROC of 0.814 in predicting significant MMSE decline: our model has 100% precision at 5% recall, and 91% accuracy at 10% recall. For (3), "genetic only" model has Pearson's correlation of 0.15 to predict progression in the MCI group. Even though addition of this limited genetic model to COMPASS did not improve prediction of progression of MCI group, the predictive ability of SNP information extended beyond well-known APOE allele.

#fitspo or #loveyourself? The impact of fitspiration and self-compassion Instagram images on women's body image, self-compassion, and mood.

PubMed

Slater, Amy; Varsani, Neesha; Diedrichs, Phillippa C

2017-09-01

This study experimentally examined the impact of exposure to fitspiration images and self-compassion quotes on social media on young women's body satisfaction, body appreciation, self-compassion, and negative mood. Female undergraduate students (N=160) were randomly assigned to view either Instagram images of fitspiration, self-compassion quotes, a combination of both, or appearance-neutral images. Results showed no differences between viewing fitspiration images compared to viewing neutral images, except for poorer self-compassion among those who viewed fitspiration images. However, women who viewed self-compassion quotes showed greater body satisfaction, body appreciation, self-compassion, and reduced negative mood compared to women who viewed neutral images. Further, viewing a combination of fitspiration images and self-compassion quotes led to positive outcomes compared to viewing only fitspiration images. Trait levels of thin-ideal internalisation moderated some effects. The findings suggest that self-compassion might offer a novel avenue for attenuating the negative impact of social media on women's body satisfaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Witness to suffering: mindfulness and compassion fatigue among traumatic bereavement volunteers and professionals.

PubMed

Thieleman, Kara; Cacciatore, Joanne

2014-01-01

This study used a survey to investigate the relationship between mindfulness and compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among 41 volunteers and professionals at an agency serving the traumatically bereaved. Compassion fatigue comprises two aspects: secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Because prior research suggests that compassion satisfaction may protect against compassion fatigue, the authors hypothesized that (a) mindfulness would be positively correlated with compassion satisfaction, (b) mindfulness would be inversely correlated with compassion fatigue, and (c) there would be differences between respondents with a personal history of traumatic bereavement and those with no such history. Correlation analyses supported the first two hypotheses; an independent means t test did not provide evidence for the latter hypothesis, although the number ofnontraumatically bereaved respondents was small. Overall, this sample showed surprisingly high levels of compassion satisfaction and low levels of compassion fatigue, even among respondents thought to be at higher risk of problems due to personal trauma. Implications of these findings are particularly relevant for social workers and other professionals employed in positions in which they encounter trauma and high emotional stress.

Compassion fatigue in nurses.

PubMed

Yoder, Elizabeth A

2010-11-01

Compassion fatigue, trigger situations, and coping strategies were investigated in hospital and home care nurses. The Professional Quality of Life Scale measured compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout. Narrative questions elicited trigger situations and coping strategies. Compassion fatigue scores were significantly different between nurses who worked 8- or 12-hour shifts. Fifteen percent of the participants had scores indicating risk of the compassion fatigue. There were significant differences in compassion satisfaction, depending on the unit worked and time as a nurse. The most common category of trigger situations was caring for the patient. Work-related and personal coping strategies were identified. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compassion Fatigue in the Military Caregiver

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Compassion Fatigue/ Burnout Syndrome Figley, C (1995; 97)19 Sprang, Clark, and Whitt-Woosley in their article, “Compassion Fatigue, Compassion...alternative or additional programs, process or intervention to address compassion fatigue, burnout , stress disorder or other debilitating post-traumatic...effects. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Caregiver, Care Provider, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Combat Trauma, Shared Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Burnout 16

Compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction among family physicians in the Negev area - a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

El-Bar, Nurit; Levy, Amalia; Wald, Hedy S; Biderman, Aya

2013-08-15

Compassion fatigue among health care professionals has gained interest over the past decade. Compassion fatigue, as well as burnout, has been associated with depersonalization and suboptimal patient care. Professional caregivers in general are exposed to the risk of compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO) and low levels of compassion satisfaction (CS). While CF has been studied in health care professionals, few publications address its incidence among family physicians, specifically. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and severity of CF among family practitioners (FPs) in the Negev (Israel's southern region), evaluating the correlations between CF, BO and CS and their relations with socio-demographic variables and work related characteristics. Self-report anonymous Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Test questionnaires (CSFT) measuring CF, BO, and CS were distributed among 194 family physicians at Clalit Health Services clinics in the Negev between July 2007 and April 2008. Correlations between CF, BO and CS were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression models with backward elimination were constructed. 128 (66%) physicians responded. 46.1% of respondents scored extremely high and high for CF, 21.1% scored low for CS and 9.4% scored high for BO. Strong correlations were found between BO and CF (r = 0.769, p < 0.001), and between BO and CS (r = -0.241, p = 0.006), but no correlation was found between CS and CF. The logistic regression model showed that the only factor associated with a significantly increased risk for CF was former immigration to Israel. Increased risk for BO was associated with female gender, history of personal trauma and lack of academic affiliation. Higher CS was associated with holding management positions and teaching residents. Family physicians in the Negev are at high risk for CF, with the potential for CF- associated patient dissatisfaction, compromised patient safety and increased medical error. We propose creation of a CF educational and early intervention treatment program for family physicians and other health care professionals. Such programs would train facilitators of physician well-being and resiliency building. We also recommend analyzing contributing variables and organizational factors related to higher CF. Policy recommendations include integrating such programs within required risk management continuing medical education.

Compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction among family physicians in the Negev area - a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Compassion fatigue among health care professionals has gained interest over the past decade. Compassion fatigue, as well as burnout, has been associated with depersonalization and suboptimal patient care. Professional caregivers in general are exposed to the risk of compassion fatigue (CF), burnout (BO) and low levels of compassion satisfaction (CS). While CF has been studied in health care professionals, few publications address its incidence among family physicians, specifically. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and severity of CF among family practitioners (FPs) in the Negev (Israel’s southern region), evaluating the correlations between CF, BO and CS and their relations with socio-demographic variables and work related characteristics. Methods Self-report anonymous Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Test questionnaires (CSFT) measuring CF, BO, and CS were distributed among 194 family physicians at Clalit Health Services clinics in the Negev between July 2007 and April 2008. Correlations between CF, BO and CS were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression models with backward elimination were constructed. Results 128 (66%) physicians responded. 46.1% of respondents scored extremely high and high for CF, 21.1% scored low for CS and 9.4% scored high for BO. Strong correlations were found between BO and CF (r = 0.769, p < 0.001), and between BO and CS (r = −0.241, p = 0.006), but no correlation was found between CS and CF. The logistic regression model showed that the only factor associated with a significantly increased risk for CF was former immigration to Israel. Increased risk for BO was associated with female gender, history of personal trauma and lack of academic affiliation. Higher CS was associated with holding management positions and teaching residents. Conclusions and policy recommendations Family physicians in the Negev are at high risk for CF, with the potential for CF- associated patient dissatisfaction, compromised patient safety and increased medical error. We propose creation of a CF educational and early intervention treatment program for family physicians and other health care professionals. Such programs would train facilitators of physician well-being and resiliency building. We also recommend analyzing contributing variables and organizational factors related to higher CF. Policy recommendations include integrating such programs within required risk management continuing medical education. PMID:23947591

Self-Compassion Online: A Pilot Study of an Internet-Based Self-Compassion Cultivation Program for Psychology Trainees.

PubMed

Finlay-Jones, Amy; Kane, Robert; Rees, Clare

2017-07-01

The current study sought to conduct a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness and feasibility of a novel, self-guided online self-compassion training for reducing psychological distress and increasing self-compassion and happiness among psychology trainees. A 6-week online self-compassion cultivation program was developed and delivered to Australian psychology trainees (n = 37), and a pre-experimental repeated-measures design was used to collect change data on self-compassion, happiness, perceived stress, emotion regulation difficulties as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants reported significant increases in self-compassion and happiness and significant decreases in depression, stress, and emotion regulation difficulties between pretest and posttest, with the majority of changes maintained at 3-month follow up.  This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness and acceptability of online self-compassion training as a positive, integrated, and meaningful way of reducing distress and promoting self-compassion and happiness among trainee psychologists. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Self-Compassion and the Self-Regulation of Exercise: Reactions to Recalled Exercise Setbacks.

PubMed

Semenchuk, Brittany N; Strachan, Shaelyn M; Fortier, Michelle

2018-02-01

Self-compassion facilitates health behavior self-regulation; few studies have examined self-compassion and exercise. This online, cross-sectional study investigated self-compassion's relationship with exercise self-regulation of an exercise setback. Adults (N = 105) who had experienced an exercise setback within the last 6 months completed baseline measures, recalled an exercise setback, and completed questionnaires assessing self-regulation in this context. Self-compassion associated with self-determined motivations and exercise goal reengagement, and negatively related to extrinsic motivations, state rumination, and negative affect. Self-compassion predicted unique variance, beyond self-esteem, in exercise goal reengagement, external regulation, state rumination, and negative affect experienced after an exercise setback. Self-compassion and self-esteem had unique relationships with goal reengagement, state rumination, and situational motivation, while having a complementary relationship with negative affect. This research adds to the few studies that examine the role of self-compassion in exercise self-regulation by examining how self-compassion and self-esteem relate to reactions to a recalled exercise setback.

Chemical compass model of avian magnetoreception.

PubMed

Maeda, Kiminori; Henbest, Kevin B; Cintolesi, Filippo; Kuprov, Ilya; Rodgers, Christopher T; Liddell, Paul A; Gust, Devens; Timmel, Christiane R; Hore, P J

2008-05-15

Approximately 50 species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans and insects, are known to use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation. Birds in particular have been intensively studied, but the biophysical mechanisms that underlie the avian magnetic compass are still poorly understood. One proposal, based on magnetically sensitive free radical reactions, is gaining support despite the fact that no chemical reaction in vitro has been shown to respond to magnetic fields as weak as the Earth's ( approximately 50 muT) or to be sensitive to the direction of such a field. Here we use spectroscopic observation of a carotenoid-porphyrin-fullerene model system to demonstrate that the lifetime of a photochemically formed radical pair is changed by application of < or =50 microT magnetic fields, and to measure the anisotropic chemical response that is essential for its operation as a chemical compass sensor. These experiments establish the feasibility of chemical magnetoreception and give insight into the structural and dynamic design features required for optimal detection of the direction of the Earth's magnetic field.

A New View on an Old Debate: Type of Cue-Conflict Manipulation and Availability of Stars Can Explain the Discrepancies between Cue-Calibration Experiments with Migratory Songbirds.

PubMed

Sjöberg, Sissel; Muheim, Rachel

2016-01-01

Migratory birds use multiple compass systems for orientation, including a magnetic, star and sun/polarized light compass. To keep these compasses in register, birds have to regularly update them with respect to a common reference. However, cue-conflict studies have revealed contradictory results on the compass hierarchy, favoring either celestial or magnetic compass cues as the primary calibration reference. Both the geomagnetic field and polarized light cues present at sunrise and sunset have been shown to play a role in compass cue integration, and evidence suggests that polarized light cues at sunrise and sunset may provide the primary calibration reference for the other compass systems. We tested whether migratory garden warblers recalibrated their compasses when they were exposed to the natural celestial cues at sunset in a shifted magnetic field, which are conditions that have been shown to be necessary for the use of a compass reference based on polarized light cues. We released the birds on the same evening under a starry sky and followed them by radio tracking. We found no evidence of compass recalibration, even though the birds had a full view of polarized light cues near the horizon at sunset during the cue-conflict exposure. Based on a meta-analysis of the available literature, we propose an extended unifying theory on compass cue hierarchy used by migratory birds to calibrate the different compasses. According to this scheme, birds recalibrate their magnetic compass by sunrise/sunset polarized light cues, provided they have access to the vertically aligned band of maximum polarization near the horizon and a view of landmarks. Once the stars appear in the sky, the birds then recalibrate the star compass with respect of the recalibrated magnetic compass. If sunrise and sunset information can be viewed from the same location, the birds average the information to get a true geographic reference. If polarized light information is not available near the horizon at sunrise or sunset, the birds temporarily transfer the previously calibrated magnetic compass information to the available celestial compasses. We conclude that the type of cue-conflict manipulation and the availability of stars can explain the discrepancies between studies.

A New View on an Old Debate: Type of Cue-Conflict Manipulation and Availability of Stars Can Explain the Discrepancies between Cue-Calibration Experiments with Migratory Songbirds

PubMed Central

Sjöberg, Sissel; Muheim, Rachel

2016-01-01

Migratory birds use multiple compass systems for orientation, including a magnetic, star and sun/polarized light compass. To keep these compasses in register, birds have to regularly update them with respect to a common reference. However, cue-conflict studies have revealed contradictory results on the compass hierarchy, favoring either celestial or magnetic compass cues as the primary calibration reference. Both the geomagnetic field and polarized light cues present at sunrise and sunset have been shown to play a role in compass cue integration, and evidence suggests that polarized light cues at sunrise and sunset may provide the primary calibration reference for the other compass systems. We tested whether migratory garden warblers recalibrated their compasses when they were exposed to the natural celestial cues at sunset in a shifted magnetic field, which are conditions that have been shown to be necessary for the use of a compass reference based on polarized light cues. We released the birds on the same evening under a starry sky and followed them by radio tracking. We found no evidence of compass recalibration, even though the birds had a full view of polarized light cues near the horizon at sunset during the cue-conflict exposure. Based on a meta-analysis of the available literature, we propose an extended unifying theory on compass cue hierarchy used by migratory birds to calibrate the different compasses. According to this scheme, birds recalibrate their magnetic compass by sunrise/sunset polarized light cues, provided they have access to the vertically aligned band of maximum polarization near the horizon and a view of landmarks. Once the stars appear in the sky, the birds then recalibrate the star compass with respect of the recalibrated magnetic compass. If sunrise and sunset information can be viewed from the same location, the birds average the information to get a true geographic reference. If polarized light information is not available near the horizon at sunrise or sunset, the birds temporarily transfer the previously calibrated magnetic compass information to the available celestial compasses. We conclude that the type of cue-conflict manipulation and the availability of stars can explain the discrepancies between studies. PMID:26941631

A magnetic compass aids monarch butterfly migration

PubMed Central

Guerra, Patrick A; Gegear, Robert J; Reppert, Steven M

2014-01-01

Convincing evidence that migrant monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) use a magnetic compass to aid their fall migration has been lacking from the spectacular navigational capabilities of this species. Here we use flight simulator studies to show that migrants indeed possess an inclination magnetic compass to help direct their flight equatorward in the fall. The use of this inclination compass is light-dependent utilizing ultraviolet-A/blue light between 380 and 420 nm. Notably, the significance of light <420 nm for inclination compass function was not considered in previous monarch studies. The antennae are important for the inclination compass because they appear to contain light-sensitive magnetosensors. For migratory monarchs, the inclination compass may serve as an important orientation mechanism when directional daylight cues are unavailable and may also augment time-compensated sun compass orientation for appropriate directionality throughout the migration. PMID:24960099

The influence of self-compassion on emotional well-being among early and older adolescent males and females

PubMed Central

Bluth, Karen; Blanton, Priscilla W.

2014-01-01

Self-compassion has been associated with well-being in adult samples, but has rarely been assessed in adolescents. In this study, 90 students ages 11–18 completed an online survey assessing self-compassion, life satisfaction, perceived stress and positive and negative affect. Findings indicated that older female adolescents had lower self-compassion than either older male adolescents or early adolescents of either gender, and self-compassion was associated significantly with all dimensions of emotional well-being with the exception of positive affect. Additionally, phase of adolescence, but not gender, was found to moderate the relationship between self-compassion and dimensions of well-being; for older adolescents, the inverse relationship between self-compassion and negative affect was stronger. Lastly, the influence of the various components of self-compassion was investigated and discussed. PMID:25750655

The depth of the honeybee's backup sun-compass systems.

PubMed

Dovey, Katelyn M; Kemfort, Jordan R; Towne, William F

2013-06-01

Honeybees have at least three compass mechanisms: a magnetic compass; a celestial or sun compass, based on the daily rotation of the sun and sun-linked skylight patterns; and a backup celestial compass based on a memory of the sun's movements over time in relation to the landscape. The interactions of these compass systems have yet to be fully elucidated, but the celestial compass is primary in most contexts, the magnetic compass is a backup in certain contexts, and the bees' memory of the sun's course in relation to the landscape is a backup system for cloudy days. Here we ask whether bees have any further compass systems, for example a memory of the sun's movements over time in relation to the magnetic field. To test this, we challenged bees to locate the sun when their known celestial compass systems were unavailable, that is, under overcast skies in unfamiliar landscapes. We measured the bees' knowledge of the sun's location by observing their waggle dances, by which foragers indicate the directions toward food sources in relation to the sun's compass bearing. We found that bees have no celestial compass systems beyond those already known: under overcast skies in unfamiliar landscapes, bees attempt to use their landscape-based backup system to locate the sun, matching the landscapes or skylines at the test sites with those at their natal sites as best they can, even if the matches are poor and yield weak or inconsistent orientation.

Compassion for others, self-compassion, quality of life and mental well-being measures and their association with compassion fatigue and burnout in student midwives: A quantitative survey.

PubMed

Beaumont, Elaine; Durkin, Mark; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Carson, Jerome

2016-03-01

compassion fatigue and burnout can impact on the performance of midwives, with this quantitative paper exploring the relationship between self-compassion, burnout, compassion fatigue, self-judgement, self-kindness, compassion for others, professional quality of life and well-being of student midwives. a quantitative survey measured relationships using questionnaires: (1) Professional Quality of Life Scale; (2) Self-Compassion Scale; (3) Short Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; (4) Compassion For Others Scale. a purposive and convenience sample of student midwives (n=103) studying at university participated in the study. just over half of the sample reported above average scores for burnout. The results indicate that student midwives who report higher scores on the self-judgement sub-scale are less compassionate towards both themselves and others, have reduced well-being, and report greater burnout and compassion fatigue. Student midwives who report high on measures of self-compassion and well-being report less compassion fatigue and burnout. student midwives may find benefit from 'being kinder to self' in times of suffering, which could potentially help them to prepare for the emotional demands of practice and study. developing, creating and cultivating environments that foster compassionate care for self and others may play a significant role in helping midwives face the rigours of education and clinical practice during their degree programme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-Compassion among College Counseling Center Clients: An Examination of Clinical Norms and Group Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockard, Allison J.; Hayes, Jeffrey A.; Neff, Kristin; Locke, Benjamin D.

2014-01-01

There has been growing interest in the mental health benefits of self-compassion. This study was designed to establish norms on the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, a popular measure of self-compassion for individuals seeking counseling, and to examine group differences in self-compassion based on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation,…

Yoga and compassion meditation program improve quality of life and self-compassion in family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Danucalov, Marcelo Ad; Kozasa, Elisa H; Afonso, Rui F; Galduroz, José Cf; Leite, José R

2017-01-01

To investigate the effects of the practice of yoga in combination with compassion meditation on the quality of life, attention, vitality and self-compassion of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease. A total of 46 volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups, the yoga and compassion meditation program group (n = 25), and the control group (CG) that received no treatment (n = 21). The program lasted 8 weeks, and comprised three yoga and meditation practices per week, with each session lasting 1 h and 15 min. Quality of life, attention, vitality, and self-compassion scores were measured pre- and postintervention. The yoga and compassion meditation program group showed statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) on quality of life, attention, vitality and self-compassion scores as compared with the control group, which showed no statistical significant differences at the postintervention time-point. The findings of the present study suggest that an 8-week yoga and compassion meditation program can improve the quality of life, vitality, attention, and self-compassion of family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 85-91. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Who is at risk for compassion fatigue? An investigation of genetic counselor demographics, anxiety, compassion satisfaction, and burnout.

PubMed

Lee, Whiwon; Veach, Patricia McCarthy; MacFarlane, Ian M; LeRoy, Bonnie S

2015-04-01

Compassion fatigue is a state of detachment and isolation experienced when healthcare providers repeatedly engage with patients in distress. Compassion fatigue can hinder empathy and cause extreme tension. Prior research suggests 73.8 % of genetic counselors are at moderate to high risk for compassion fatigue and approximately 1 in 4 have considered leaving the field as a result Injeyan et al. (Journal of Genetic Counseling, 20, 526-540, 2011). Empirical data to establish a reliable profile of genetic counselors at risk for compassion fatigue are limited. Thus the purpose of this study was to establish a profile by assessing relationships between state and trait anxiety, burnout, compassion satisfaction, selected demographics and compassion fatigue risk in practicing genetic counselors. Practicing genetic counselors (n = 402) completed an anonymous, online survey containing demographic questions, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Professional Quality of Life scale. Multiple regression analysis yielded four significant predictors which increase compassion fatigue risk (accounting for 48 % of the variance): higher levels of trait anxiety, burnout, and compassion satisfaction, and ethnicity other than Caucasian. Additional findings, study limitations, practice implications, and research recommendations are provided.

Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Hospice Social Work.

PubMed

Pelon, Sally B

2017-01-01

As part of the interprofessional team of hospice caregivers, social workers are exposed to multiple stressors, both in their work with dying patients and their families and in functioning as professionals within rapidly changing health care organizations. Ongoing exposure to such stressors prompts concern about the emotional and psychological effect working with people who are dying may have on those who do it. Further, an understanding is needed regarding how hospice social workers interpret the costs and benefits of their work and how they cope with the dying and loss that pervade their everyday work lives. This descriptive, cross-sectional study explored the prevalence of compassion fatigue among hospice social workers and considered compassion satisfaction as a means to mitigate compassion fatigue. Fifty-five hospice social workers from 34 hospice organizations in Michigan completed an online survey. Results suggested that compassion fatigue is indeed a concern among hospice social workers. In addition, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction were found to be negatively correlated and suggested that compassion satisfaction may act as a protective mechanism against compassion fatigue. These results may provide insight regarding how best to mitigate this professional hazard in end-of-life social work.

Compassion fatigue among pediatric healthcare providers.

PubMed

Branch, Carole; Klinkenberg, Dean

2015-01-01

Compassion fatigue is a term used to describe the unique stressors affecting people in caregiving professions. For nurses and other direct care providers, the impact of compassion fatigue may result in stress-related symptoms, job dissatisfaction, decreased productivity, decreased patient satisfaction scores, safety issues, and job turnover. Those who care for seriously ill children and their families are at increased risk for compassion fatigue. Constant exposure to children who are suffering, in combination with work place stressors and personal issues, may contribute to the development of compassion fatigue. The Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 was used to determine the risk for compassion fatigue among 296 direct care providers at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress scores did not differ by age, work category, level of education, or work experience. There were, however, significant differences in scores as a function of nursing unit. Nurses who work in the pediatric intensive care unit reported lower compassion satisfaction scores, and higher burnout and secondary traumatic stress scores. Results demonstrated the risk for compassion fatigue and provided data necessary to support development of a compassion fatigue program for direct care providers.

Concurrent Mission and Systems Design at NASA Glenn Research Center: The Origins of the COMPASS Team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGuire, Melissa L.; Oleson, Steven R.; Sarver-Verhey, Timothy R.

2012-01-01

Established at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in 2006 to meet the need for rapid mission analysis and multi-disciplinary systems design for in-space and human missions, the Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team is a multidisciplinary, concurrent engineering group whose primary purpose is to perform integrated systems analysis, but it is also capable of designing any system that involves one or more of the disciplines present in the team. The authors were involved in the development of the COMPASS team and its design process, and are continuously making refinements and enhancements. The team was unofficially started in the early 2000s as part of the distributed team known as Team JIMO (Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter) in support of the multi-center collaborative JIMO spacecraft design during Project Prometheus. This paper documents the origins of a concurrent mission and systems design team at GRC and how it evolved into the COMPASS team, including defining the process, gathering the team and tools, building the facility, and performing studies.

Correlates of compassion fatigue and burnout in chaplains and other clergy who responded to the September 11th attacks in New York City.

PubMed

Flannelly, Kevin J; Roberts, Stephen B; Weaver, Andrew J

2005-01-01

Participants at a June 2002 conference about the September 11th attacks were tested for compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout. The sample consisted of 343 clergy, including 97 chaplains. A total of 149 (43.4%) of the participants had responded as disaster-relief workers following the September 11th attacks. The number of hours clergy worked with trauma victims each week was directly related to compassion fatigue among responders and non-responders. Compassion fatigue also was positively related to the number of days that responders worked at Ground Zero, while disaster-relief work with the American Red Cross reduced compassion fatigue and burnout. Clinical Pastoral Education tended to decrease compassion fatigue and burnout and increase compassion satisfaction in both responders and non-responders. Burnout was inversely related to age in both groups.

Power System Overview for the Small RPS Centaur Flyby and the Mars Polar Hard Lander NASA COMPASS Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Robert L.

2014-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) Radioisotope Power System Program Office (RPSPO) sponsored two studies lead by their mission analysis team. The studies were performed by NASA GRCs Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team. Typically a complete toplevel design reference mission (DRM) is performed assessing conceptual spacecraft design, launch mass, trajectory, science strategy and sub-system design such as, power, propulsion, structure and thermal.

Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction Among Oncology Nurses in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Wu, Stacey; Singh-Carlson, Savitri; Odell, Annie; Reynolds, Grace; Su, Yuhua

2016-07-01

To examine the experiences of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among oncology nurses in the United States and Canada. 
. Quantitative, descriptive, nonexperimental.
. Online survey with members from the Canadian Association of Nursing Oncology and the Oncology Nursing Society.
. 486 American and 63 Canadian practicing oncology nurses.
. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale, version 5, and modified Abendroth Demographic Questionnaire were administered through FluidSurveys™, an online data collection instrument. Chi-square tests of independence were used to investigate associations between demographic characteristics, health, personal stressors, and work-related characteristics to experiences of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. Compassion fatigue was measured using the subscales of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. 
. Compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction.
. Demographic characteristics were similar in American and Canadian participants, and both cohorts reported comparable levels of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. Perception of team cohesiveness within the workplace environment was found to be significant for both groups, as indicated by significant relationships in all three subscales of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in the ProQOL.
. Healthy and supportive work environments are imperative to nurses' health, well-being, and satisfaction. Improvements in the workplace can help prevent negative sequelae, as well as improve health outcomes for patients and nurses, decrease nurse turnover, and reduce healthcare expenditures. 
. Findings can be used to implement institutional changes, such as creating policies and guidelines for the development of preventive interventions and psychosocial support for nurses.

To be kind or not to be kind: The moderating role of self-compassion in the relationship between general resourcefulness and academic self-regulation.

PubMed

Martin, Rebecca D; Kennett, Deborah J

2017-11-22

We investigated whether the relationship between students' general resourcefulness and academic self-regulation changes as a function of self-compassion. A predominantly female sample of 196 undergraduates completed inventories assessing these and other measures. The significant moderating effect of self-compassion revealed that the positive relationship between general resourcefulness and academic self-regulation was stronger for participants scoring low in self-compassion than high in self-compassion. For those low in self-compassion, scoring low in general resourcefulness was associated with the lowest academic self-regulation, whereas scoring high in general resourcefulness was associated with the greatest academic self-regulation. The positive relationship between general and academic self-regulation was attenuated for participants high in self-compassion, with predicted scores for academic self-regulation falling in between the two values described for the low self-compassion function. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the potential value of incorporating self-compassion training alongside programs aimed at increasing general resourcefulness and academic self-regulation.

Self-compassion versus global self-esteem: two different ways of relating to oneself.

PubMed

Neff, Kristin D; Vonk, Roos

2009-02-01

This research examined self-compassion and self-esteem as they relate to various aspects of psychological functioning. Self-compassion entails treating oneself with kindness, recognizing one's shared humanity, and being mindful when considering negative aspects of oneself. Study 1 (N=2,187) compared self-compassion and global self-esteem as they relate to ego-focused reactivity. It was found that self-compassion predicted more stable feelings of self-worth than self-esteem and was less contingent on particular outcomes. Self-compassion also had a stronger negative association with social comparison, public self-consciousness, self-rumination, anger, and need for cognitive closure. Self-esteem (but not self-compassion) was positively associated with narcissism. Study 2 (N=165) compared global self-esteem and self-compassion with regard to positive mood states. It was found that the two constructs were statistically equivalent predictors of happiness, optimism, and positive affect. Results from these two studies suggest that self-compassion may be a useful alternative to global self-esteem when considering what constitutes a healthy self-stance.

Compassion fatigue in pediatric palliative care providers.

PubMed

Rourke, Mary T

2007-10-01

The experience of compassion fatigue is an expected and common response to the professional task of routinely caring for children at the end of life. Symptoms of compassion fatigue often mimic trauma reactions. Implementing strategies that span personal, professional, and organizational domains can help protect health care providers from the damaging effects of compassion fatigue. Providing pediatric palliative care within a constructive and supportive team can help caregivers deal with the relational challenges of compassion fatigue. Finally, any consideration of the toll of providing pediatric palliative care must be balanced with a consideration of the parallel experience of compassion satisfaction.

Adaptive emotion regulation mediates the relationship between self-compassion and depression in individuals with unipolar depression.

PubMed

Diedrich, Alice; Burger, Julian; Kirchner, Mareike; Berking, Matthias

2017-09-01

To identify the mechanisms involved in the association between self-compassion and depression, we examined whether adaptive emotion regulation would mediate the relationship between self-compassion and depression in individuals with unipolar depression. Furthermore, we explored which specific emotion regulation skills would be most important in this relationship. Sixty-nine individuals with unipolar depression were assessed with the Self-Compassion Scale and the Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire at baseline and with the Beck Depression Inventory-II 1 week later. The results showed that successful application of emotion regulation skills mediates the association between self-compassion and depression. Among eight specific emotion regulation skills, only the ability to tolerate negative emotions was identified as a significant mediator in the self-compassion-depression relationship. These findings provide preliminary evidence that systematically fostering self-compassion might help depressed individuals cope with their symptoms by enhancing their abilities to tolerate undesired emotions. Systematically fostering self-compassion through specific compassion-focused interventions might facilitate a reduction in depressive symptoms by improving the person's emotion regulation abilities, especially by improving his or her ability to tolerate negative emotions. Hence, compassion-focused interventions might be particularly promising in depressed patients with a tendency to avoid negative emotions and deficits in tolerating them. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Women's empowerment: Finding strength in self-compassion.

PubMed

Stevenson, Olivia; Allen, Ashley Batts

2017-03-01

Empowerment is often a desired outcome for health programs; however, it is rarely evaluated. One way to increase empowerment may be through self-compassion. The authors of the current study aimed to determine whether self-compassion and empowerment were positively related. Two hundred and five women (ages 18 to 48 years) were recruited from a pool of undergraduate students at a university in the southeastern United States in the summer/fall of 2012. Participants completed the study using Qualtrics, an online survey system. Participants wrote about a fight in a romantic relationship and were randomly assigned to write about the fight either self-compassionately or generally. Empowerment and perceptions of the fight were assessed as dependent measures. Hierarchical regression analyses investigated the relation of self-compassion, manipulated self-compassion, and their interaction with empowerment. A significant positive relationship was found between self-compassion and empowerment. However, manipulated self-compassion was not significantly related to empowerment. These findings suggested that self-compassion and empowerment were strongly related, but using a short-term self-compassion intervention may not be strong enough to influence empowerment. Empowerment-based practitioners may find empowerment increases more easily in women who are self-compassionate. If self-compassion is incorporated into empowerment settings, a long-term intervention may be necessary.

The family caregiver experience - examining the positive and negative aspects of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue as caregiving outcomes.

PubMed

Lynch, Susan H; Shuster, Geoff; Lobo, Marie L

2017-08-16

Caregiving results in both positive and negative outcomes for caregivers. The purpose of this study was to examine compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in family caregivers. Using a cross sectional descriptive survey design with a convenience sample, 168 family caregivers of individuals with chronic illness completed a web-based survey. Measures included a demographic questionnaire, Caregiver Burden Interview, Brief COPE inventory and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). The majority of participants (71%) reported high levels of caregiver burden, moderate to low levels of the compassion fatigue concepts of burnout (59.5%) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) (50%), and moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (82.7%). Regression analyses showed that caregiver burden, time caregiving, coping, social support, and caregiving demands explained a total variance of 57.1%, F(11,119) = 14.398, p < .00 in burnout and a total variance of 56%, F(11, 119) = 13.64, p < .00 in STS. Specifically, behavioral disengagement is a predicator that may indicate early compassion fatigue. Findings suggest that despite high caregiver burden and moderate compassion fatigue, family caregivers are able to provide care and find satisfaction in the role. This study supports the use of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction as alternative or additional outcomes to consider in future research.

[Development and Application of an Overcoming Compassion Fatigue Program for Emergency Nurses].

PubMed

Kim, Yeong Ah; Park, Jeong Sook

2016-04-01

This study was conducted to develop a program to help emergency nurses overcome compassion fatigue, and to analyze the effects of the program. A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. There were 14 participants in the experimental group and 18 subjects in the control group. The program was comprised of five, weekly 80-minute sessions including understanding and assessment of compassion fatigue, enhancing positive affect, balancing work-life, planning self care, training in relaxation techniques and cognitive restructuring, and getting social support. Research variables were ego-resiliency, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue of the ProQOL 5, and salivary cortisol. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, independent t-test, and paired t-test. The first hypothesis, "There will be a difference in scores for ego resiliency between the experimental group and the control group". was not supported. The second hypothesis, "There will be a difference in scores for compassion satisfaction between the experimental group and the control group" was supported (t=2.15, p=.046). The third hypothesis, "There will be a difference in scores for compassion fatigue between the experimental group and the control group" was not supported. The first program for emergency nurses to overcome compassion fatigue in Korea was effective in increasing emergency nurses' compassion satisfaction and decreasing salivary cortisol level in the experimental group. Therefore, this program for overcoming compassion fatigue is useful to increase emergency nurses' compassion satisfaction. However replication studies of short-term intensive program reflecting emergency nurses' opinion are needed.

Within-persons predictors of change during eating disorders treatment: An examination of self-compassion, self-criticism, shame, and eating disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Tasca, Giorgio A

2016-07-01

Attempts to identify the predictors of change during eating disorders treatment have focused almost exclusively on identifying between-persons factors (i.e., differences between patients). Research on within-person predictors of change (i.e., variations within patients over time) may provide novel and clinically useful information. To illustrate, we test the theory that within patients, self-compassion, self-criticism, shame, and eating disorder symptoms reciprocally influence one another over time. Seventy-eight patients with an eating disorder completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Experience of Shame Scale, and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire every three weeks across 12 weeks of treatment. Multilevel modeling revealed that following periods of increased shame, a patient's eating pathology was more severe than usual. Following periods of increased self-compassion or decreased eating pathology, a patient's level of shame was lower than usual. Between-person differences in the relationships among study variables also emerged. Results support the theory that shame and eating pathology influence one another cyclically within patients over time, and suggest that time-dependent increases in self-compassion may interrupt this cycle. If replicated, these results might suggest that assessing and intervening with increases in a patient's level of shame may help to reduce her eating pathology, and improving a patient's level of self-compassion or eating disorder symptomology may lower her subsequent experiences of shame. Findings highlight the value of administering and examining repeatedly measured within-person predictors of change during eating disorders treatment, and suggest that it may be clinically important to attend to the changes that occur within a given patient over time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:716-722). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The cost of callousness: regulating compassion influences the moral self-concept.

PubMed

Cameron, C Daryl; Payne, B Keith

2012-03-01

It has often been argued that compassion is fundamental to morality. Yet people often suppress compassion for self-interested reasons. We provide evidence that suppressing compassion is not cost free, as it creates dissonance between a person's moral identity and his or her moral principles. We instructed separate groups of participants to regulate their compassion, regulate their feelings of distress, or freely experience emotions toward compassion--inducing images. Participants then reported how central morality was to their identities and how much they believed that moral rules should always be followed. Participants who regulated compassion-but not those who regulated distress or experienced emotions--showed a dissonance-based trade-off. If they reported higher levels of moral identity, they had a greater belief that moral rules could be broken. If they maintained their belief that moral rules should always be followed, they sacrificed their moral identity. Regulating compassion thus has a cost of its own: It forces trade-offs within a person's moral self-concept.

Self-compassion moderates body comparison and appearance self-worth's inverse relationships with body appreciation.

PubMed

Homan, Kristin J; Tylka, Tracy L

2015-09-01

Although research on positive body image has increased, little research has explored which variables protect body appreciation during body-related threats. Self-compassion may be one such variable. Individuals high in self-compassion are mindful, kind, and nurturing toward themselves during situations that threaten their adequacy, while recognizing that being imperfect is part of "being human." In this study, we investigated whether two body-related threats (i.e., body comparison and appearance contingent self-worth) were more weakly related to body appreciation when self-compassion was high among an online sample of 263 women (Mage=35.26, SD=12.42). Results indicated that self-compassion moderated the inverse relationships between body related threats and body appreciation. Specifically, when self-compassion was very high, body comparison and appearance contingent self-worth were unrelated to body appreciation. However, when self-compassion was low, these relationships were strong. Self-compassion, then, may help preserve women's body appreciation during body-related threats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the Relationships Among Self-Compassion, Social Anxiety, and Post-Event Processing.

PubMed

Blackie, Rebecca A; Kocovski, Nancy L

2017-01-01

Post-event processing refers to negative and repetitive thinking following anxiety provoking social situations. Those who engage in post-event processing may lack self-compassion in relation to social situations. As such, the primary aim of this research was to evaluate whether those high in self-compassion are less likely to engage in post-event processing and the specific self-compassion domains that may be most protective. In study 1 ( N = 156 undergraduate students) and study 2 ( N = 150 individuals seeking help for social anxiety and shyness), participants completed a battery of questionnaires, recalled a social situation, and then rated state post-event processing. Self-compassion negatively correlated with post-event processing, with some differences depending on situation type. Even after controlling for self-esteem, self-compassion remained significantly correlated with state post-event processing. Given these findings, self-compassion may serve as a buffer against post-event processing. Future studies should experimentally examine whether increasing self-compassion leads to reduced post-event processing.

Definition of compassion-evoking images in a Mexican sample.

PubMed

Mercadillo, Roberto E; Barrios, Fernando A; Díaz, José Luis

2007-10-01

To assemble a calibrated set of compassion-eliciting visual stimuli, 60 clinically healthy Mexican volunteers (36 women, 24 men; M age = 27.5 yr., SD = 2.4) assessed 84 pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System catalogue using the dimensions of Valence, Arousal, and Dominance included in the Self-assessment Manikin scale and an additional dimension of Compassion. Pictures showing suffering in social contexts and expressions of sadness elicited similar responses of compassion. The highest compassion response was reported for pictures showing illness and pain. Men and women differed in the intensity but not the quality of the compassionate responses. Compassion included attributes of negative emotions such as displeasure. The quality of the emotional response was not different from that previously reported for samples in the U.S.A., Spain, and Brazil. A set of 28 pictures was selected as high-compassion-evoking images and 28 as null-compassion controls suitable for studies designed to ascertain the neural substrates of this moral emotion.

Self-Compassion and Responses to Trauma: The Role of Emotion Regulation.

PubMed

Scoglio, Arielle A J; Rudat, Deirdre A; Garvert, Donn; Jarmolowski, Maggie; Jackson, Christie; Herman, Judith L

2018-07-01

Emerging literature suggests that self-compassion may be an important concept for understanding recovery from the impact of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study explored the interconnection among self-compassion, resilience, emotion dysregulation, and PTSD symptom severity in a sample of treatment-seeking women with PTSD. We predicted that self-compassion would be negatively related to PTSD symptom severity and to emotion dysregulation, and positively related to resilience. The results supported our main hypotheses. In addition, emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and self-compassion and affected the relationship between self-compassion and resilience. These findings corroborate previous research that points to the important role of self-compassion in mental health and in the aftermath of stressful life events. The present study expands this research by demonstrating that PTSD symptom severity is negatively related to self-compassion in a clinical population of women with experiences of severe and repeated interpersonal trauma.

Compassion fatigue: A meta-narrative review of the healthcare literature.

PubMed

Sinclair, Shane; Raffin-Bouchal, Shelley; Venturato, Lorraine; Mijovic-Kondejewski, Jane; Smith-MacDonald, Lorraine

2017-04-01

Compassion fatigue describes a work-related stress response in healthcare providers that is considered a 'cost of caring' and a key contributor to the loss of compassion in healthcare. The purpose of this review was to critically examine the construct of compassion fatigue and to determine if it is an accurate descriptor of work-related stress in healthcare providers and a valid target variable for intervention. Meta-narrative review. PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, Google Scholar, the grey literature, and manual searches of bibliographies. Seminal articles and theoretical and empirical studies on compassion fatigue in the healthcare literature were identified and appraised for their validity and relevance to our review. Sources were mapped according to the following criteria: 1) definitions; 2) conceptual analyses; 3) signs and symptoms; 4) measures; 5) prevalence and associated risk factors; and 6) interventions. A narrative account of included studies that critically examines the concept of compassion fatigue in healthcare was employed, and recommendations for practice, policy and further research were made. 90 studies from the nursing literature and healthcare in general were included in the review. Findings emphasized that the physical, emotional, social and spiritual health of healthcare providers is impaired by cumulative stress related to their work, which can impact the delivery of healthcare services; however, the precise nature of compassion fatigue and that it is predicated on the provision of compassionate care is associated with significant limitations. The conceptualization of compassion fatigue was expropriated from crisis counseling and psychotherapy and focuses on limited facets of compassion. Empirical studies primarily measure compassion fatigue using the Professional Quality of Life Scale, which does not assess any of the elements of compassion. Reported risk factors for compassion fatigue include job-related factors, fewer healthcare qualifications and less years experience; however, there is no research demonstrating that exemplary compassionate carers are more susceptible to 'compassion fatigue'. In the last two decades, compassion fatigue has become a contemporary and iconic euphemism that should be critically reexamined in favour of a new discourse on healthcare provider work-related stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue among emergency nurses compared with nurses in other selected inpatient specialties.

PubMed

Hooper, Crystal; Craig, Janet; Janvrin, David R; Wetsel, Margaret A; Reimels, Elaine

2010-09-01

Today the proportion of acute patients entering the health care system through emergency departments continues to grow, the number of uninsured patients relying primarily on treatment in the emergency department is increasing, and patients' average acuities are rising. At the same time, support resources are constrained, while reimbursement and reputation depends increasingly on publicly available measures of patient satisfaction. It is important to understand the potential effect of these pressures on direct care staff. This study explores the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue among emergency nurses and nurses in other selected inpatient specialties. Emergency nurses and nurses from 3 other specialty units self-selected participation in a cross-sectional survey. Participants completed a sociodemographic profile and the Professional Quality of Life: Compassion Satisfaction and Fatigue Subscales, R-IV. Scale scores were summed for compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue for emergency nurses and compared with those of nurses in other specialties. Approximately 82% of emergency nurses had moderate to high levels of burnout, and nearly 86% had moderate to high levels of compassion fatigue. Differences between emergency nurses and those working in 3 other specialty areas, that is, oncology, nephrology, and intensive care, on the subscales for compassion satisfaction, burnout, or compassion fatigue did not reach the level of statistical significance. However, the scores of emergency nurses evidenced a risk for less compassion satisfaction, while intensive care nurses demonstrated a higher risk for burnout and oncology nurses reflected a risk for higher compassion fatigue. ED nurse managers, along with other nurse leaders, are faced with the competing demands of managing the satisfaction of patients, recruitment and retention of experienced nurses, and provision of quality and safe care customized to patients' needs and preferences. Understanding the concepts of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue, recognizing the signs and symptoms, and identifying best practice interventions, will help nurses maintain caring attitudes with patients and contribute to patient satisfaction. Copyright © 2010 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Age and Gender Differences in the Associations of Self-Compassion and Emotional Well-being in A Large Adolescent Sample.

PubMed

Bluth, Karen; Campo, Rebecca A; Futch, William S; Gaylord, Susan A

2017-04-01

Adolescence is a challenging developmental period marked with declines in emotional well-being; however, self-compassion has been suggested as a protective factor. This cross-sectional survey study (N = 765, grades 7th to 12th; 53 % female; 4 % Hispanic ethnicity; 64 % White and 21 % Black) examined whether adolescents' self-compassion differed by age and gender, and secondly, whether its associations with emotional well-being (perceived stress, life satisfaction, distress intolerance, depressive symptoms, and anxiety) also differed by age and gender. The findings indicated that older females had the lowest self-compassion levels compared to younger females or all-age males. Self-compassion was associated with all emotional well-being measures, and gender and/or age moderated the associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Among older adolescents, self-compassion had a greater protective effect on anxiety for boys than for girls. Additionally, older adolescents with low and average self-compassion had greater levels of depressive symptoms than those with high self-compassion. These results may inform for whom and at what age self-compassion interventions may be implemented to protect adolescents from further declines in emotional well-being.

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in a national sample of trauma treatment therapists.

PubMed

Craig, C D; Sprang, G

2010-05-01

For behavioral health professionals working with traumatized clients, continuous and prolonged exposure to the stress of working with the myriad of trauma-related stressors experienced by their clients can lead to various responses including burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. The present study investigates the impact of using evidence-based practices on compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in a random, national sample of self-identified trauma specialists (N=532). The 30-item Professional Quality of Life Scale (Stamm, 2005) and the 19-item Trauma Practices Questionnaire (Craig & Sprang, 2009) were included in a survey to licensed social workers and psychologists from professional membership rosters. Age and years of experience proved to be powerful predictors of only two of the three criterion variables, with younger professionals reporting higher levels of burnout and more experienced providers endorsing higher levels of compassion satisfaction. The utilization of evidence-based practices predicted statistically significant decreases in compassion fatigue and burnout, and increases in compassion satisfaction. The utility of these findings in understanding the process of trauma transmission between therapist and client as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Age and Gender Differences in the Associations of Self-Compassion and Emotional Well-being in A Large Adolescent Sample

PubMed Central

Bluth, Karen; Campo, Rebecca A.; Futch, William S.; Gaylord, Susan A.

2016-01-01

Adolescence is a challenging developmental period marked with declines in emotional well-being; however, self-compassion has been suggested as a protective factor. This cross-sectional survey study (N=765, grades 7th to 12th; 53% female; 4% Hispanic ethnicity; 64% White and 21% Black) examined whether adolescents’ self-compassion differed by age and gender, and secondly, whether its associations with emotional well-being (perceived stress, life satisfaction, distress intolerance, depressive symptoms, and anxiety) also differed by age and gender. The findings indicated that older females had the lowest self-compassion levels compared to younger females or all-age males. Self-compassion was associated with all emotional well-being measures, and gender and/or age moderated the associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Among older adolescents, self-compassion had a greater protective effect on anxiety for boys than for girls. Additionally, older adolescents with low and average self-compassion had greater levels of depressive symptoms than those with high self-compassion. These results may inform for whom and at what age self-compassion interventions may be implemented to protect adolescents from further declines in emotional well-being. PMID:27632177

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and critical incident stress management.

PubMed

Wee, David; Myers, Diane

2003-01-01

This study examines the potential for compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in a sample of persons attending a workshop on Prevention of Compassion Fatigue at an international conference of providers of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) services. In the study, more than half (58%) of the respondents reported experiencing psychological reactions after providing CISM services, including an array of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms of psychological stress. Forty percent of respondents were found to have moderate, high, or extremely high risk for compassion fatigue. At the same time, 89% of respondents were found to have a good, high, or extremely high potential for compassion satisfaction, and 87% were found to be at extremely low risk for burnout. The results appear to indicate that, while the CISM practitioners recognize the stress associated with their work (as reflected in the reported symptoms), the work provides significant rewards (as measured by compassion satisfaction) that outweigh the stress and mitigate against burnout. Likewise, while 40% tested positive for compassion fatigue (or secondary traumatic stress) as a result of their empathy with CISM recipients, the rewards of the work again appear to mitigate the negative effects of the work. Implications for future research and practice are presented.

International study on nurses' views and experiences of compassion.

PubMed

Papadopoulos, I; Zorba, A; Koulouglioti, C; Ali, S; Aagard, M; Akman, O; Alpers, L-M; Apostolara, P; Biles, J; Martín-García, Á; González-Gil, T; Kouta, C; Krepinska, R; Kumar, B N; Lesińska-Sawicka, M; Lopez, L; Malliarou, M; Nagórska, M; Nissim, S; Nortvedt, L; Oter-Quintana, C; Ozturk, C; Pangilinan, S B; Papp, K; Eldar Regev, O; Rubiano, F O; Tolentino Diaz, M Y; Tóthová, V; Vasiliou, M

2016-09-01

Compassion is considered the cornerstone of nursing practice. However, the recent failures in delivering high-quality compassionate nursing care in the UK's National Health Service have brought the topic of compassion to the attention of the public, service providers, policy makers and academics. The aim of this study was to explore the nurses' views and experiences of a number of compassion-related issues in nursing and describe similarities and differences at an international level as well as from the different nursing roles of the participating nurses. An exploratory, cross-sectional descriptive study, using the International Online Compassion Questionnaire. A total of 1323 nurses from 15 countries completed the questionnaire. The majority of participants (59.5%) defined compassion as "Deep awareness of the suffering of others and wish to alleviate it" but definitions of compassion varied by country. Of participants, 69.6% thought compassion was very important in nursing and more than half (59.6%) of them argued that compassion could be taught. However, only 26.8% reported that the correct amount and level of teaching is provided. The majority of the participants (82.6%) stated that their patients prefer knowledgeable nurses with good interpersonal skills. Only 4.3% noted that they are receiving compassion from their managers. A significant relationship was found between nurses' experiences of compassion and their views about teaching of compassion. Our study is unique in identifying the views and experiences of nurses from 15 different countries worldwide. The findings reveal that compassion is neither addressed adequately in nursing education nor supported in the practice environment by managers. Self-report bias was inherent to our survey study design. Furthermore, the individual cultural differences and similarities in the findings are difficult to extrapolate owing to the fact that our analysis was at country level, as well as at the level of the participating nurses. Understanding the influence of culture on nurses' views about compassion is critical in the current multicultural healthcare environment and merits further research. This will potentially drive changes in nursing education (ensuring that compassion is taught to nurses) and in the way healthcare leaders and managers foster a compassionate culture within their organizations (e.g. by leading by example and compassionate to their staff). © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Prevalence and predictors of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction among oncology nurses: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Yu, Hairong; Jiang, Anli; Shen, Jie

2016-05-01

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Given the complexity of caring work, recent studies have focused on the professional quality of life of oncology nurses. China, the world's largest developing country, faces heavy burdens of care for cancer patients. Chinese oncology nurses may be encountering the negative side of their professional life. However, studies in this field are scarce, and little is known about the prevalence and predictors of oncology nurses' professional quality of life. To describe and explore the prevalence of predictors of professional quality of life (compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction) among Chinese oncology nurses under the guidance of two theoretical models. A cross-sectional design with a survey. Ten tertiary hospitals and five secondary hospitals in Shanghai, China. A convenience and cluster sample of 669 oncology nurses was used. All of the nurses worked in oncology departments and had over 1 year of oncology nursing experience. Of the selected nurses, 650 returned valid questionnaires that were used for statistical analyses. The participants completed the demographic and work-related questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Professional Quality of Life Scale for Nurses, the Chinese version of the Jefferson Scales of Empathy, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory brief version. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, simple and multiple linear regressions were used to determine the predictors of the main research variables. Higher compassion fatigue and burnout were found among oncology nurses who had more years of nursing experience, worked in secondary hospitals and adopted passive coping styles. Cognitive empathy, training and support from organizations were identified as significant protectors, and 'perspective taking' was the strongest predictor of compassion satisfaction, explaining 23.0% of the variance. Personality traits of openness and conscientiousness were positively associated with compassion satisfaction, while neuroticism was a negative predictor, accounting for 24.2% and 19.8% of the variance in compassion fatigue and burnout, respectively. Oncology care has unique features, and oncology nurses may suffer from more work-related stressors compared with other types of nurses. Various predictors can influence the professional quality of life, and some of these should be considered in the Chinese nursing context. The results may provide clues to help nurse administrators identify oncology nurses' vulnerability to compassion fatigue and burnout and develop comprehensive strategies to improve their professional quality of life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Navigational mechanisms of migrating monarch butterflies.

PubMed

Reppert, Steven M; Gegear, Robert J; Merlin, Christine

2010-09-01

Recent studies of the iconic fall migration of monarch butterflies have illuminated the mechanisms behind their southward navigation while using a time-compensated sun compass. Skylight cues, such as the sun itself and polarized light, are processed through both eyes and are probably integrated in the brain's central complex, the presumed site of the sun compass. Time compensation is provided by circadian clocks that have a distinctive molecular mechanism and that reside in the antennae. Monarchs might also use a magnetic compass because they possess two cryptochromes that have the molecular capability for light-dependent magnetoreception. Multiple genomic approaches are now being used with the aim of identifying navigation genes. Monarch butterflies are thus emerging as an excellent model organism in which to study the molecular and neural basis of long-distance migration. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposal for GPD studies at COMPASS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burtin, E.

2011-10-01

The study of nucleon structure through Generalised Parton Distributions (GPD) is one major part of the future COMPASS-II physics program [1] and can be performed using exclusive reactions like Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering (DVCS) and Meson Production. The high energy of the muon beam allows to measure the xB-dependence of the t-slope of the DVCS cross section. The use of positive and negative polarised muon beams allows to determine the Beam Charge and Spin Difference of the DVCS cross sections to access the real part of the Compton form factor related to the dominant GPD H. The sensitivity of both measurements is examined and confronted to existing models or global fits of the data. Preliminary beam test data were analyzed and demonstrated the feasibility of the identification of the DVCS reaction using the COMPASS experimental set-up.

Compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among family physicians in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

PubMed

Račić, Maja; Virijević, Aleksandra; Ivković, Nedeljka; Joksimović, Bojan N; Joksimović, Vedrana R; Mijovic, Biljana

2018-03-19

The aim of this study was to examine self-perceived compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction among family physicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina and describe potential contributing factors. The cross-sectional study enrolled 120 family physicians. Professional quality of life compassion satisfaction and fatigue version 5 (ProQOL5) was used to assess compassion satisfaction and two components of compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and burnout. The symptoms of chronic fatigue were evaluated using the Chalder fatigue scale. The majority of family physicians had moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (70%), burnout (75%) and secondary traumatic stress (55.8%). Family physicians with higher levels of secondary traumatic stress reported chronic fatigue (p = 0.001), longer length of service (p = 0.024) and residency training (p = 0.041). Chronic fatigue (p = 0.001), living in a rural environment (p = 0.033), larger size of practice (p = 0.006) and high number of patients with chronic disease (p = 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of burnout. Family physicians with large practices, long years of experience, a high number of chronically ill patients and experiencing chronic fatigue are at risk of developing compassion fatigue. A systematic exploration of compassion fatigue in relation to working conditions might provide an appropriate starting point for the development of preventive interventions.

Self-compassion and emotional invalidation mediate the effects of parental indifference on psychopathology.

PubMed

Westphal, Maren; Leahy, Robert L; Pala, Andrea Norcini; Wupperman, Peggilee

2016-08-30

This study investigated whether self-compassion and emotional invalidation (perceiving others as indifferent to one's emotions) may explain the relationship of childhood exposure to adverse parenting and adult psychopathology in psychiatric outpatients (N=326). Path analysis was used to investigate associations between exposure to adverse parenting (abuse and indifference), self-compassion, emotional invalidation, and mental health when controlling for gender and age. Self-compassion was strongly inversely associated with emotional invalidation, suggesting that a schema that others will be unsympathetic or indifferent toward one's emotions may affect self-compassion and vice versa. Both self-compassion and emotional invalidation mediated the relationship between parental indifference and mental health outcomes. These preliminary findings suggest the potential utility of self-compassion and emotional schemas as transdiagnostic treatment targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of self-compassion in psychological well-being among perinatal women.

PubMed

Felder, Jennifer N; Lemon, Elizabeth; Shea, Kerry; Kripke, Kate; Dimidjian, Sona

2016-08-01

Self-compassion is associated with depression and anxiety in general samples. Although recent research indicates that dysfunctional maternal attitudes predict the development of perinatal depression and anxiety symptoms, no research to date has examined the construct of self-compassion and its relationship with psychological well-being in perinatal women. Pregnant and postpartum women (N = 189) completed self-report measures of depression and anxiety history, current depression and anxiety symptom severity, and self-compassion. Women with higher depression and anxiety symptom severity had significantly lower self-compassion. Additionally, women with self-reported prior history of depression or anxiety had significantly lower self-compassion even while controlling for current depression or anxiety symptom severity, respectively. Our results suggest that self-compassion warrants further attention in the study of the development, maintenance, and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review

PubMed Central

Goetz, Jennifer L.; Keltner, Dacher; Simon-Thomas, Emiliana

2010-01-01

What is compassion? And how did it evolve? In this review, we integrate three evolutionary arguments that converge on the hypothesis that compassion evolved as a distinct affective experience whose primary function is to facilitate cooperation and protection of the weak and those who suffer. Our empirical review reveals compassion to have distinct appraisal processes attuned to undeserved suffering, distinct signaling behavior related to caregiving patterns of touch, posture, and vocalization, and a phenomenological experience and physiological response that orients the individual to social approach. This response profile of compassion differs from those of distress, sadness, and love, suggesting that compassion is indeed a distinct emotion. We conclude by considering how compassion shapes moral judgment and action, how it varies across different cultures, and how it may engage specific patterns of neural activation, as well as emerging directions of research. PMID:20438142

Compassion Fatigue among Social Work Students in Field Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harr, Cynthia; Moore, Brenda

2011-01-01

This pilot study, conducted with BSW and MSW field students at a public university in Southwestern United States, explored the psychological effect of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction on social work students in field placements. Results from the Professional Quality of Life Scale's compassion satisfaction and fatigue subscales…

Nurturing Compassion Development among College Students: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plante, Thomas; Halman, Katherine

2016-01-01

Little research exists on the development of compassion among college undergraduates. This study tracks changes in compassion and identifies factors associated with these changes over the course of undergraduate students' college careers, from the time of admittance to the time of graduation. Compassion levels assessed at the point of college…

Interacting Compasses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riveros, Hector G.; Betancourt, Julian

2009-01-01

The use of multiple compasses to map and visualize magnetic fields is well-known. The magnetic field exerts a torque on the compasses aligning them along the lines of force. Some science museums show the field of a magnet using a table with many compasses in a closely packed arrangement. However, the very interesting interactions that occur…

COMPASS: A general purpose computer aided scheduling tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmahon, Mary Beth; Fox, Barry; Culbert, Chris

1991-01-01

COMPASS is a generic scheduling system developed by McDonnell Douglas under the direction of the Software Technology Branch at JSC. COMPASS is intended to illustrate the latest advances in scheduling technology and provide a basis from which custom scheduling systems can be built. COMPASS was written in Ada to promote readability and to conform to potential NASA Space Station Freedom standards. COMPASS has some unique characteristics that distinguishes it from commercial products. These characteristics are discussed and used to illustrate some differences between scheduling tools.

COMPASS: An Ada based scheduler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmahon, Mary Beth; Culbert, Chris

1992-01-01

COMPASS is a generic scheduling system developed by McDonnell Douglas and funded by the Software Technology Branch of NASA Johnson Space Center. The motivation behind COMPASS is to illustrate scheduling technology and provide a basis from which custom scheduling systems can be built. COMPASS was written in Ada to promote readability and to conform to DOD standards. COMPASS has some unique characteristics that distinguishes it from commercial products. This paper discusses these characteristics and uses them to illustrate some differences between scheduling tools.

On the cos ⁡ϕh asymmetry in electroproduction of pions in double longitudinally polarized process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Wenjuan; Wang, Xiaoyu; Du, Xiaozhen; Lu, Zhun; Ma, Bo-Qiang

2016-01-01

We study the cos ⁡ϕh azimuthal asymmetry in double polarized semi-inclusive pion production by considering the twist-3 effects directly from a quark-quark correlator. In particular, we evaluate the role of the transverse momentum dependent distributions eL (x, k T2) and gL⊥ (x, kT2) on the asymmetry. Using two different sets of spectator model results for these distributions, we predict the cos ⁡ϕh asymmetry of π+, π-, and π0 at the kinematic configuration available at CLAS, HERMES. Our estimate shows that the asymmetries for charged and neutral pions are sizable and could be accessed by CLAS and HERMES. We also calculate the asymmetries for charged hadrons at the kinematics of COMPASS and compare them with the experimental data. We find that the asymmetry at COMPASS in our model is small which is consistent with the COMPASS data. We also find that gL⊥ gives the dominant contribution to the cos ⁡ϕh asymmetry, while the contribution of eL is almost negligible.

Compass magnetoreception in birds arising from photo-induced radical pairs in rotationally disordered cryptochromes

PubMed Central

Lau, Jason C. S.; Rodgers, Christopher T.; Hore, P. J.

2012-01-01

According to the radical pair model, the magnetic compass sense of migratory birds relies on photochemical transformations in the eye to detect the direction of the geomagnetic field. Magnetically sensitive radical pairs are thought to be generated in cryptochrome proteins contained in magnetoreceptor cells in the retina. A prerequisite of the current model is for some degree of rotational ordering of both the cryptochromes within the cells and of the cells within the retina so that the directional responses of individual molecules do not average to zero. Here, it is argued that anisotropic distributions of radical pairs can be generated by the photoselection effects that arise from the directionality of the light entering the eye. Light-induced rotational order among the transient radical pairs rather than intrinsic ordering of their molecular precursors is seen as the fundamental condition for a magnetoreceptor cell to exhibit an anisotropic response. A theoretical analysis shows that a viable compass magnetoreceptor could result from randomly oriented cryptochromes contained in randomly oriented cells distributed around the retina. PMID:22977104

Project on the Good Physician: Further Evidence for the Validity of a Moral Intuitionist Model of Virtuous Caring.

PubMed

Leffel, G Michael; Oakes Mueller, Ross A; Ham, Sandra A; Karches, Kyle E; Curlin, Farr A; Yoon, John D

2018-01-19

In the Project on the Good Physician, the authors propose a moral intuitionist model of virtuous caring that places the virtues of Mindfulness, Empathic Compassion, and Generosity at the heart of medical character education. Hypothesis 1a: The virtues of Mindfulness, Empathic Compassion, and Generosity will be positively associated with one another (convergent validity). Hypothesis 1b: The virtues of Mindfulness and Empathic Compassion will explain variance in the action-related virtue of Generosity beyond that predicted by Big Five personality traits alone (discriminant validity). Hypothesis 1c: Virtuous students will experience greater well-being ("flourishing"), as measured by four indices of well-being: life meaning, life satisfaction, vocational identity, and vocational calling (predictive validity). Hypothesis 1d: Students who self-report higher levels of the virtues will be nominated by their peers for the Gold Humanism Award (predictive validity). Hypothesis 2a-2c: Neuroticism and Burnout will be positively associated with each other and inversely associated with measures of virtue and well-being. The authors used data from a 2011 nationally representative sample of U.S. medical students (n = 499) in which medical virtues (Mindfulness, Empathic Compassion, and Generosity) were measured using scales adapted from existing instruments with validity evidence. Supporting the predictive validity of the model, virtuous students were recognized by their peers to be exemplary doctors, and they were more likely to have higher ratings on measures of student well-being. Supporting the discriminant validity of the model, virtues predicted prosocial behavior (Generosity) more than personality traits alone, and students higher in the virtue of Mindfulness were less likely to be high in Neuroticism and Burnout. Data from this descriptive-correlational study offered additional support for the validity of the moral intuitionist model of virtuous caring. Applied to medical character education, medical school programs should consider designing educational experiences that intentionally emphasize the cultivation of virtue.

Self-compassion training modulates alpha-amylase, heart rate variability, and subjective responses to social evaluative threat in women

PubMed Central

Arch, Joanna J.; Brown, Kirk Warren; Dean, Derek J.; Landy, Lauren N.; Brown, Kimberley; Laudenslager, Mark L.

2014-01-01

A growing body of research has revealed that social evaluative stressors trigger biological and psychological responses that in chronic forms have been linked to aging and disease. Recent research suggests that self-compassion may protect the self from typical defensive responses to evaluation. We investigated whether brief training in self-compassion moderated biopsychological responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in women. Compared to attention (placebo) and no-training control conditions, brief self-compassion training diminished sympathetic (salivary alpha-amylase), cardiac parasympathetic, and subjective anxiety responses, though not HPA-axis (salivary cortisol) responses to the TSST. Self-compassion training also led to greater self-compassion under threat relative to the control groups. In that social stress pervades modern life, self-compassion represents a promising approach to diminishing its potentially negative psychological and biological effects. PMID:24636501

Compassion: an evolutionary analysis and empirical review.

PubMed

Goetz, Jennifer L; Keltner, Dacher; Simon-Thomas, Emiliana

2010-05-01

What is compassion? And how did it evolve? In this review, we integrate 3 evolutionary arguments that converge on the hypothesis that compassion evolved as a distinct affective experience whose primary function is to facilitate cooperation and protection of the weak and those who suffer. Our empirical review reveals compassion to have distinct appraisal processes attuned to undeserved suffering; distinct signaling behavior related to caregiving patterns of touch, posture, and vocalization; and a phenomenological experience and physiological response that orients the individual to social approach. This response profile of compassion differs from those of distress, sadness, and love, suggesting that compassion is indeed a distinct emotion. We conclude by considering how compassion shapes moral judgment and action, how it varies across different cultures, and how it may engage specific patterns of neural activation, as well as emerging directions of research. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Is compassion essential to nursing practice?

PubMed

Hem, Marit Helene; Heggen, Kristin

2004-01-01

The Norwegian Nurses' Association recently (2001) approved a new code of ethics that included compassion as one of the basic values in nursing care. This paper examines the idea of compassion in the context of the Bible story of the Good Samaritan using an analysis of qualitative data from nurses' clinical work with psychiatric patients. The aim is to show how the idea of compassion challenges nursing practice. Thereafter, the paper discusses the benefits of and premises for compassion in care work. The results show that nurses tend not to be guided by compassion in their work with patients. The organisation of the day-to-day work in the hospital ward, the division of labour between nurses and doctors, and the nurses' approach to nursing were identified as influencing this tendency. The study shows that compassion is a radical concept with a potential to promote greater respect for patients' dignity.

Compassion Fatigue in Adult Daughter Caregivers of a Parent with Dementia

PubMed Central

Day, Jennifer R.; Anderson, Ruth A.; Davis, Linda L.

2015-01-01

Adult daughters face distinct challenges caring for parents with dementia and may experience compassion fatigue: the combination of helplessness, hopelessness, an inability to be empathic, and a sense of isolation resulting from prolonged exposure to perceived suffering. Prior research on compassion fatigue has focused on professional healthcare providers and has overlooked filial caregivers. This study attempts to identify and explore risk factors for compassion fatigue in adult daughter caregivers and to substantiate further study of compassion fatigue in family caregivers. We used content analysis of baseline interviews with 12 adult daughter caregivers of a parent with dementia who participated in a randomized trial of homecare training. Four themes were identified in adult daughter caregiver interviews: (a) uncertainty; (b) doubt; (c) attachment; and (d) strain. Findings indicated adult daughter caregivers are at risk for compassion fatigue, supporting the need for a larger study exploring compassion fatigue in this population. PMID:25259643

Compassion fatigue and burnout: what managers should know.

PubMed

Slatten, Lise Anne; David Carson, Kerry; Carson, Paula Phillips

2011-01-01

Most health care employees experience and are bolstered by compassion satisfaction as they deal with patients in need. However, the more empathetic a health care provider is, the more likely he or she will experience compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a negative syndrome that occurs when dealing with the traumatic experiences of patients, and examples of symptoms include intrusive thoughts, sleeping problems, and depression. Compassion fatigue is different from burnout. Compassion fatigue is a rapidly occurring disorder for primary health care workers who work with suffering patients, whereas burnout, a larger construct, is a slowly progressing disorder for employees who typically are working in burdensome organizational environments. Managers can mitigate problems associated with compassion fatigue with a number of interventions including patient reassignments, formal mentoring programs, employee training, and a compassionate organizational culture. With burnout, health care managers will want to focus primarily on chronic organizational problems.

Compassion, pride, and social intuitions of self-other similarity.

PubMed

Oveis, Christopher; Horberg, E J; Keltner, Dacher

2010-04-01

Compassion and pride serve contrasting social functions: Compassion motivates care-taking behavior, whereas pride enables the signaling and negotiation of rank within social hierarchies. Across 3 studies, compassion was associated with increased perceived self-other similarity, particularly to weak or vulnerable others. In contrast, pride was associated with an enhanced sense of similarity to strong others, and a decreased sense of similarity to weak others. These findings were obtained using trait measures (Study 1) and experimental inductions (Studies 2 and 3) of compassion and pride, examining the sense of similarity to strong or weak groups (Studies 1 and 2) and unfamiliar individuals (Study 3). The influences of compassion and pride on perceived self-other similarity could not be accounted for by positive mood, nor was this effect constrained by the ingroup status of the target group or individual. Discussion focuses on the contributions these findings make to an understanding of compassion and pride.

A visual pathway links brain structures active during magnetic compass orientation in migratory birds.

PubMed

Heyers, Dominik; Manns, Martina; Luksch, Harald; Güntürkün, Onur; Mouritsen, Henrik

2007-09-26

The magnetic compass of migratory birds has been suggested to be light-dependent. Retinal cryptochrome-expressing neurons and a forebrain region, "Cluster N", show high neuronal activity when night-migratory songbirds perform magnetic compass orientation. By combining neuronal tracing with behavioral experiments leading to sensory-driven gene expression of the neuronal activity marker ZENK during magnetic compass orientation, we demonstrate a functional neuronal connection between the retinal neurons and Cluster N via the visual thalamus. Thus, the two areas of the central nervous system being most active during magnetic compass orientation are part of an ascending visual processing stream, the thalamofugal pathway. Furthermore, Cluster N seems to be a specialized part of the visual wulst. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that migratory birds use their visual system to perceive the reference compass direction of the geomagnetic field and that migratory birds "see" the reference compass direction provided by the geomagnetic field.

Understanding the Transformation of Compassion in Nurses Who Become Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pucino, Carrie L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how nurses who become patients learn compassion toward patients in their professional practice, and examine the role of empathy in the process of learning compassion. The process of learning compassion represents a significant change in the way nurses perceive this aspect of practice. Therefore,…

Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction among Residential Child Care Workers: The Role of Personality Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zerach, Gadi

2013-01-01

This study assessed compassion fatigue (CF) and compassion satisfaction (CS) among Israeli residential child-care workers (RCWs) working in residential treatment facilities for children and youth at risk (N = 147) as compared to educational boarding schools workers (BSWs; N = 74). Furthermore, we assessed the relationship of potential…

Self-Compassion and the Dynamics of Investigating Sexual Harassment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serri, Conchita Franco

2006-01-01

What role does compassion play in one's work? In the author's organization, the word "compassion" has been mostly linked to their values, mission, and programs. She has generally understood the concept of compassion as a deep feeling of empathy that flows from oneself towards others during certain situations and conditions. In her mind, "having…

Rousseau and the Education of Compassion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Richard

2008-01-01

In this paper I examine Rousseau's strategy for teaching compassion in "Book Four of Emile." In particular, I look at the three maxims on compassion that help to organise Rousseau's discussion, and the precise strategy that Emile's tutor uses to instil compassion while avoiding other passions, such as anger, fear and pride. The very idea of an…

Compassion: An Evolutionary Analysis and Empirical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetz, Jennifer L.; Keltner, Dacher; Simon-Thomas, Emiliana

2010-01-01

What is compassion? And how did it evolve? In this review, we integrate 3 evolutionary arguments that converge on the hypothesis that compassion evolved as a distinct affective experience whose primary function is to facilitate cooperation and protection of the weak and those who suffer. Our empirical review reveals compassion to have distinct…

Compassion Fatigue Risk and Self-Care Practices among Residential Treatment Center Childcare Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastwood, Callum D.; Ecklund, Kathryn

2008-01-01

Exploration of the presence of risk for compassion fatigue among residential childcare workers (RCW) at residential treatment facilities and the relationship between self-care practices and compassion fatigue were explored. Using the Professional Quality of Life Survey (ProQOL-R III) to assess compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion…

46 CFR 108.715 - Magnetic compass and gyrocompass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. 108.715 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Equipment § 108.715 Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. (a) Each self-propelled unit in ocean or coastwise service must have a magnetic compass. (b) Each self-propelled unit of 1...

46 CFR 167.40-45 - Magnetic compass and gyrocompass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. 167.40-45 Section 167... NAUTICAL SCHOOL SHIPS Certain Equipment Requirements § 167.40-45 Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All...

46 CFR 108.715 - Magnetic compass and gyrocompass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. 108.715 Section 108... DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Equipment § 108.715 Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. (a) Each self-propelled unit in ocean or coastwise service must have a magnetic compass. (b) Each self-propelled unit of 1...

46 CFR 167.40-45 - Magnetic compass and gyrocompass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. 167.40-45 Section 167... NAUTICAL SCHOOL SHIPS Certain Equipment Requirements § 167.40-45 Magnetic compass and gyrocompass. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All...

Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue Among Critical Care Nurses.

PubMed

Sacco, Tara L; Ciurzynski, Susan M; Harvey, Megan Elizabeth; Ingersoll, Gail L

2015-08-01

Although critical care nurses gain satisfaction from providing compassionate care to patients and patients' families, the nurses are also at risk for fatigue. The balance between satisfaction and fatigue is considered professional quality of life. To establish the prevalence of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care nurses and to describe potential contributing demographic, unit, and organizational characteristics. In a cross-sectional design, nurses were surveyed by using a demographic questionnaire and the Professional Quality of Life Scale to measure levels of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction. Nurses (n = 221) reported significant differences in compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue on the basis of sex, age, educational level, unit, acuity, change in nursing management, and major systems change. Understanding the elements of professional quality of life can have a positive effect on work environment. The relationship between professional quality of life and the standards for a healthy work environment requires further investigation. Once this relationship is fully understood, interventions to improve this balance can be developed and tested. ©2015 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Looking down: the influence of contempt and compassion on emergent leadership categorizations.

PubMed

Melwani, Shimul; Mueller, Jennifer S; Overbeck, Jennifer R

2012-11-01

By integrating the literatures on implicit leadership and the social functions of discrete emotions, we develop and test a theoretical model of emotion expression and leadership categorizations. Specifically, we examine the influence of 2 socio-comparative emotions-compassion and contempt-on assessments of leadership made both in 1st impression contexts and over time. To demonstrate both internal and external validity, Studies 1a and 1b provide laboratory and field evidence to show that expressing the discrete emotions of contempt and compassion positively relates to perceptions that an individual is a leader. Study 2 tests the mechanism explaining these associations. Specifically, we show that in a leadership emergence context, contempt and compassion both positively relate to perceptions that the expresser is a leader because each provides cues matching the implicit theory that leaders have higher intelligence. Our findings add to a growing body of literature focused on identifying the processes through which leaders emerge in groups, showing that emotions are an important input to this process. We discuss the implications of our findings and how they might guide future research efforts. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction in neonatologists in the US.

PubMed

Weintraub, A S; Geithner, E M; Stroustrup, A; Waldman, E D

2016-11-01

Compassion fatigue (CF) is distress experienced by caregivers from ongoing contact with patients who are suffering. Burnout (BO) is occupational stress directly related to dissonance between job demands and available resources. Compassion satisfaction (CS) is professional fulfillment experienced through helping others. CF in physicians is not well studied. Neonatologists may be at particular risk for CF by virtue of recurrent exposure to distress in patients and their families. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of CF, BO and CS, and to identify potential predictors for these phenomena in neonatologists. A modified Compassion Fatigue and Satisfaction Self-Test and a questionnaire of professional details and personal characteristics were distributed electronically to neonatologists nationally. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models for CF, BO and CS as a function of potential predictors were constructed. The survey response rate was 47%. The prevalence of CF, BO and CS was 15.7, 20.8 and 21.9%, respectively. Female gender, emotional depletion, distress from 'a clinical situation', 'co-workers', 'personal health issues' and 'not talking about distressing issues' were each significant determinants of CF. Emotional depletion, distress from the 'physical work environment' and 'co-workers', and 'not talking about distressing issues' were significant determinants of BO. Self-identification as Hispanic; 'not currently feeling distressed'; talking about distressing issues; and utilization of pediatric palliative care services were significant determinants of higher CS. CF and BO may impact emotional well-being and professional performance of neonatologists. Enhancement of CS is a potential target for intervention.

Spin relaxation of radicals in cryptochrome and its role in avian magnetoreception

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worster, Susannah; Kattnig, Daniel R.; Hore, P. J., E-mail: peter.hore@chem.ox.ac.uk

2016-07-21

Long-lived spin coherence and rotationally ordered radical pairs have previously been identified as key requirements for the radical pair mechanism of the avian magnetic compass sense. Both criteria are hard to meet in a biological environment, where thermal motion of the radicals creates dynamic disorder and drives efficient spin relaxation. This has long been cited as a major stumbling block of the radical pair hypothesis. Here we combine Redfield relaxation theory with analytical solutions to a rotational diffusion equation to assess the impact of restricted rotational motion of the radicals on the operation of the compass. The effects of suchmore » motions are first investigated generally in small, model systems and are then critically examined in the magnetically sensitive flavin-tryptophan radical pair that is formed photochemically in the proposed magnetoreceptor protein, cryptochrome. We conclude that relaxation is slowest when rotational motion of the radicals within the protein is fast and highly constrained; that in a regime of slow relaxation, the motional averaging of hyperfine interactions has the potential to improve the sensitivity of the compass; and that consideration of motional effects can significantly alter the design criteria for an optimal compass. In addition, we demonstrate that motion of the flavin radical is likely to be compatible with its role as a component of a functioning radical-pair compass, whereas the motion of the tryptophan radical is less ideal, unless it is particularly fast.« less

Integrating Compassionate, Collaborative Care (the "Triple C") Into Health Professional Education to Advance the Triple Aim of Health Care.

PubMed

Lown, Beth A; McIntosh, Sharrie; Gaines, Martha E; McGuinn, Kathy; Hatem, David S

2016-03-01

Empathy and compassion provide an important foundation for effective collaboration in health care. Compassion (the recognition of and response to the distress and suffering of others) should be consistently offered by health care professionals to patients, families, staff, and one another. However, compassion without collaboration may result in uncoordinated care, while collaboration without compassion may result in technically correct but depersonalized care that fails to meet the unique emotional and psychosocial needs of all involved. Providing compassionate, collaborative care (CCC) is critical to achieving the "triple aim" of improving patients' health and experiences of care while reducing costs. Yet, values and skills related to CCC (or the "Triple C") are not routinely taught, modeled, and assessed across the continuum of learning and practice. To change this paradigm, an interprofessional group of experts recently recommended approaches and a framework for integrating CCC into health professional education and postgraduate training as well as clinical care. In this Perspective, the authors describe how the Triple C framework can be integrated and enhance existing competency standards to advance CCC across the learning and practice continuum. They also discuss strategies for partnering with patients and families to improve health professional education and health care design and delivery through quality improvement projects. They emphasize that compassion and collaboration are important sources of professional, patient, and family satisfaction as well as critical aspects of professionalism and person-centered, relationship-based high-quality care.

Use of a brief version of the self-compassion inventory with an international sample of people with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Brion, John M.; Leary, Mark; Wantland, Dean; Sullivan, K.; Nokes, Kathleen; Bain, Catherine A; Chaiphibalsarisdi, Puangtip; Chen, Wei-ti; Holzemer, William L.; Eller, Lucille Sanzero; Iipinge, Scholastika; Johnson, Mallory O.; Portillo, Carmen; Voss, Joachim; Tyer-Viola, Lynda; Corless, Inge B; Nicholas, Patrice K; Rose, Carol Dawson; Phillips, J. Craig; Sefcik, Elizabeth; Mendez, Marta Rivero; Kirksey, Kenn M.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to extend the psychometric evaluation of a brief version of the Self Compassion Scale (SCS). A secondary analysis of data from an international sample of 1,967 English-speaking persons living with HIV disease was used to examine the factor structure, and reliability of the 12-item Brief Version Self Compassion Inventory (BVSCI). A Maximum Likelihood factor analysis and Oblimin with Kaiser Normalization confirmed a two-factor solution, accounting for 42.58% of the variance. The BVSCI supported acceptable internal consistencies, with .714 for the total scale and .822 for Factor I and .774 for Factor II. Factor I (lower self compassion) demonstrated strongly positive correlations with measures of anxiety and depression while Factor II (high self compassion) was inversely correlated with the measures. No significant differences were found in the BVSCI scores for gender, age, or having children. Levels of self-compassion were significantly higher in persons with HIV disease and other physical and psychological health conditions. The scale shows promise for the assessment of self-compassion in persons with HIV without taxing participants, and may prove essential in investigating future research aimed at examining correlates of self-compassion, as well as providing data for tailoring self-compassion interventions for persons with HIV. PMID:23527887

The paradox of compassionate work: a mixed-methods study of satisfying and fatiguing experiences of animal health care providers.

PubMed

Polachek, Alicia J; Wallace, Jean E

2018-03-01

Compassionate work appears paradoxical as it may provide great rewards, but may also come at great costs to care providers. This paper explores the paradox of compassionate work by examining what interactions contribute to compassion satisfaction and what interactions contribute to compassion fatigue. This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study uses qualitative interview data from animal health care providers (N = 20) to identify work interactions that they find satisfying or stressful. Quantitative survey data (N = 572) are used to test hypotheses generated from the interviews regarding predictors of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a directed content analysis approach. Survey data were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression. The results highlight the complex nature of compassionate work. As hypothesized, making a difference to animals and building relationships with animal patients and human clients relate to greater compassion satisfaction. Human client barriers to animal care and witnessing client grief relate to greater compassion fatigue, as predicted. None of the predictors relate to less compassion fatigue, but forming relationships with animal patients relates to both greater compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. This paper enhances our understanding of provider-client-patient interactions and highlights the paradox of compassionate work.

The protective role of compassion satisfaction for therapists who work with sexual violence survivors: an application of the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions.

PubMed

Samios, Christina; Abel, Lisa M; Rodzik, Amber K

2013-01-01

Therapists who work with trauma survivors, such as survivors of sexual violence, can experience compassion satisfaction while experiencing negative effects of trauma work, such as secondary traumatic stress. We examined whether the negative effects of secondary traumatic stress on therapist adjustment would be buffered by compassion satisfaction and whether the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions could be applied to examine the factors (positive emotions and positive reframing) that relate to compassion satisfaction. Sixty-one therapists who work with sexual violence survivors completed measures of secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, adjustment, positive emotions and positive reframing. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that compassion satisfaction buffered the negative impact of secondary traumatic stress on therapist adjustment when adjustment was conceptualised as anxiety. Using non-parametric bootstrapping, we found that the relationship between greater positive emotions and greater compassion satisfaction was partially mediated by positive reframing. The findings indicate that compassion satisfaction is likely to be helpful in ameliorating the negative effects of secondary traumatic stress on anxiety in therapists who work with sexual violence survivors and that the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions may provide a strong theoretical basis for the further examination of compassion satisfaction in trauma therapists.

Burnout Subtypes and Absence of Self-Compassion in Primary Healthcare Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Montero-Marin, Jesus; Zubiaga, Fernando; Cereceda, Maria; Piva Demarzo, Marcelo Marcos; Trenc, Patricia; Garcia-Campayo, Javier

2016-01-01

Background Primary healthcare professionals report high levels of distress and burnout. A new model of burnout has been developed to differentiate three clinical subtypes: ‘frenetic’, ‘underchallenged’ and ‘worn-out’. The aim of this study was to confirm the validity and reliability of the burnout subtype model in Spanish primary healthcare professionals, and to assess the explanatory power of the self-compassion construct as a possible protective factor. Method The study employed a cross-sectional design. A sample of n = 440 Spanish primary healthcare professionals (214 general practitioners, 184 nurses, 42 medical residents) completed the Burnout Clinical Subtype Questionnaire (BCSQ-36), the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS), the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The factor structure of the BCSQ-36 was estimated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) by the unweighted least squares method from polychoric correlations. Internal consistency (R) was assessed by squaring the correlation between the latent true variable and the observed variables. The relationships between the BCSQ-36 and the other constructs were analysed using Spearman’s r and multiple linear regression models. Results The structure of the BCSQ-36 fit the data well, with adequate CFA indices for all the burnout subtypes. Reliability was adequate for all the scales and sub-scales (R≥0.75). Self-judgement was the self-compassion factor that explained the frenetic subtype (Beta = 0.36; p<0.001); isolation explained the underchallenged (Beta = 0.16; p = 0.010); and over-identification the worn-out (Beta = 0.25; p = 0.001). Other significant associations were observed between the different burnout subtypes and the dimensions of the MBI-GS, UWES and PANAS. Conclusions The typological definition of burnout through the BCSQ-36 showed good structure and appropriate internal consistence in Spanish primary healthcare professionals. The negative self-compassion dimensions seem to play a relevant role in explaining the burnout profiles in this population, and they should be considered when designing specific treatments and interventions tailored to the specific vulnerability of each subtype. PMID:27310426

Compassion, Mindfulness, and the Happiness of Healthcare Workers.

PubMed

Benzo, Roberto P; Kirsch, Janae L; Nelson, Carlie

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. This study sought to explore the influence of self-compassion on employee happiness in healthcare professionals. 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. 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. 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. 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. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compassion, Mindfulness and the Happiness of Health Care Workers

PubMed Central

Benzo, Roberto P.; Kirsch, Janae L.; Nelson, Carlie

2017-01-01

Context Decreased well-being of health care workers expressed as stress and decreased job satisfaction influences patient safety and satisfaction and cost containment. Self-compassion has garnered recent attention due to its positive association with wellbeing and happiness. Discovering novel pathways to increase the well-being of health care workers is essential. Objective This study sought to explore the influence of self-compassion on employee happiness in health care professionals. Design, Setting & Participants 400 participants (mean age 45 ± 14, 65% female) health care 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 wellbeing: 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 health care professionals. Our results may have practical implications by providing specific self-compassion components to be targeted in future programs aimed at enhancing wellbeing in health care professionals. PMID:28420563

Visual but not trigeminal mediation of magnetic compass information in a migratory bird.

PubMed

Zapka, Manuela; Heyers, Dominik; Hein, Christine M; Engels, Svenja; Schneider, Nils-Lasse; Hans, Jörg; Weiler, Simon; Dreyer, David; Kishkinev, Dmitry; Wild, J Martin; Mouritsen, Henrik

2009-10-29

Magnetic compass information has a key role in bird orientation, but the physiological mechanisms enabling birds to sense the Earth's magnetic field remain one of the unresolved mysteries in biology. Two biophysical mechanisms have become established as the most promising magnetodetection candidates. The iron-mineral-based hypothesis suggests that magnetic information is detected by magnetoreceptors in the upper beak and transmitted through the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve to the brain. The light-dependent hypothesis suggests that magnetic field direction is sensed by radical pair-forming photopigments in the eyes and that this visual signal is processed in cluster N, a specialized, night-time active, light-processing forebrain region. Here we report that European robins with bilateral lesions of cluster N are unable to show oriented magnetic-compass-guided behaviour but are able to perform sun compass and star compass orientation behaviour. In contrast, bilateral section of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve in European robins did not influence the birds' ability to use their magnetic compass for orientation. These data show that cluster N is required for magnetic compass orientation in this species and indicate that it may be specifically involved in processing of magnetic compass information. Furthermore, the data strongly suggest that a vision-mediated mechanism underlies the magnetic compass in this migratory songbird, and that the putative iron-mineral-based receptors in the upper beak connected to the brain by the trigeminal nerve are neither necessary nor sufficient for magnetic compass orientation in European robins.

How are compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction affected by quality of working life? Findings from a survey of mental health staff in Italy.

PubMed

Cetrano, Gaia; Tedeschi, Federico; Rabbi, Laura; Gosetti, Giorgio; Lora, Antonio; Lamonaca, Dario; Manthorpe, Jill; Amaddeo, Francesco

2017-11-21

Quality of working life includes elements such as autonomy, trust, ergonomics, participation, job complexity, and work-life balance. The overarching aim of this study was to investigate if and how quality of working life affects Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction among mental health practitioners. Staff working in three Italian Mental Health Departments completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale, measuring Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction, and the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire. The latter was used to collect socio-demographics, occupational characteristics and 13 indicators of quality of working life. Multiple regressions controlling for other variables were undertaken to predict Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction. Four hundred questionnaires were completed. In bivariate analyses, experiencing more ergonomic problems, perceiving risks for the future, a higher impact of work on life, and lower levels of trust and of perceived quality of meetings were associated with poorer outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed that (a) ergonomic problems and impact of work on life predicted higher levels of both Compassion Fatigue and Burnout; (b) impact of life on work was associated with Compassion Fatigue and lower levels of trust and perceiving more risks for the future with Burnout only; (c) perceived quality of meetings, need of training, and perceiving no risks for the future predicted higher levels of Compassion Satisfaction. In order to provide adequate mental health services, service providers need to give their employees adequate ergonomic conditions, giving special attention to time pressures. Building trustful relationships with management and within the teams is also crucial. Training and meetings are other important targets for potential improvement. Additionally, insecurity about the future should be addressed as it can affect both Burnout and Compassion Satisfaction. Finally, strategies to reduce possible work-life conflicts need to be considered.

The emotion of compassion and the likelihood of its expression in nursing practice.

PubMed

Newham, Roger Alan

2017-07-01

Philosophical and empirical work on the nature of the emotions is extensive, and there are many theories of emotions. However, all agree that emotions are not knee jerk reactions to stimuli and are open to rational assessment or warrant. This paper's focus is on the condition or conditions for compassion as an emotion and the likelihood that it or they can be met in nursing practice. Thus, it is attempting to keep, as far as possible, compassion as an emotion separate from both moral norms and professional norms. This is because empirical or causal conditions that can make experiencing and acting out of compassion difficult seem especially relevant in nursing practice. I consider how theories of emotion in general and of compassion in particular are somewhat contested, but all recent accounts agree that emotions are not totally immune to reason. Then, using accounts of constitutive conditions of the emotion of compassion, I will show how they are often likely to be quite fragile or unstable in practice and particularly so within much nursing practice. In addition, some of the conditions for compassion will be shown to be problematic for nursing practice. It is difficult to keep ideas of compassion separate from morality, and this connection is noticeable in the claims made of compassion for nursing and so I will briefly highlight one such connection that of the need for normative theory to give an account of the value that emotions such as compassion presume and that compassionate motivation is separate from moral motivation and may conflict with it. The fragility or instability of the emotion of compassion in practice has implications for both what can be expected and what should be expected of compassion; at least if what is wanted is a realist rather than idealist account of "should." © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of illness-related shame on psychological health and social relationships: Testing a mediational model in students with chronic illness.

PubMed

Trindade, Inês A; Duarte, Joana; Ferreira, Cláudia; Coutinho, Mariana; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2018-05-01

This study explores the impact of illness-related shame on the quality of social relationships and psychological health in chronic patients. We aimed to examine the roles of fear of receiving compassion from others and experiential avoidance as potential mediators of this relationship. Although some studies have demonstrated the negative impact of chronic illness-related shame on psychological functioning, the mechanisms that may underlie this link remain understudied. The sample was comprised by 115 college students, which had been diagnosed with at least 1 chronic illness. Participants completed self-report measures on an online platform. This study's design was cross-sectional. A path analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling. Results showed that the impact of illness-related shame on both psychological health (R 2  = .45) and the quality of social relationships (R 2  = .33) was fully accounted by fear of compassion from others and experiential avoidance. This model revealed an excellent fit. Fear of receiving compassion from others was the main mediator of the illness-related shame link with the quality of social relationships (β = -.22). The main mediator of the association between shame-related chronic illness and psychological health was experiential avoidance (β = -.21).This study shed light on possible psychological mechanisms linking feelings of shame associated with having a chronic condition and impaired social relationships and mental health. On one hand, resisting feelings of compassion and care from others and, on the other hand, avoiding difficult internal experiences and situations that might trigger them seem to underlie the impact of shame on psychological and social functioning in chronic patients. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Calibration of magnetic and celestial compass cues in migratory birds--a review of cue-conflict experiments.

PubMed

Muheim, Rachel; Moore, Frank R; Phillips, John B

2006-01-01

Migratory birds use multiple sources of compass information for orientation, including the geomagnetic field, the sun, skylight polarization patterns and star patterns. In this paper we review the results of cue-conflict experiments designed to determine the relative importance of the different compass mechanisms, and how directional information from these compass mechanisms is integrated. We focus on cue-conflict experiments in which the magnetic field was shifted in alignment relative to natural celestial cues. Consistent with the conclusions of earlier authors, our analyses suggest that during the premigratory season, celestial information is given the greatest salience and used to recalibrate the magnetic compass by both juvenile and adult birds. Sunset polarized light patterns from the region of the sky near the horizon appear to provide the calibration reference for the magnetic compass. In contrast, during migration, a majority of experiments suggest that birds rely on the magnetic field as the primary source of compass information and use it to calibrate celestial compass cues, i.e. the relative saliency of magnetic and celestial cues is reversed. An alternative possibility, however, is suggested by several experiments in which birds exposed to a cue conflict during migration appear to have recalibrated the magnetic compass, i.e. their response is similar to that of birds exposed to cue conflicts during the premigratory season. The general pattern to emerge from these analyses is that birds exposed to the cue conflict with a view of the entire sunset sky tended to recalibrate the magnetic compass, regardless of whether the cue conflict occurred during the premigratory or migratory period. In contrast, birds exposed to the cue conflict in orientation funnels and registration cages that restricted their view of the region of sky near the horizon (as was generally the case in experiments carried out during the migratory season) did not recalibrate the magnetic compass but, instead, used the magnetic compass to calibrate the other celestial compass systems. If access to critical celestial cues, rather than the timing of exposure to the cue conflict (i.e. premigratory vs migratory), determines whether recalibration of the magnetic compass occurs, this suggests that under natural conditions there may be a single calibration reference for all of the compass systems of migratory birds that is derived from sunset (and possibly also sunrise) polarized light cues from the region of sky near the horizon. In cue-conflict experiments carried out during the migratory season, there was also an interesting asymmetry in the birds' response to magnetic fields shifted clockwise and counterclockwise relative to celestial cues. We discuss two possible explanations for these differences: (1) lateral asymmetry in the role of the right and left eye in mediating light-dependent magnetic compass orientation and (2) interference from the spectral and intensity distribution of skylight at sunset with the response of the light-dependent magnetic compass.

Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout: Factors Impacting a Professional's Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprang, Ginny; Whitt-Woosley, Adrienne; Clark, James J.

2007-01-01

This study examined the relationship between three variables, compassion fatigue (CF), compassion satisfaction (CS), and burnout, and provider and setting characteristics in a sample of 1,121 mental health providers in a rural southern state. Respondents completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale as part of a larger survey of provider…

Self-Compassion as a Predictor of Psychological Entitlement in Turkish University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahranç, Ümit

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the predictive role of self-compassion on psychological entitlement. Participants were 331 university students (205 women, 126 men, M age = 20.5 years.). In this study, the Self-compassion Scale and the Psychological Entitlement Scale were used to assess self-compassion and psychological entitlement. The…

Exploring Magnetic Fields with a Compass

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lunk, Brandon; Beichner, Robert

2011-01-01

A compass is an excellent classroom tool for the exploration of magnetic fields. Any student can tell you that a compass is used to determine which direction is north, but when paired with some basic trigonometry, the compass can be used to actually measure the strength of the magnetic field due to a nearby magnet or current-carrying wire. In this…

46 CFR 32.15-35 - Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., MACHINERY, AND HULL REQUIREMENTS Navigation Equipment § 32.15-35 Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass—T/OC. (a) All tankships in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All tankships... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC. 32.15-35 Section...

The Relationship between Self-Care Practices, Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Compassion Satisfaction among Professional Counselors and Counselors-in-Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Star, Katharina L.

2013-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and self-care among counselors and counselors-in-training. Additionally, the current study investigated if recent life changes, age, sex, race, years of experience, education level, and work/internship setting impacted counselors' and…

46 CFR 32.15-35 - Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC. 32.15-35 Section..., MACHINERY, AND HULL REQUIREMENTS Navigation Equipment § 32.15-35 Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass—T/OC. (a) All tankships in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All tankships...

46 CFR 32.15-35 - Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass-T/OC. 32.15-35 Section..., MACHINERY, AND HULL REQUIREMENTS Navigation Equipment § 32.15-35 Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass—T/OC. (a) All tankships in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All tankships...

The Influence of Business Students' Listening Styles on Their Compassion and Self-Compassion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramos Salazar, Leslie

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the four listening styles of business communication students on their demonstration of compassion for others and themselves. A sample of 387 business students completed a questionnaire that inquired about their perceptions of their preferred listening style, their compassion for others, and…

Nursing care of vulnerable populations using a framework of cultural competence, social justice and human rights.

PubMed

Pacquiao, Dula F

2008-04-01

The article attempts to present a model linking cultural competence with advocacy for social justice and protection of human rights in caring for vulnerable groups such as refugees and asylum seekers. Using the human rights principle focuses the moral obligation to address social inequities and suffering of vulnerable populations. Cultural competent care and culturally-congruent actions place the universal principles of social justice and protection of human rights within the cultural contexts of people's lives and the environment in which they are situated. Compassion is identified as the key component for culturally-competent advocacy for social justice and human rights protection. Compassion compels actions advocating social justice and protection of human rights for marginalised and powerless groups. Educational strategies for developing compassion are centered on collaboration, partnership and advocacy. Integration of experiential and didactic learning relevant to cultural competent care for refugees and asylum seekers are recommended.

Highlights from COMPASS SIDIS and Drell-Yan programmes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longo, R.; Compass Collaboration

2017-03-01

One of the main objectives of the COMPASS experiment at CERN is the study of transverse spin structure of the nucleon trough measurement of target spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) and Drell-Yan (DY) processes with transversely polarized targets. Within the QCD parton model these azimuthal asymmetries give access to a set of transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions (PDF) which parameterize the spin structure of the nucleon. In the TMD framework of QCD it is predicted that the two naively time-reversal odd TMD PDFs, i.e. the quark Sivers functions and Boer-Mulders functions, have opposite sign when measured in SIDIS or DY. The experimental test of this fundamental prediction is a major challenge in hadron physics. COMPASS former SIDIS results and upcoming results from DY measurements give a unique and complementary input to address this and other important open issues in spin physics.

Self-Compassion and Relationship Maintenance: The Moderating Roles of Conscientiousness and Gender

PubMed Central

Baker, Levi; McNulty, James K.

2010-01-01

Should intimates respond to their interpersonal mistakes with self-criticism or with self-compassion? Although it is reasonable to expect self-compassion to benefit relationships by promoting self-esteem, it is also reasonable to expect self-compassion to hurt relationships by removing intimates’ motivation to correct their interpersonal mistakes. Two correlational studies, 1 experiment, and 1 longitudinal study demonstrated that whether self-compassion helps or hurts relationships depends on the presence versus absence of dispositional sources of the motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes. Among men, the implications of self-compassion were moderated by conscientiousness. Among men high in conscientiousness, self-compassion was associated with greater motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes (Studies 1 and 3), observations of more-constructive problem-solving behaviors (Study 2), reports of more accommodation (Study 3), and fewer declines in marital satisfaction that were mediated by decreases in interpersonal problem severity (Study 4); among men low in conscientiousness, self-compassion was associated with these outcomes in the opposite direction. Among women, in contrast, likely because women are inherently more motivated than men to preserve their relationships for cultural and/or biological reasons, self-compassion was never harmful to the relationship. Instead, women’s self-compassion was positively associated with the motivation to correct their interpersonal mistakes (Study 1) and changes in relationship satisfaction (Study 4), regardless of conscientiousness. Accordingly, theoretical descriptions of the implications of self-promoting thoughts for relationships may be most complete to the extent that they consider the presence versus absence of other sources of the motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes. PMID:21280964

Coordinating compass-based and nest-based flight directions during bumblebee learning and return flights.

PubMed

Collett, Thomas S; de Ibarra, Natalie Hempel; Riabinina, Olena; Philippides, Andrew

2013-03-15

Bumblebees tend to face their nest over a limited range of compass directions when learning the nest's location on departure and finding it on their approach after foraging. They thus obtain similar views of the nest and its surroundings on their learning and return flights. How do bees coordinate their flights relative to nest-based and compass-based reference frames to get such similar views? We show, first, that learning and return flights contain straight segments that are directed along particular compass bearings, which are independent of the orientation of a bee's body. Bees are thus free within limits to adjust their viewing direction relative to the nest, without disturbing flight direction. Second, we examine the coordination of nest-based and compass-based control during likely information gathering segments of these flights: loops during learning flights and zigzags on return flights. We find that bees tend to start a loop or zigzag when flying within a restricted range of compass directions and to fly towards the nest and face it after a fixed change in compass direction, without continuous interactions between their nest-based and compass-based directions of flight. A preferred trajectory of compass-based flight over the course of a motif, combined with the tendency of the bees to keep their body oriented towards the nest automatically narrows the range of compass directions over which bees view the nest. Additionally, the absence of interactions between the two reference frames allows loops and zigzags to have a stereotyped form that can generate informative visual feedback.

Barriers to self-compassion for female survivors of childhood maltreatment: The roles of fear of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility.

PubMed

Boykin, Derrecka M; Himmerich, Sara J; Pinciotti, Caitlin M; Miller, Lindsay M; Miron, Lynsey R; Orcutt, Holly K

2018-02-01

Preliminary evidence has demonstrated the benefits of targeting self-compassion in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, survivors of childhood maltreatment may present with unique challenges that compromise the effectiveness of these and other PTSD treatments. Specifically, childhood maltreatment victims often exhibit a marked fear and active resistance of self-kindness and warmth (i.e., fear of self-compassion). Victims may also attempt to control distressing internal experiences in a way that hinders engagement in value-based actions (i.e., psychological inflexibility). Research suggests that psychological inflexibility exacerbates the negative effects of fear of self-compassion. The present study expanded on previous research by examining the relations among childhood maltreatment, fear of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, and PTSD symptom severity in 288 college women. As expected, moderate to severe levels of childhood maltreatment were associated with greater fear of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, and PTSD symptom severity compared to minimal or no childhood maltreatment. A mediation analysis showed that childhood maltreatment had a significant indirect effect on PTSD symptom severity via fear of self-compassion, although a conditional process analysis did not support psychological inflexibility as a moderator of this indirect effect. A post hoc multiple mediator analysis showed a significant indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on PTSD symptom severity via psychological inflexibility, but not fear of self-compassion. These findings highlight the importance of addressing fear of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility as barriers to treatment for female survivors of childhood maltreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictors of Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction in Acute Care Nurses.

PubMed

Kelly, Lesly; Runge, Jody; Spencer, Christina

2015-11-01

To examine compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in acute care nurses across multiple specialties in a hospital-based setting. A cross-sectional electronic survey design was used to collect data from direct care nurses in a 700-bed, quaternary care, teaching facility in the southwestern United States. A total of 491 direct care registered nurses completed a survey measuring their professional quality of life (burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction). Analysis was conducted to assess for differences between demographics, specialties, job satisfaction, and intent to leave their current position. Significant predictors of burnout included lack of meaningful recognition, nurses with more years of experience, and nurses in the "Millennial" generation (ages 21-33 years). Receiving meaningful recognition, higher job satisfaction, nurses in the "Baby Boomer" generation (ages 50-65 years), and nurses with fewer years of experience significantly predicted compassion satisfaction. No significant differences were noted across nurse specialties, units, or departments. This study adds to the literature the impact meaningful recognition may have on compassion satisfaction and fatigue. Our findings provide a potential explanation for the lack of retention of nurses in the millennial generation who leave their positions with limited years of experience. Based on our research, meaningful recognition may increase compassion satisfaction, positively impact retention, and elevate job satisfaction. Compassion fatigue in nurses has clear implications for nursing retention and the quality of care. Organizations willing to invest in reducing compassion fatigue have the potential to improve financial savings by reducing turnover and adverse events associated with burnout. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Sympathy, empathy, and compassion: A grounded theory study of palliative care patients' understandings, experiences, and preferences.

PubMed

Sinclair, Shane; Beamer, Kate; Hack, Thomas F; McClement, Susan; Raffin Bouchal, Shelley; Chochinov, Harvey M; Hagen, Neil A

2017-05-01

Compassion is considered an essential element in quality patient care. One of the conceptual challenges in healthcare literature is that compassion is often confused with sympathy and empathy. Studies comparing and contrasting patients' perspectives of sympathy, empathy, and compassion are largely absent. The aim of this study was to investigate advanced cancer patients' understandings, experiences, and preferences of "sympathy," "empathy," and "compassion" in order to develop conceptual clarity for future research and to inform clinical practice. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and then independently analyzed by the research team using the three stages and principles of Straussian grounded theory. Data were collected from 53 advanced cancer inpatients in a large urban hospital. Constructs of sympathy, empathy, and compassion contain distinct themes and sub-themes. Sympathy was described as an unwanted, pity-based response to a distressing situation, characterized by a lack of understanding and self-preservation of the observer. Empathy was experienced as an affective response that acknowledges and attempts to understand individual's suffering through emotional resonance. Compassion enhanced the key facets of empathy while adding distinct features of being motivated by love, the altruistic role of the responder, action, and small, supererogatory acts of kindness. Patients reported that unlike sympathy, empathy and compassion were beneficial, with compassion being the most preferred and impactful. Although sympathy, empathy, and compassion are used interchangeably and frequently conflated in healthcare literature, patients distinguish and experience them uniquely. Understanding patients' perspectives is important and can guide practice, policy reform, and future research.

A lateralized avian hippocampus: preferential role of the left hippocampal formation in homing pigeon sun compass-based spatial learning.

PubMed

Gagliardo, Anna; Vallortigara, Giorgio; Nardi, Daniele; Bingman, Verner P

2005-11-01

The hippocampal formation (HF) plays a crucial role in amniote spatial cognition. There are also indications of functional lateralization in the contribution of the left and right HF in processes that enable birds to navigate space. The experiments described in this study were designed to examine left and right HF differences in a task of sun compass-based spatial learning in homing pigeons (Columba livia). Control, left (HFL) and right (HFR) HF lesioned pigeons were trained in an outdoor arena to locate a food reward using their sun compass in the presence or absence of alternative feature cues. Subsequent to training, the pigeons were subjected to test sessions to determine if they learned to represent the goal location with their sun compass and the relative importance of the sun compass vs. feature cues. Under all test conditions, the control pigeons demonstrated preferential use of the sun compass in locating the goal. By contrast, the HFL pigeons demonstrated no ability to locate the goal by the sun compass but an ability to use the feature cues. The behaviour of the HFR pigeons demonstrated that an intact left HF is sufficient to support sun compass-based learning, but in conflict situations and in contrast to controls, they often relied on feature cues. In conclusion, only the left HF is capable of supporting sun compass-based learning. However, preferential use of the sun compass for learning requires an intact right HF. The data support the hypothesis that the left and right HF make different but complementary contributions toward avian spatial cognition.

Self-compassion and relationship maintenance: the moderating roles of conscientiousness and gender.

PubMed

Baker, Levi R; McNulty, James K

2011-05-01

Should intimates respond to their interpersonal mistakes with self-criticism or with self-compassion? Although it is reasonable to expect self-compassion to benefit relationships by promoting self-esteem, it is also reasonable to expect self-compassion to hurt relationships by removing intimates' motivation to correct their interpersonal mistakes. Two correlational studies, 1 experiment, and 1 longitudinal study demonstrated that whether self-compassion helps or hurts relationships depends on the presence versus absence of dispositional sources of the motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes. Among men, the implications of self-compassion were moderated by conscientiousness. Among men high in conscientiousness, self-compassion was associated with greater motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes (Studies 1 and 3), observations of more constructive problem-solving behaviors (Study 2), reports of more accommodation (Study 3), and fewer declines in marital satisfaction that were mediated by decreases in interpersonal problem severity (Study 4); among men low in conscientiousness, self-compassion was associated with these outcomes in the opposite direction. Among women, in contrast, likely because women are inherently more motivated than men to preserve their relationships for cultural and/or biological reasons, self-compassion was never harmful to the relationship. Instead, women's self-compassion was positively associated with the motivation to correct their interpersonal mistakes (Study 1) and changes in relationship satisfaction (Study 4), regardless of conscientiousness. Accordingly, theoretical descriptions of the implications of self-promoting thoughts for relationships may be most complete to the extent that they consider the presence versus absence of other sources of the motivation to correct interpersonal mistakes. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Examining the Factors of Self-Compassion Scale with Canonical Commonality Analysis: Syrian Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozdemir, Burhanettin; Seef, Nesrin

2017-01-01

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological structure of self-compassion and to determine the relationship between the sub-dimensions (or factors) of the self-compassion-scale and the contribution of each factor to the construct. Although the self-compassion scale has been commonly used in the area of psychology,…

Compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress in registered nurses in Australia: phase 2 results.

PubMed

Drury, Vicki; Craigie, Mark; Francis, Karen; Aoun, Samar; Hegney, Desley G

2014-05-01

This is the first two-phase Australian study to explore the factors impacting upon compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, anxiety, depression and stress and to describe the strategies nurses use to build compassion satisfaction into their working lives. Compassion fatigue has been found to impact on job satisfaction, the quality of patient care and retention within nursing. This study provides new knowledge on the influences of anxiety, stress and depression and how they relate to compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. In Phase 2 of the study, 10 nurses from Phase 1 of the study participated in individual interviews and a focus group. A semi-structured interview schedule guided the conversations with the participants. Data analysis resulted in seven main themes: social networks and support;infrastructure and support; environment and lifestyle; learning; leadership; stress; and suggestions to build psychological wellness in nurses. Findings suggest that a nurse’s capacity to cope is enhanced through strong social and collegial support, infrastructure that supports the provision of quality nursing care and positive affirmation. These concepts are strongly linked to personal resilience. for nursing management These findings support the need for management to develop appropriate interventions to build resilience in nurses.

Stomaching rejection: Self-compassion and self-esteem moderate the impact of daily social rejection on restrictive eating behaviours among college women.

PubMed

Beekman, Janine B; Stock, Michelle L; Howe, George W

2017-11-01

The present study examined whether having high self-esteem or a self-compassionate perspective help mitigate the impact of daily social rejection on negative affect and restrictive eating behaviours. Following a baseline survey assessing self-esteem and self-compassion, 121 college women completed online daily diaries for one week. Negative affect and restrictive eating behaviours. On days when women reported more rejection, they also reported higher restrictive eating behaviours and greater negative affect. Effects were moderated by self-esteem and self-compassion, such that the lower participants were in self-esteem or self-compassion, the stronger the positive relation between rejection and negative affect and restrictive eating. However, only the common humanity/isolation dimension of self-compassion significantly moderated daily effects of rejection when controlling for self-esteem. Mediated moderation results reveal different mechanisms by which self-esteem and self-compassion buffer against rejections' effects on affect and restrictive eating. Self-compassion and self-esteem influence the complex impact that social rejection has on affect and restrictive eating. More than other dimensions of self-compassion or self-esteem, remembering one's common humanity can result in a healthier response to social rejection.

Intranasal administration of oxytocin increases compassion toward women

PubMed Central

Palgi, Sharon; Klein, Ehud

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that the degree of compassion—the feeling of warmth, understanding and kindness that motivates the desire to help others, is modulated by observers’ views regarding the target’s vulnerability and suffering. This study tested the hypothesis that as compassion developed to protect vulnerable kinships, hormones such as oxytocin, which have been suggested as playing a key role in ‘tend-and-befriend’ behaviors among women, will enhance compassion toward women but not toward men. Thirty subjects participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject study. Following administration of oxytocin/placebo, participants listened to recordings of different female/male protagonists describing distressful emotional conflicts and were then asked to provide compassionate advice to the protagonist. The participants’ responses were coded according to various components of compassion by two clinical psychologists who were blind to the treatment. The results showed that in women and men participants oxytocin enhanced compassion toward women, but did not affect compassion toward men. These findings indicate that the oxytocinergic system differentially mediates compassion toward women and toward men, emphasizing an evolutionary perspective that views compassion as a caregiving behavior designed to help vulnerable individuals. PMID:24711542

Attachment and compassion fatigue among American and Israeli mental health clinicians working with traumatized victims of terrorism.

PubMed

Racanelli, Christine

2005-01-01

This study compared the construct of compassion fatigue with the role of attachment as a potential mediator among mental health clinicians working with victims of terrorism in the New York metropolitan region of the United States and Israel. Differences between clinicians practicing within Israel (n = 31) and New York (n = 35), in terms of their symptoms of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and "burnout," were not significant, as measured by multivariate analyses of variance. Based upon nonsignificant differences, mediational statistical tests could not be run; thus, mediation did not hold. The data failed to support a significant difference between compassion fatigue and attachment avoidance or anxiety. However, data collection resulted in attenuated scores for compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction within both study groups of clinicians and moderate to average scores for burnout. Israeli clinicians had significantly more avoidant attachment dimensions than their New York cohorts. The strongest predictors of compassion satisfaction were (a) low attachment anxiety and (b) sufficient clinical experience related to treating victims of trauma. The strongest predictors of burnout were (a) minimal clinical experience, (b) minimal experience working with trauma victims, and (c) greater avoidant attachment dimensions.

Compassion fatigue and burnout among Rabbis working as chaplains.

PubMed

Taylor, Bonita E; Flannelly, Kevin J; Weaver, Andrew J; Zucker, David J

2006-01-01

Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout were studied in a convenience sample of 66 male and female Rabbis who work as chaplains and attended the annual conference of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) in 2002. Although Compassion Fatigue and Burnout were low among the survey participants, both measures were significantly higher among the women in the sample. Compassion Fatigue was also higher among chaplains who were divorced, and it increased with the number of hours per week the chaplains spent working with trauma victims or their families (r = .25, p<.05). Hierarchical multiple regression was performed to determine the influence of six professional and five personal variables on each of the three dependent variables. Four professional variables accounted for 19.5% of the variation and three personal variables accounted for 20.3% of the variation in Compassion Fatigue. Attempts to predict Burnout and Compassion Satisfaction were far less successful. Burnout was predicted by only two variables (i.e. age and years as a Rabbi), which accounted for just 18.4% of the variance in Burnout scores. Age was the only variable found to have a significant effect on Compassion Satisfaction, and its effect was positive. The implications of the findings are discussed.

TUMOR HAPLOTYPE ASSEMBLY ALGORITHMS FOR CANCER GENOMICS

PubMed Central

AGUIAR, DEREK; WONG, WENDY S.W.; ISTRAIL, SORIN

2014-01-01

The growing availability of inexpensive high-throughput sequence data is enabling researchers to sequence tumor populations within a single individual at high coverage. But, cancer genome sequence evolution and mutational phenomena like driver mutations and gene fusions are difficult to investigate without first reconstructing tumor haplotype sequences. Haplotype assembly of single individual tumor populations is an exceedingly difficult task complicated by tumor haplotype heterogeneity, tumor or normal cell sequence contamination, polyploidy, and complex patterns of variation. While computational and experimental haplotype phasing of diploid genomes has seen much progress in recent years, haplotype assembly in cancer genomes remains uncharted territory. In this work, we describe HapCompass-Tumor a computational modeling and algorithmic framework for haplotype assembly of copy number variable cancer genomes containing haplotypes at different frequencies and complex variation. We extend our polyploid haplotype assembly model and present novel algorithms for (1) complex variations, including copy number changes, as varying numbers of disjoint paths in an associated graph, (2) variable haplotype frequencies and contamination, and (3) computation of tumor haplotypes using simple cycles of the compass graph which constrain the space of haplotype assembly solutions. The model and algorithm are implemented in the software package HapCompass-Tumor which is available for download from http://www.brown.edu/Research/Istrail_Lab/. PMID:24297529

Self-compassion: a potential resource for young women athletes.

PubMed

Mosewich, Amber D; Kowalski, Kent C; Sabiston, Catherine M; Sedgwick, Whitney A; Tracy, Jessica L

2011-02-01

Self-compassion has demonstrated many psychological benefits (Neff, 2009). In an effort to explore self-compassion as a potential resource for young women athletes, we explored relations among self-compassion, proneness to self-conscious emotions (i.e., shame, guilt-free shame, guilt, shame-free guilt, authentic pride, and hubristic pride), and potentially unhealthy self-evaluative thoughts and behaviors (i.e., social physique anxiety, obligatory exercise, objectified body consciousness, fear of failure, and fear of negative evaluation). Young women athletes (N = 151; Mage = 15.1 years) participated in this study. Self-compassion was negatively related to shame proneness, guilt-free shame proneness, social physique anxiety, objectified body consciousness, fear of failure, and fear of negative evaluation. In support of theoretical propositions, self-compassion explained variance beyond self-esteem on shame proneness, guilt-free shame proneness, shame-free guilt proneness, objectified body consciousness, fear of failure, and fear of negative evaluation. Results suggest that, in addition to self-esteem promotion, self-compassion development may be beneficial in cultivating positive sport experiences for young women.

Emotion Regulation Strategies, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction in Healthcare Providers.

PubMed

Măirean, Cornelia

2016-11-16

The aim of the present study is to examine the relationships between two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction in a sample of 190 healthcare providers. Another aim of this study is to examine if the relations between emotion regulation strategies and traumatic stress symptoms are moderated by compassion satisfaction. The respondents volunteered to take part in the research and completed self-reporting measures describing the use of emotional regulation strategies, the symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, and the compassion satisfaction. The results revealed negative associations between cognitive reappraisal and secondary traumatic stress, while expressive suppression is positively associated with arousal. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal is positively related to compassion satisfaction, while secondary traumatic stress symptoms are negatively correlated with compassion satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationship between expressive suppression and intrusions is moderated by compassion satisfaction. The implications of these results for enhancing professional quality of life in the context of secondary exposure to traumatic life events are discussed.

Self-Compassion Promotes Personal Improvement From Regret Experiences via Acceptance.

PubMed

Zhang, Jia Wei; Chen, Serena

2016-02-01

Why do some people report more personal improvement from their regret experiences than others? Three studies examined whether self-compassion promotes personal improvement derived from recalled regret experiences. In Study 1, we coded anonymous regret descriptions posted on a blog website. People who spontaneously described their regret with greater self-compassion were also judged as having expressed more personal improvement. In Study 2, higher trait self-compassion predicted greater self-reported and observer-rated personal improvement derived from recalled regret experiences. In Study 3, people induced to take a self-compassionate perspective toward a recalled regret experience reported greater acceptance, forgiveness, and personal improvement. A multiple mediation analysis comparing acceptance and forgiveness showed self-compassion led to greater personal improvement, in part, through heightened acceptance. Furthermore, self-compassion's effects on personal improvement were distinct from self-esteem and were not explained by adaptive emotional responses. Overall, the results suggest that self-compassion spurs positive adjustment in the face of regrets. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Class and compassion: socioeconomic factors predict responses to suffering.

PubMed

Stellar, Jennifer E; Manzo, Vida M; Kraus, Michael W; Keltner, Dacher

2012-06-01

Previous research indicates that lower-class individuals experience elevated negative emotions as compared with their upper-class counterparts. We examine how the environments of lower-class individuals can also promote greater compassionate responding-that is, concern for the suffering or well-being of others. In the present research, we investigate class-based differences in dispositional compassion and its activation in situations wherein others are suffering. Across studies, relative to their upper-class counterparts, lower-class individuals reported elevated dispositional compassion (Study 1), as well as greater self-reported compassion during a compassion-inducing video (Study 2) and for another person during a social interaction (Study 3). Lower-class individuals also exhibited heart rate deceleration-a physiological response associated with orienting to the social environment and engaging with others-during the compassion-inducing video (Study 2). We discuss a potential mechanism of class-based influences on compassion, whereby lower-class individuals' are more attuned to others' distress, relative to their upper-class counterparts.

Relationships between compassion fatigue, burnout, and turnover intention in Korean hospital nurses.

PubMed

Sung, Kiwol; Seo, Youngsook; Kim, Jee Hee

2012-12-01

This study aimed to identify relationships between compassion fatigue, burnout, and turnover intention in Korean hospital nurses. In total, 142 hospital nurses were surveyed as part of data collection. Data related to compassion fatigue, burnout, and turnover intention were collected using a questionnaire between May 2011 and September 2011. The data analysis was performed using PASW 19.0 program, which included one-way ANOVA, independent t-tests, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis. This study detected a positive correlation between compassion fatigue and burnout(r=.37, p<.001), and turnover intention(r=.55, p<.001). Compassion fatigue accounted for 29.6% of the variance for turnover intention among Korean hospital nurses. The results indicate that it is necessary to reduce compassion fatigue, and turnover intention among Korean hospital nurses.

Training-as-treatment: effectiveness of the Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist Training.

PubMed

Gentry, J Eric; Baggerly, Jennifer; Baranowsky, Anna

2004-01-01

Mental health and other service professionals who work with trauma survivors often experience the debilitating effects of compassion fatigue and caregiver stress. Leaders within the field have called for effective, empirically supported interventions for professionals who experience these negative effects. In response to the call, this study examines the treatment effectiveness of the Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist Training (CCFST) for 83 participating mental health professionals. Results show a statistically and clinically significant decrease in participants' compassion fatigue and burnout symptoms and increase in their compassion satisfaction. A "training-as-treatment" effect of CCFST is introduced, described, and evaluated. Discussion of these findings, clinical implications, limitations, and future directions are provided. CCFST appears to be an effective intervention for ameliorating compassion fatigue symptoms in mental health professionals.

A Community of Scientists and Educators: The Compass Project at UC Berkeley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Nathaniel; Schwab, Josiah

2016-01-01

The Berkeley Compass Project is a self-formed group of graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. Its goals are to improve undergraduate physics education, provide opportunities for professional development, and increase retention of students from populations underrepresented in the physical sciences. For undergraduate students, the core Compass experience consists of a summer program and several seminar courses. These programs are designed to foster a diverse, collaborative student community in which students engage in authentic research practices and regular self-reflection. Graduate students, together with upper-level undergraduates, design and run all Compass programs. Compass strives to incorporate best practices from the science education literature. Experiences in Compass leave participants poised to be successful students researchers, teachers, and mentors.

[Compassion as a mediator between stressful events and perceived stress in Greek students].

PubMed

Tholouli, E; Maridaki-Kassotaki, A; Varvogli, L; Chrousos, G P

2016-01-01

Compassion is closely related with human's survival as a mammal and has been developed through evolution for pain reduction, for forming affiliative bonds and alliances with non kin in order to increase protection and cope with external threats. Compassion seems to influence people's ability to deal with life's adverse situations such as stress and it is linked with lower psychopathology and greater wellbeing. Compassion is closely related to empathy and altruism and it is defined as the recognition of the pain of the self or others' that is accompanied with the will to take action in order to relieve the person from pain. Its main features are kindness instead of self-judgment and indifference, the recognition of common humanity instead of the feeling of separation and mindfulness when facing adverse conditions instead of over-identification with one's pain or disengagement with the pain of others. According to the biopsychosocial approach, stress can be defined by three dimensions such as the cause or stressful factors that can be major life events or daily hassles, the perception of stress that is manifested through cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions and the physiological response for achieving homeostasis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of compassion for self and others in the occurrence of stressful events and levels of perceived stress in students. Participants were 280 undergraduate students from two Greek universities. Results indicated that students who had experienced a greater amount of stressful events during the past year reported having higher levels of perceived stress and that higher self-compassion was correlated with less perceived stress. Moreover, the adverse effect of stressful events on perceived stress was partially explained by the mediating role of self-compassion. Students who reported more stressful events showed higher compassion for others in opposition to compassion towards themselves but compassion for others was not significantly correlated with perceived stress. Since compassion is not considered being a fixed personality trait but it is seen as a capacity that can be developed by appropriate training it was suggested that enhancing self-compassion's stress buffering properties can be useful for dealing with stressful events and reducing stress responses. Moeover, it was suggested that it is interesting to explore the relationship between compassion for others and positive characteristics such as sense of coherence, quality of life and social support that may enhance stress resilience indirectly. The above findings imply that it is important to investigate further the role of compassion in coping with stress in qualitative, longitudinal studies as well as randomized control trials. Compassion may be an alternative mechanism for coping with stressful events and stress, other than fight or flight that has been shaped by evolution.

The Compass Rose Effectiveness Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiers, Cynthia E.; Kiel, Dorothy; Hohenrink, Brad

2008-01-01

The effectiveness model focuses the institution on mission achievement through assessment and improvement planning. Eleven mission criteria, measured by key performance indicators, are aligned with the accountability interest of internal and external stakeholders. A Web-based performance assessment application supports the model, documenting the…

46 CFR 184.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Navigation Equipment § 184.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use...

46 CFR 184.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Navigation Equipment § 184.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use...

46 CFR 184.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Navigation Equipment § 184.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use...

The linkages among childhood maltreatment, adolescent mental health, and self-compassion in child welfare adolescents.

PubMed

Tanaka, Masako; Wekerle, Christine; Schmuck, Mary Lou; Paglia-Boak, Angela

2011-10-01

Childhood maltreatment is a robust risk factor for poor physical and mental health. Child welfare youths represent a high-risk group, given the greater likelihood of severe or multiple types of maltreatment. This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and self-compassion - a concept of positive acceptance of self. While not applied previously to a child welfare sample, self-compassion may be of value in understanding impairment among maltreatment victims. This may be most pertinent in adolescence and young adulthood, when self-identity is a focal developmental process. The present sample was drawn from the Maltreatment and Adolescent Pathways (MAP) Longitudinal Study, which followed randomly selected adolescents receiving child protection services across two years within an urban catchment area. Child maltreatment was assessed at baseline using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 1994, 2003). Mental health, substance and alcohol use problems, suicide attempt, and self-compassion were assessed at the two-year follow-up point. There were 117 youths, aged 16-20 years (45.3% males) who completed the self-compassion scale (Neff, 2003). Bivariate correlations were computed between adolescent self-compassion and each form of self-reported maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect). Finally, hierarchical, stepwise regression was used to examine unique contributions of child maltreatment subtypes in predicting adolescent self-compassion, as well as maltreatment-related impairment. Higher childhood emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and physical abuse were associated with lower self-compassion. Controlling for age and gender, emotional abuse was significantly associated with reduced self-compassion, even when the effects of emotional neglect and physical abuse were taken into account. Youths with low self-compassion were more likely to have psychological distress, problem alcohol use, and report a serious suicide attempt, as compared with those with high self-compassion. A number of maltreatment-related areas of impairment, identified by screening instruments, were significantly associated with lower self-compassion. Self-compassion may be a fruitful aspect of research to pursue in an effort to better understand the impact of childhood emotional abuse on adolescent functioning, particularly considering the under-researched group of those receiving child protective services. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Relationship between Athletes' Perceptions of the Motivational Climate to Their Compassion, Self-Compassion, Shame, and Pride in Adult Recreational Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontana, Mario S.; Fry, Mary D.; Cramer, Emily

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between athletes' perceptions of the motivational climate (caring, task-, and ego-involving) to their levels of compassion, self-compassion, pride, and shame in a recreational sport setting. Athletes (N = 164) in a competitive Wiffle Ball tournament completed a survey. A canonical…

Mindfulness of voices, self-compassion, and secure attachment in relation to the experience of hearing voices.

PubMed

Dudley, James; Eames, Catrin; Mulligan, John; Fisher, Naomi

2018-03-01

Developing compassion towards oneself has been linked to improvement in many areas of psychological well-being, including psychosis. Furthermore, developing a non-judgemental, accepting way of relating to voices is associated with lower levels of distress for people who hear voices. These factors have also been associated with secure attachment. This study explores associations between the constructs of mindfulness of voices, self-compassion, and distress from hearing voices and how secure attachment style related to each of these variables. Cross-sectional online. One hundred and twenty-eight people (73% female; M age  = 37.5; 87.5% Caucasian) who currently hear voices completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Southampton Mindfulness of Voices Questionnaire, Relationships Questionnaire, and Hamilton Programme for Schizophrenia Voices Questionnaire. Results showed that mindfulness of voices mediated the relationship between self-compassion and severity of voices, and self-compassion mediated the relationship between mindfulness of voices and severity of voices. Self-compassion and mindfulness of voices were significantly positively correlated with each other and negatively correlated with distress and severity of voices. Mindful relation to voices and self-compassion are associated with reduced distress and severity of voices, which supports the proposed potential benefits of mindful relating to voices and self-compassion as therapeutic skills for people experiencing distress by voice hearing. Greater self-compassion and mindfulness of voices were significantly associated with less distress from voices. These findings support theory underlining compassionate mind training. Mindfulness of voices mediated the relationship between self-compassion and distress from voices, indicating a synergistic relationship between the constructs. Although the current findings do not give a direction of causation, consideration is given to the potential impact of mindful and compassionate approaches to voices. © 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Compassion in practice-Evaluating the awareness, involvement and perceived impact of a national nursing and midwifery strategy amongst healthcare professionals in NHS Trusts in England.

PubMed

O'Driscoll, Mike; Allan, Helen; Liu, Liang; Corbett, Kevin; Serrant, Laura

2018-03-01

To report the findings from an evaluation of the impact of the Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy (National Health Service England (NHSE), 2012) on nursing, midwifery and care staff. The Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy was a programme of work to highlight the importance of compassionate care following the Francis Report in 2013 into the deficits in care in an NHS Hospital Trust. It was launched by NHS England in 2012 at a time when fiscal cuts were introduced by the Department of Health in England. Mixed methods. Inferential statistics were used to test whether there were significant differences between staff at different levels of seniority with regard to awareness and involvement in Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy and their attitudes to it. Awareness and involvement of staff in Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy were high amongst middle and senior management but limited at ward level. Staff involvement in Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy was limited due to a lack of awareness. Ward level staff who were aware and involved, perceived a lack of support and communication from senior leadership to deliver the Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy. Results reveal professional anger, distress and resistance to the Compassion in Practice Vision and Strategy and a view of the programme as a top-down initiative which did not sufficiently recognise structural constraints on nurses' ability to deliver compassionate care. We discuss the implications of our findings for global nursing. Participants emphasised that compassion for patients is only sustainable where there is compassion for staff and many participants felt that they were not being treated with compassion. National Health Service England should strongly affirm that nurses and midwives in general provide compassionate care. Trust leadership should provide support for ward level staff who deliver compassionate care in difficult circumstances. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

46 CFR 121.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Navigation Equipment § 121.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use, to be mounted at the primary...

46 CFR 121.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Navigation Equipment § 121.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use, to be mounted at the primary...

46 CFR 121.402 - Compasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Navigation Equipment § 121.402 Compasses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section every vessel must be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use, to be mounted at the primary...

The Cost of Caring: An Exploration of Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Job Satisfaction in Pediatric Nurses.

PubMed

Roney, Linda Nancy; Acri, Mary C

The purpose of this study was to describe levels of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and job satisfaction among pediatric nurses in the United States and determine if there was a relationship among these constructs. All members Society of Pediatric Nurses were sent an electronic invitation to participate, and those who consented received three measures; a demographic questionnaire, the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) measure. Three hundred eighteen (10.6%) of members of the Society of Pediatric Nurses participated in the study: Over three quarters (245, 76%) of the sample had another career before nursing. The sample's mean job satisfaction level was 149.8 (SD=29.74), which was significantly higher than published reported means for nurses. Bivariate analyses revealed a significant relationship between gender and the compassion satisfaction, in that women were more likely to evidence compassion satisfaction than men (t=1.967, p=.05, df=298). No other significant relationships were found. The majority of nurses had high levels of compassion satisfaction and job satisfaction; further, female gender was associated with higher levels of compassion satisfaction. This current study had a very high response from second-career nurses (n=245, 76.8%) and overall, the sample had higher levels of compassion satisfaction. It is possible that second career nurses are better equipped in some way that helps them mediate negative responses of caring as a pediatric nurse and future research should explore this. Due to the significant financial costs to institutions of having nurses who have low levels of job satisfaction and high levels on compassion fatigue, it is imperative for hospital administrators to develop infrastructures to support employees. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Group-Based Compassion-Focused Therapy as an Adjunct to Outpatient Treatment for Eating Disorders: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison Catherine; Wisniewski, Lucene; Martin-Wagar, Caitlin; Hoffman, Ellen

2017-03-01

The current study sought to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a compassion-focused therapy (CFT) group as an adjunct to evidence-based outpatient treatment for eating disorders, and to examine its preliminary efficacy relative to treatment as usual (TAU). Twenty-two outpatients with various types of eating disorders were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of TAU (n = 11) or TAU plus weekly CFT groups adapted for an eating disorder population (CFT + TAU; n = 11). Participants in both conditions completed measures of self-compassion, fears of compassion, shame and eating disorder pathology at baseline, week 4, week 8 and week 12. Additionally, participants receiving the CFT group completed measures assessing acceptability and feasibility of the group. Results indicated that the CFT group demonstrated strong acceptability; attendance was high and the group retained over 80% of participants. Participants rated the group positively and indicated they would be very likely to recommend it to peers with similar symptoms. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that compared to the TAU condition, the CFT + TAU condition yielded greater improvements in self-compassion, fears of self-compassion, fears of receiving compassion, shame and eating disorder pathology over the 12 weeks. Results suggest that group-based CFT, offered in conjunction with evidence-based outpatient TAU for eating disorders, may be an acceptable, feasible and efficacious intervention. Furthermore, eating disorder patients appear to see benefit in, and observe gains from, working on the CFT goals of overcoming fears of compassion, developing more self-compassion and accessing more compassion from others. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of COMPASS Web-Based and Face-to-Face Teacher Coaching in Autism

PubMed Central

Ruble, Lisa A.; McGrew, John H.; Toland, Michael D.; Dalrymple, Nancy J.; Jung, Lee Ann

2013-01-01

Objective Most children with autism rely on schools as their primary source of intervention, yet research has suggested that teachers rarely use evidence-based practices. To address the need for improved educational outcomes, a previously tested consultation intervention called the Collaborative Model for Promoting Competence and Success (COMPASS; Ruble, Dalrymple, & McGrew, 2010; Ruble, Dalrymple, & McGrew, 2012) was evaluated in a 2nd randomized controlled trial, with the addition of a web-based group. Method Forty-nine teacher–child dyads were randomized into 1 of 3 groups: (1) a placebo control (PBO) group, (2) COMPASS followed by face-to-face (FF) coaching sessions, and (3) COMPASS followed by web-based (WEB) coaching sessions. Three individualized goals (social, communication, and independence skills) were selected for intervention for each child. The primary outcome of independent ratings of child goal attainment and several process measures (e.g., consultant and teacher fidelity) were evaluated. Results Using an intent-to-treat approach, findings replicated earlier results with a very large effect size (d = 1.41) for the FF group and a large effect size (d = 1.12) for the WEB group relative to the PBO group. There were no differences in overall change across goal domains between the FF and WEB groups, suggesting the efficacy of videoconferencing technology. Conclusions COMPASS is effective and results in improved educational outcomes for young children with autism. Videoconferencing technology, as a scalable tool, has promise for facilitating access to autism specialists and bridging the research-to-practice gap. PMID:23438314

Shame and eating psychopathology in Portuguese women: Exploring the roles of self-judgment and fears of receiving compassion.

PubMed

Oliveira, Vanessa Raquel; Ferreira, Cláudia; Mendes, Ana Laura; Marta-Simões, Joana

2017-03-01

Shame has been for long associated with the development and maintenance of body image and eating-related difficulties. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Therefore, the current study sought to examine the mechanisms of self-judgment and fears of receiving compassion from others in the association between external shame and disordered eating, while controlling for body mass index (BMI). Participants in this study were 400 women from the general population, aged between 18 and 55 years old. Correlation analyses revealed significant and positive relationships between external shame, self-judgment, fears of receiving compassion from others and eating psychopathology. A path analysis confirmed that, when controlling for the effect of BMI, external shame has a direct effect on disordered eating severity, and also an indirect effect, mediated by higher levels of self-judgment and increased fears of receiving others' kindness and compassion. Results showed the plausibility of the tested model which explained 36% of the variance of disordered eating. These findings seem to support that women who perceive that others view them negatively tend to be defensive and engage in maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (such as harsh critical attitudes towards the self and being resistant to others' compassion), which may trigger maladaptive eating attitudes and behaviours. The current research appears to be an innovative study in the field of body image and eating-related psychopathology and seems to represent a new avenue for future research and for the development of intervention programs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Haplotype assembly in polyploid genomes and identical by descent shared tracts.

PubMed

Aguiar, Derek; Istrail, Sorin

2013-07-01

Genome-wide haplotype reconstruction from sequence data, or haplotype assembly, is at the center of major challenges in molecular biology and life sciences. For complex eukaryotic organisms like humans, the genome is vast and the population samples are growing so rapidly that algorithms processing high-throughput sequencing data must scale favorably in terms of both accuracy and computational efficiency. Furthermore, current models and methodologies for haplotype assembly (i) do not consider individuals sharing haplotypes jointly, which reduces the size and accuracy of assembled haplotypes, and (ii) are unable to model genomes having more than two sets of homologous chromosomes (polyploidy). Polyploid organisms are increasingly becoming the target of many research groups interested in the genomics of disease, phylogenetics, botany and evolution but there is an absence of theory and methods for polyploid haplotype reconstruction. In this work, we present a number of results, extensions and generalizations of compass graphs and our HapCompass framework. We prove the theoretical complexity of two haplotype assembly optimizations, thereby motivating the use of heuristics. Furthermore, we present graph theory-based algorithms for the problem of haplotype assembly using our previously developed HapCompass framework for (i) novel implementations of haplotype assembly optimizations (minimum error correction), (ii) assembly of a pair of individuals sharing a haplotype tract identical by descent and (iii) assembly of polyploid genomes. We evaluate our methods on 1000 Genomes Project, Pacific Biosciences and simulated sequence data. HapCompass is available for download at http://www.brown.edu/Research/Istrail_Lab/. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Developing a pilot curriculum to foster humanism among graduate medical trainees.

PubMed

Dotters-Katz, Sarah K; Chuang, Alice; Weil, Amy; Howell, Jennifer O

2018-01-01

Humanism is a central tenant of professionalism, a required competency for all residency programs. Yet, few residencies have formal curriculum for teaching this critical aspect of medicine. Instead, professionalism and humanism are often taught informally through role-modeling. With increased burnout, faculty professionalism may suffer and may compromise resident role-modeling. The objective of this study was to design a pilot curriculum to foster humanism in among residents and assess its ability to do so. Two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods study. Phase 1: a qualitative analysis of residents' narratives regarding challenges to humanistic behavior, and identified themes of compassion, fatigue, communication challenges, and work-life balance. Themes used as needs assessment to build curriculum. Phase 2: three sessions with themes taken from faculty development course. Participants and controls completed baseline and 60-day follow-up questionnaires assessing burnout, compassion, satisfaction, and ability to practice psychological medicine. Phase one included Obstetrics/Gynecology and internal medicine residents. Phase two included residents from the above programs, who attended at least 2/3 interactive sessions designed to address the themes identified above. Twelve participants began and ten completed curriculum (83%). The curriculum met course objectives and was well-received (4.8/5). Burnout decreased (-3.1 vs. 2.5, P = 0.048). A trend toward improved compassion (4.4 vs.-0.6, P = 0.096) for participants compared to controls was noted. A pilot humanism curriculum for residents was well-received. Participants showed decreased burnout and trended to improved compassion scores. Development and evaluation of an expanded curriculum would further explore feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention.

Recent Development of an Earth Science App - FieldMove Clino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, Alan; Collins, Nathan; Krus, Mike; Rourke, Peter

2014-05-01

As geological modelling and analysis move into 3D digital space, it becomes increasingly important to be able to rapidly integrate new data with existing databases, without the potential degradation caused by repeated manual transcription of numeric, graphical and meta-data. Digital field mapping offers significant benefits when compared with traditional paper mapping techniques, in that it can directly and interactively feed and be guided by downstream geological modelling and analysis. One of the most important pieces of equipment used by the field geologists is the compass clinometer. Midland Valley's development team have recently release their highly anticipated FieldMove Clino App. FieldMove Clino is a digital compass-clinometer for data capture on a smartphone. The app allows the user to use their phone as a traditional hand-held bearing compass, as well as a digital compass-clinometer for rapidly measuring and capturing the georeferenced location and orientation of planar and linear features in the field. The user can also capture and store digital photographs and text notes. FieldMove Clino supports online Google Maps as well as offline maps, so that the user can import their own georeferenced basemaps. Data can be exported as comma-separated values (.csv) or Move™ (.mve) files and then imported directly into FieldMove™, Move™ or other applications. Midland Valley is currently pioneering tablet-based mapping and, along with its industrial and academic partners, will be using the application in field based projects throughout this year and will be integrating feedback in further developments of this technology.

Interpreting the Effects of Pulse Remagnetization on Animal Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirschvink, J. L.; Wang, C. X.; Golash, H. N.; Hilburn, I. A.; Wu, D. A.; Crucilla, S. J.; Badal, Y. D.; Shimojo, S.

2017-12-01

Observations of geomagnetic sensitivity by migratory and homing animals have puzzled biophysicists for over 70 years. Widely dismissed as biophysically implausible due to the lack of physiological ferromagnetic materials [e.g., D.R. Griffin, 1944, 1952], clear and reproducible responses to earth-strength magnetic fields is now firmly established in organisms ranging from Bacteria, Protists, and Animals from numerous phyla, including mollusks, arthropods, and the chordates. Behavior demands sensory transduction, as external stimuli only `get into the nervous system' through sensory cells specialized to transduce the physical stimulus into a modulated stream of action potentials in neurons. Three basic biophysical mechanisms could plausibly explain the biophysical transduction of geomagnetic cues, including electrical induction, hyperfine magnetic field effects on photo-activated free radicals (the `Quantum Compass'), or receptor cells containing biologically-precipitated crystals of a ferromagnetic mineral like magnetite (Fe3O4). The definitive test of a ferromagnetic receptor is the pulse-remagnetization experiment, in which you apply a brief, unidirectional magnetic pulse of about 1 mS in duration, configured to exceed the coercive force of the SD particles and reverse the orientation of the magnetic moment wrt to the crystal axis (typically, a pulse few tens of mT is adequate). A pulse configured in this fashion can be well below the dB/dt level needed to fire a sensory nerve through the induced electric fields. The pulse produces a permanent flip in magnetization direction, the same way information is coded on magnetic tape. Magnetotactic bacteria, exposed to such a pulse, reverse their magnetic swimming directions passively. There are now over 16 peer-reviewed papers in which this experiment has been applied to animals, including birds, all of which show clear and long-lasting effects of the pulse. Such a pulse would have no lasting effect on a quantum compass. Initial experiments with a magnetic pulse of 70 mT on a large primate show a clear effect, although the results are … complex!

Self-compassion in the face of shame and body image dissatisfaction: implications for eating disorders.

PubMed

Ferreira, Cláudia; Pinto-Gouveia, José; Duarte, Cristiana

2013-04-01

The current study examines the role of self-compassion in face of shame and body image dissatisfaction, in 102 female eating disorders' patients, and 123 women from general population. Self-compassion was negatively associated with external shame, general psychopathology, and eating disorders' symptomatology. In women from the general population increased external shame predicted drive for thinness partially through lower self-compassion; also, body image dissatisfaction directly predicted drive for thinness. However, in the patients' sample increased shame and body image dissatisfaction predicted increased drive for thinness through decreased self-compassion. These results highlight the importance of the affiliative emotion dimensions of self-compassion in face of external shame, body image dissatisfaction and drive for thinness, emphasising the relevance of cultivating a self-compassionate relationship in eating disorders' patients. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Group cohesion and organizational commitment: protective factors for nurse residents' job satisfaction, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout.

PubMed

Li, Angela; Early, Sean F; Mahrer, Nicole E; Klaristenfeld, Jessica L; Gold, Jeffrey I

2014-01-01

Stress can have detrimental effects on nurse residents' levels of job satisfaction, compassion, fatigue, and burnout. This can lead to high turnover rates and poor quality of care among novice nurses. Therefore, it is critical to identify protective factors to prevent the onset of negative nurse outcomes (compassion fatigue, burnout, and job dissatisfaction) and to promote positive nurse outcomes (job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction). This study aimed to determine whether factors such as group cohesion and organizational commitment would be protective and moderate the association between stress exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms and other negative nurse outcomes, thus facilitating positive outcomes. Findings showed that group cohesion was effective in moderating the negative effects of current stress exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms on negative nurse outcomes, specifically on increased compassion fatigue and burnout, and reduced compassion satisfaction. In addition, organizational commitment was determined to promote positive nurse outcomes such as job satisfaction and compassion satisfaction. The study findings are promising, as retention of quality nurses is a significant problem for hospitals. Nurse managers and hospital administrators should be aware of the benefits of group cohesion and organizational commitment and strive to make the promotion of these factors a priority. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

COMPASS time synchronization and dissemination—Toward centimetre positioning accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, ZhengBo; Zhao, Lu; Wang, ShiGuang; Zhang, JianWei; Wang, Bo; Wang, LiJun

2014-09-01

In this paper we investigate methods to achieve highly accurate time synchronization among the satellites of the COMPASS global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Owing to the special design of COMPASS which implements several geo-stationary satellites (GEO), time synchronization can be highly accurate via microwave links between ground stations to the GEO satellites. Serving as space-borne relay stations, the GEO satellites can further disseminate time and frequency signals to other satellites such as the inclined geo-synchronous (IGSO) and mid-earth orbit (MEO) satellites within the system. It is shown that, because of the accuracy in clock synchronization, the theoretical accuracy of COMPASS positioning and navigation will surpass that of the GPS. In addition, the COMPASS system can function with its entire positioning, navigation, and time-dissemination services even without the ground link, thus making it much more robust and secure. We further show that time dissemination using the COMPASS-GEO satellites to earth-fixed stations can achieve very high accuracy, to reach 100 ps in time dissemination and 3 cm in positioning accuracy, respectively. In this paper, we also analyze two feasible synchronization plans. All special and general relativistic effects related to COMPASS clocks frequency and time shifts are given. We conclude that COMPASS can reach centimeter-level positioning accuracy and discuss potential applications.

What is compassion and how can we measure it? A review of definitions and measures.

PubMed

Strauss, Clara; Lever Taylor, Billie; Gu, Jenny; Kuyken, Willem; Baer, Ruth; Jones, Fergal; Cavanagh, Kate

2016-07-01

The importance of compassion is widely recognized and it is receiving increasing research attention. Yet, there is lack of consensus on definition and a paucity of psychometrically robust measures of this construct. Without an agreed definition and adequate measures, we cannot study compassion, measure compassion or evaluate whether interventions designed to enhance compassion are effective. In response, this paper proposes a definition of compassion and offers a systematic review of self- and observer-rated measures. Following consolidation of existing definitions, we propose that compassion consists of five elements: recognizing suffering, understanding the universality of human suffering, feeling for the person suffering, tolerating uncomfortable feelings, and motivation to act/acting to alleviate suffering. Three databases were searched (Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Medline) and nine measures included and rated for quality. Quality ratings ranged from 2 to 7 out of 14 with low ratings due to poor internal consistency for subscales, insufficient evidence for factor structure and/or failure to examine floor/ceiling effects, test-retest reliability, and discriminant validity. We call our five-element definition, and if supported, the development of a measure of compassion based on this operational definition, and which demonstrates adequate psychometric properties. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Chronobiological factors for compassion satisfaction and fatigue among ambulatory oncology caregivers.

PubMed

Bellicoso, Daniela; Trudeau, Maureen; Fitch, Margaret I; Ralph, Martin R

2017-01-01

Primary caregivers for victims of chronic illness and or trauma experience both positive and negative emotional consequences. These are broadly classified as compassion satisfaction (CS) and compassion fatigue (CF). Because one of the components of CF, burnout, varies with chronotype and sleep quality, we assessed the influence of chronobiological features on the broader constructs of CS and CF. Responses from primary ambulatory care oncology staff working dayshifts were assessed for potential relationships of chronotype and sleep quality with CS and CF using the professional quality of life scale. These were analyzed further in a multivariate model that included personality and job satisfaction as cofactors. We found that sleep quality was a key contributor to CS development and CF reduction. Morningness was positively linked to CS, but the univariate association was masked in the multivariate model. Job satisfaction (contingent rewards, nature of work and operating procedures) heavily influenced CS and CF development. Agreeableness and openness showed positive correlations with CS and negative with burnout, while emotional stability was linked to reduced CF. While job satisfaction and personality predictably played roles in the development of CS and CF, sleep quality and chronotype contributed significantly to benefits and negative consequences of providing care.

Light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: the crucial step occurs in the dark.

PubMed

Wiltschko, Roswitha; Ahmad, Margaret; Nießner, Christine; Gehring, Dennis; Wiltschko, Wolfgang

2016-05-01

The Radical Pair Model proposes that the avian magnetic compass is based on spin-chemical processes: since the ratio between the two spin states singlet and triplet of radical pairs depends on their alignment in the magnetic field, it can provide information on magnetic directions. Cryptochromes, blue light-absorbing flavoproteins, with flavin adenine dinucleotide as chromophore, are suggested as molecules forming the radical pairs underlying magnetoreception. When activated by light, cryptochromes undergo a redox cycle, in the course of which radical pairs are generated during photo-reduction as well as during light-independent re-oxidation. This raised the question as to which radical pair is crucial for mediating magnetic directions. Here, we present the results from behavioural experiments with intermittent light and magnetic field pulses that clearly show that magnetoreception is possible in the dark interval, pointing to the radical pair formed during flavin re-oxidation. This differs from the mechanism considered for cryptochrome signalling the presence of light and rules out most current models of an avian magnetic compass based on the radical pair generated during photo-reduction. Using the radical pair formed during re-oxidation may represent a specific adaptation of the avian magnetic compass. © 2016 The Authors.

Exploring compassion: implications for contemporary nursing. Part 2.

PubMed

Straughair, Collette

A range of contemporary political and professional literature endorse the principle of compassion in nursing as a core and underpinning philosophy fundamental to the profession. However, despite pledges to ensure that compassion lies at the heart of nursing, the concept has not been clearly defined. It is evident that uncovering the true meaning is complex and challenging owing to its subjective nature. In light of this, several implications must be considered. Effective student nurse recruitment is essential to ensure that the most appropriate individuals are selected. Contemporary marketing campaigns must be implemented, and recruitment strategies developed, which consider specific values and attitudes. Service user involvement in recruitment and selection, curriculum planning and learning and teaching strategies, and post-qualification education, can enhance nurses' understanding of the patient perspective and make headway in embedding compassion as a core nursing value. Additionally, effective role modelling in practice which demonstrates high-quality compassionate nursing care is essential. Nurses must be adequately supported in the clinical environment to facilitate compassionate behaviours and clinical leadership at all levels must uphold political and professional pledges to achieve this. Consideration of these implications for practice is essential to ensure that nurses are able to respond to patients with humanity and kindness, and deliver high-quality, compassionate care to all.

Which Moral Foundations Predict Willingness to Make Lifestyle Changes to Avert Climate Change in the USA?

PubMed Central

Dickinson, Janis L.; McLeod, Poppy; Bloomfield, Robert; Allred, Shorna

2016-01-01

Jonathan Haidt’s Moral Foundations Theory identifies five moral axes that can influence human motivation to take action on vital problems like climate change. The theory focuses on five moral foundations, including compassion, fairness, purity, authority, and ingroup loyalty; these have been found to differ between liberals and conservatives as well as Democrats and Republicans. Here we show, based on the Cornell National Social Survey (USA), that valuations of compassion and fairness were strong, positive predictors of willingness to act on climate change, whereas purity had a non-significant tendency in the positive direction (p = 0.07). Ingroup loyalty and authority were not supported as important predictor variables using model selection (ΔAICc__). Compassion and fairness were more highly valued by liberals, whereas purity, authority, and in-group loyalty were more highly valued by conservatives. As in previous studies, participants who were younger, more liberal, and reported greater belief in climate change, also showed increased willingness to act on climate change. Our research supports the potential importance of moral foundations as drivers of intentions with respect to climate change action, and suggests that compassion, fairness, and to a lesser extent, purity, are potential moral pathways for personal action on climate change in the USA. PMID:27760207

Compassion Fatigue in Pediatric Nurses.

PubMed

Berger, Jill; Polivka, Barbara; Smoot, Elizabeth Ann; Owens, Heather

2015-01-01

Compassion fatigue in nursing has been shown to impact the quality of patient care and employee satisfaction and engagement. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and severity of compassion fatigue among pediatric nurses and variations in prevalence based on respondent demographics using a cross-sectional survey design. Nurses under 40 years of age, with 6-10 years of experience and/or working in a medical-surgical unit had significantly lower compassion satisfaction and higher levels of burnout. Secondary traumatic stress from caring for children with severe illness or injury or end of life was a key contributor to compassion fatigue. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The installation and correction of compasses in airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoeffel, M F

1927-01-01

The saving of time that results from flying across country on compass headings is beginning to be widely recognized. At the same time the general use of steel tube fuselages has made a knowledge of compass correction much more necessary than was the case when wooden fuselages were the rule. This paper has been prepared primarily for the benefit of the pilot who has never studied navigation and who does not desire to go into the subject more deeply than to be able to fly compass courses with confidence. It also contains material for the designer who wishes to install his compasses with the expectation that they may be accurately corrected.

Compassion Fatigue and Mindfulness: Comparing Mental Health Professionals and MSW Student Interns.

PubMed

Brown, Jodi L Constantine; Ong, Jacqueline; Mathers, Jessica M; Decker, James T

2017-01-01

The relationship between compassion fatigue and mindfulness in mental health professionals compared to Master of Social Work (MSW) students is explored. A convenience sample of mental health professionals (n = 40) and MSW students (n = 111) completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Professional Quality of Life Scale. Results indicate a medium, negative correlation between compassion fatigue and mindfulness, with high levels of compassion fatigue associated with lower levels of mindfulness. There was no statistically significant difference between mental health workers and MSW students on the combined dependent variables. Results suggest that mindfulness protects against compassion fatigue regardless of professional or student status.

Processes of change in a school-based mindfulness programme: cognitive reactivity and self-coldness as mediators.

PubMed

Van der Gucht, Katleen; Takano, Keisuke; Raes, Filip; Kuppens, Peter

2018-05-01

The underlying mechanisms of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for emotional well-being remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the potential mediating effects of cognitive reactivity and self-compassion on symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress using data from an earlier randomised controlled school trial. A moderated time-lagged mediation model based on multilevel modelling was used to analyse the data. The findings showed that post-treatment changes in cognitive reactivity and self-coldness, an aspect of self-compassion, mediated subsequent changes in symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. These results suggest that cognitive reactivity and self-coldness may be considered as transdiagnostic mechanisms of change of a mindfulness-based intervention programme for youth.

Response to a Mindful Self-Compassion Intervention in Teens: A Within-person Association of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Emotional Well-Being Outcomes

PubMed Central

Bluth, Karen; Eisenlohr-Moul, Tory A.

2017-01-01

As adolescence can be a stressful developmental stage, the purpose of this study was to determine if a novel mindful self-compassion program would decrease stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety and increase resilience, gratitude, and curiosity/exploration (positive risk-taking), and to ascertain if mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with these outcomes over time. Forty-seven adolescents in the southeast U.S. enrolled in an 8-week mindful self-compassion course in five cohorts. Measures were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Multilevel growth analyses revealed main effects of time on perceived stress, resilience, curiosity/exploration and gratitude. Additionally, both mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with perceived stress and depressive symptoms; mindfulness also co-varied with anxiety and self-compassion co-varied with resilience and curiosity/exploration. Implications of these findings are that this program has potential in decreasing stress and increasing resilience and positive risk-taking. Future studies with a control group need to be conducted to confirm these findings. PMID:28414965

Protective Effect of Self-Compassion to Emotional Response among Students with Chronic Academic Stress

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yonghong; Luo, Xi; Che, Xianwei; Duan, Wenjie

2016-01-01

The literature has shown that self-compassion is a protective factor of an individual’s emotional response to chronic stress. However, this stress-buffering effect has not been completely analyzed in individuals who report significantly high academic stress. The present study explored the role of self-compassion in a group of undergraduate students who experience chronic academic stress. A total of 208 undergraduate students who were preparing for the Postgraduate Entrance Examination (PEE) were recruited and completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Adolescent Self-Rating Life Event Check List, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Differences analysis confirmed that the participants reported significantly higher academic stress than their peers who were not preparing for PEE. Self-compassion positively related to positive affect but negatively related to negative affect and learning stress. Further analysis showed that self-compassion negatively mediated the relationship between chronic academic stress and negative affect. Findings imply that self-compassion-centered interventions can be developed in the educational context to assist students cope with chronic academic stress. PMID:27920736

Against compassion: in defence of a "hybrid" concept of empathy.

PubMed

Morgan, Alastair

2017-07-01

In this article, I argue that the recent emphasis on compassion in healthcare practice lacks conceptual richness and clarity. In particular, I argue that it would be helpful to focus on a larger concept of empathy rather than compassion alone and that compassion should be thought of as a component of this larger concept of empathy. The first part of the article outlines a critique of the current discourse of compassion on three grounds. This discourse naturalizes, individualizes, and reifies compassion leading to a decontextualized and simplified understanding of failures in healthcare practice. The second part uses resources from phenomenology and contemporary moral philosophy to construct a "hybrid" concept of empathy that includes both pre-reflective/intuitive and cognitive/imaginative components. This "hybrid" concept of empathy leads to a more complex understanding of the multiple responses to others' distress. I conclude that there are no straightforward normative naturalistic responses to others' distress. Rather than conceptualizing compassion as a naturalistic impulse or a character-based trait, we need to consider the complexity of our empathic recognition of vulnerable others. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"Tu Souffres, Cela Suffit": the compassionate hospital.

PubMed

Kearsley, John H; Youngson, Robin

2012-04-01

The authors propose that the characteristics of personal (individual) compassion may be extrapolated to the concept of corporate (organizational) compassion. Modern health care facilities attract staff members who are able to exercise varying degrees of compassion in their busy daily routines. However, little discussion has taken place on how health care organizations might best harness and integrate aspects of individual compassion to create an organization with compassion as a core value. We define three characteristics of a "compassionate hospital" as 1) the presence of a healing environment, 2) a sense of connection among people, and 3) a sense of purpose and identity. We suggest how a "top down" focus on compassion as a core value by clinical leaders could maximize the compassion of health care workers, and reduce the suffering expressed and/or experienced by health care workers and patients in today's health care facilities. The compassionate hospital concept is intended to act as a proposition for health policy researchers and decision-makers in health care so as to reduce the suffering of sick patients, and to restore a sense of well-being, meaning, and purpose among health care workers.

Low self-compassion in patients with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Døssing, Marianne; Nilsson, Kristine Kahr; Svejstrup, Stinna Rzepa; Sørensen, Vegard Venås; Straarup, Krista Nielsen; Hansen, Tia B

2015-07-01

Emerging research suggests that low self-compassion may be linked to psychopathology and in particular depressive symptoms. To further elucidate this topic, the present study investigated self-compassion in patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD). Thirty remitted BD patients were compared to thirty age- and sex matched controls on the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The BD patients also completed the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI-10) and further reported their illness history on a survey sheet. The BD patients were found to have significantly lower self-compassion than controls. In addition, self-compassion correlated positively and significantly with life-satisfaction but no significant correlations with functional impairment, internalized stigma or frequency of past affective episodes were found. The small sample size entailed reduced statistical power. By suggesting that self-compassion is reduced and possibly linked to life-satisfaction in BD, the findings highlight a potential vulnerability meriting further investigations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Compassion fatigue and burnout amongst clinicians: a medical exploratory study.

PubMed

Bhutani, Jaikrit; Bhutani, Sukriti; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Kalra, Sanjay

2012-10-01

Compassion fatigue is a broad term comprising of two components - burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The current study is aimed at identifying 'burnout' and 'compassion fatigue' among clinicians involved in care of individuals suffering from medical illness. A total of 60 clinicians were included in the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to gather information related to personal, professional, anthropometric, and metabolic profile of the study participants. Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL Version V) was used to assess burnout, compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress. Analysis was carried out using the SPSS version 19.0. The mean age of clinicians was 46.68±11.06 (range 26-67 years). Burnout score was significantly higher in those involved in diabetology practice. Similarly, compassion satisfaction score was greater among those with greater years of practice as well as among those in private practice. Clinicians who reported a poor working condition, as opposed to good, had more burnout and less compassion satisfaction. The current study suggests that it is important to find out ways of decreasing burnout and compassion fatigue among clinicians.

Compassion fatigue in liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators: a descriptive research study.

PubMed

Kim, Sabin

2013-12-01

Because of the nature of the helping professions, nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue and burnout. In the past, many researchers have studied compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses. However, reports of research assessing liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators' compassion fatigue and burnout are rare. To assess liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators' levels of compassion fatigue and burnout. A nonexperimental, exploratory descriptive study was conducted using the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 (ProQOL-V), a 30-item self-report instrument to measure participants' level of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. This study sampled 14 liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators from a large multiorgan transplant center in the Southeast region. Transplant nurse coordinators had an average level of compassion satisfaction, an average level of burnout, and an average level of secondary traumatic stress. Within liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators, a statistically significant relationship was found between education levels of transplant nurse coordinators and the level of burnout, suggesting that education levels may influence burnout.

Gait Evaluation of Overground Walking and Treadmill Walking Using Compass-Type Walking Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagata, Yousuke; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Funabiki, Shigeyuki

A treadmill is a useful apparatus for the gait training and evaluation. However, many differences are reported between treadmill and overground walking. Experimental comparisons of the muscle activity of the leg and the heart rate have been carried out. However, the dynamic comparison has not been performed. The dynamic evaluation of the overground walking and the treadmill walking using a compass-type walking model (CTWM) which is a simple bipedal walking model, then their comparison is discussed. It is confirmed that the walking simulation using the CTWM can simulate the difference of that walk, it is clarified that there are the differences of the kick impulse on the ground and the turning impulse of the foot to the variation of the belt speed and then differences are the main factor of two walking.

Why and how is compassion necessary to provide good quality healthcare?

PubMed Central

Fotaki, Marianna

2015-01-01

Recent disclosures of failures of care in the National Health Service (NHS) in England have led to debates about compassion deficits disallowing health professionals to provide high quality responsive care. While the link between high quality care and compassion is often taken for granted, it is less obvious how compassion – often originating in the individual’s emotional response – can become a moral sentiment and lead to developing a system of norms and values underpinning ethics of care. In this editorial, I argue why and how compassion might become a foundation of ethics guiding health professionals and a basis for ethics of care in health service organisations. I conclude by discussing a recent case of prominent healthcare failure in the NHS to highlight the relationship between compassion as an aspect of professional ethics on the one hand, and values and norms that institutions and specific policies promote on the other hand. PMID:25844380

Resilience among first responders.

PubMed

Pietrantoni, Luca; Prati, Gabriele

2008-12-01

Emergency rescue personnel can be considered a "high risk" occupational group in that they could experience a broad range of health and mental health consequences as a result of work-related exposures to critical incidents. This study examined the resilience factors that protect mental health among first responders. Nine hundred and sixty-one first responders filled out an on-line questionnaire, containing measure of sense of community, collective efficacy, self-efficacy and work-related mental health outcomes (compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction). First responders reported high level of compassion satisfaction and low level of burnout and compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue was predicted by self-efficacy, burnout was predicted by self-efficacy, collective efficacy and sense of community, compassion satisfaction was predicted by self-efficacy and sense of community. Resilience following critical events is common among first responders. Self-efficacy, collective efficacy and sense of community could be considered resilience factors that preserve first responders' work-related mental health.

The psychic costs of empathic engagement: personal and demographic predictors of genetic counselor compassion fatigue.

PubMed

Udipi, Sharanya; Veach, Patricia McCarthy; Kao, Juihsien; LeRoy, Bonnie S

2008-10-01

Empathic connection with one's patients is essential to genetic counselor clinical practice. However, repeatedly engaging with distressed patients may cause compassion fatigue, a phenomenon characterized as feeling overwhelmed by experiencing patients' suffering. In order to extend findings of an initial qualitative study, we surveyed 222 genetic counselors about their compassion fatigue and factors that predict its occurrence. Multiple regression analysis identified seven significant predictors accounting for 53.7% of the variance in compassion fatigue. Respondents at higher risk of compassion fatigue were more likely to report being burned out, using self-criticism and giving up to manage stress, experiencing a greater variety of distressing clinical events, having larger patient caseloads, relying on religion as a coping strategy, having no children, and seeking support to manage stress. Respondents also provided critical incidents regarding their compassion fatigue and themes in these incidents are described. Practice and research recommendations are provided.

Exploring the self-compassion of health-care social workers: How do they fare?

PubMed

Lianekhammy, Joann; Miller, J Jay; Lee, Jacquelyn; Pope, Natalie; Barnhart, Sheila; Grise-Owens, Erlene

2018-05-03

Indubitably, the challenges facing health-care social workers are becoming increasingly complex. Whilst these problematic professional circumstances compound the need for self-compassion among health-care social workers, few studies, if any, have explicitly examined self-compassion among this practitioner group. This cross-sectional study explored self-compassion among a sample of practitioners (N = 138) in one southeastern state. Results indicate that health-care social workers in this sample engage in self-compassion only moderately. Further, occupational and demographic/life characteristics (e.g., age, years practicing social work, average hours worked per week, health status, and relationship status, among others) are able to predict self-compassion scores. After a terse review of relevant literature, this paper will explicate findings from this study, discuss relevant points derived from said findings, and identify salient implication for health-care social work praxis.

Compassion fatigue and burnout: prevalence among oncology nurses.

PubMed

Potter, Patricia; Deshields, Teresa; Divanbeigi, Joyce; Berger, Julie; Cipriano, Doreen; Norris, Lori; Olsen, Sarah

2010-10-01

This descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted in inpatient nursing units and outpatient clinics in a cancer center in the midwestern United States. The sample of 153 healthcare providers included RNs, medical assistants, and radiology technicians. The fourth revision of the 30-item Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL R-IV) scale was used for measuring compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout. A series of cross tab analyses examined the relationship between participant demographics and three ProQOL R-IV subscales. The study sample scored similarly on compassion satisfaction and burnout when compared with participants who used the ProQOL R-IV in previous studies. Value exists in analyzing the prevalence of burnout and compassion fatigue among oncology healthcare providers. Understanding the needs of distinct demographic groups offers valuable direction for intervention program development. Applying internal evidence in the design of a relevant stress-reduction program will better equip healthcare providers to recognize and manage compassion fatigue and burnout.

Algorithms for extraction of structural attitudes from 3D outcrop models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duelis Viana, Camila; Endlein, Arthur; Ademar da Cruz Campanha, Ginaldo; Henrique Grohmann, Carlos

2016-05-01

The acquisition of geological attitudes on rock cuts using traditional field compass survey can be a time consuming, dangerous, or even impossible task depending on the conditions and location of outcrops. The importance of this type of data in rock-mass classifications and structural geology has led to the development of new techniques, in which the application of photogrammetric 3D digital models has had an increasing use. In this paper we present two algorithms for extraction of attitudes of geological discontinuities from virtual outcrop models: ply2atti and scanline, implemented with the Python programming language. The ply2atti algorithm allows for the virtual sampling of planar discontinuities appearing on the 3D model as individual exposed surfaces, while the scanline algorithm allows the sampling of discontinuities (surfaces and traces) along a virtual scanline. Application to digital models of a simplified test setup and a rock cut demonstrated a good correlation between the surveys undertaken using traditional field compass reading and virtual sampling on 3D digital models.

Using Social Media to Generate and Collect Primary Data: The #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion Twitter Research Campaign

PubMed Central

Pezaro, Sally; Deeny, Karen; Kneafsey, Rosie

2018-01-01

Background Compassion is a core value embedded in the concept of quality in healthcare. The need for compassion toward healthcare staff in the workplace, for their own health and well-being and also to enable staff to deliver compassionate care for patients, is increasingly understood. However, we do not currently know how healthcare staff understand and characterize compassion toward themselves as opposed to patients. Objective The aim of this study was to use social media for the generation and collection of primary data to gain understanding of the concept of workplace compassion. Methods Tweets that contained the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were collected from Twitter and analyzed. The study took place between April 21 and May 21, 2016. Participants were self-selecting users of the social media service Twitter. The study was promoted by a number of routes: the National Health Service (NHS) England website, the personal Twitter accounts of the research team, internal NHS England communications, and via social media sharing. Participants were asked to contribute their views about what activities, actions, policies, philosophies or approaches demonstrate workplace compassion in healthcare using the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion. All tweets including the research hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were extracted from Twitter and studied using content analysis. Data concerning the frequency, nature, origin, and location of Web-based engagement with the research campaign were collected using Bitly (Bitly, Inc, USA) and Symplur (Symplur LLC, USA) software. Results A total of 260 tweets were analyzed. Of the 251 statements within the tweets that were coded, 37.8% (95/251) of the statements concerned Leadership and Management aspects of workplace compassion, 29.5% (74/251) were grouped under the theme related to Values and Culture, 17.5% (44/251) of the statements related to Personalized Policies and Procedures that support workplace compassion, and 15.2% (38/251) of the statements concerned Activities and Actions that show workplace compassion. Content analysis showed that small acts of kindness, an embedded organizational culture of caring for one another, and recognition of the emotional and physical impact of healthcare work were the most frequently mentioned characteristics of workplace compassion in healthcare. Conclusions This study presents a new and innovative research approach using Twitter. Although previous research has analyzed the nature and pattern of tweets retrospectively, this study used Twitter to both recruit participants and collect primary data. PMID:29685866

Using Social Media to Generate and Collect Primary Data: The #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion Twitter Research Campaign.

PubMed

Clyne, Wendy; Pezaro, Sally; Deeny, Karen; Kneafsey, Rosie

2018-04-23

Compassion is a core value embedded in the concept of quality in healthcare. The need for compassion toward healthcare staff in the workplace, for their own health and well-being and also to enable staff to deliver compassionate care for patients, is increasingly understood. However, we do not currently know how healthcare staff understand and characterize compassion toward themselves as opposed to patients. The aim of this study was to use social media for the generation and collection of primary data to gain understanding of the concept of workplace compassion. Tweets that contained the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were collected from Twitter and analyzed. The study took place between April 21 and May 21, 2016. Participants were self-selecting users of the social media service Twitter. The study was promoted by a number of routes: the National Health Service (NHS) England website, the personal Twitter accounts of the research team, internal NHS England communications, and via social media sharing. Participants were asked to contribute their views about what activities, actions, policies, philosophies or approaches demonstrate workplace compassion in healthcare using the hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion. All tweets including the research hashtag #ShowsWorkplaceCompassion were extracted from Twitter and studied using content analysis. Data concerning the frequency, nature, origin, and location of Web-based engagement with the research campaign were collected using Bitly (Bitly, Inc, USA) and Symplur (Symplur LLC, USA) software. A total of 260 tweets were analyzed. Of the 251 statements within the tweets that were coded, 37.8% (95/251) of the statements concerned Leadership and Management aspects of workplace compassion, 29.5% (74/251) were grouped under the theme related to Values and Culture, 17.5% (44/251) of the statements related to Personalized Policies and Procedures that support workplace compassion, and 15.2% (38/251) of the statements concerned Activities and Actions that show workplace compassion. Content analysis showed that small acts of kindness, an embedded organizational culture of caring for one another, and recognition of the emotional and physical impact of healthcare work were the most frequently mentioned characteristics of workplace compassion in healthcare. This study presents a new and innovative research approach using Twitter. Although previous research has analyzed the nature and pattern of tweets retrospectively, this study used Twitter to both recruit participants and collect primary data. ©Wendy Clyne, Sally Pezaro, Karen Deeny, Rosie Kneafsey. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 23.04.2018.

COMPASS Final Report: Saturn Moons Orbiter Using Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP): Flagship Class Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.

2011-01-01

The COllaborative Modeling and Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team was approached by the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) In-Space Project to perform a design session to develop Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP) Spacecraft Conceptual Designs (with cost, risk, and reliability) for missions of three different classes: New Frontier s Class Centaur Orbiter (with Trojan flyby), Flagship, and Discovery. The designs will allow trading of current and future propulsion systems. The results will directly support technology development decisions. The results of the Flagship mission design are reported in this document

Compassion as the reunion of feminine and masculine virtues in medicine

PubMed Central

Aramesh, Kiarash

2017-01-01

The central role of the virtue of compassion in the shaping of the professional character of healthcare providers is a well-emphasized fact. On the other hand, the utmost obligation of physicians is to alleviate or eliminate human suffering. Traditionally, according to the Aristotelian understanding of virtues and virtue ethics, human virtues have been associated with masculinity. In recent decades, the founders of the ethics of care have introduced a set of virtues with feminine nature. This paper analyzes the notion of compassion as a common virtue between the traditional/masculine and care/feminine sets of virtues and shows that compassion is a reunion and merging point of both sets of human virtues. This role can be actualized through the development and promotion of compassion as an important part of the character of an ideal physician/healthcare provider. In addition, this paper argues that the notion of compassion can shed light on some important aspects of the contemporary debates on healthcare provider-patient relationship and medical futility. Despite the recent technological and scientific transformations in medicine, the interpersonal relationship between healthcare providers and patients still plays a vital role in pursuing the goals of healthcare. The virtue of compassion plays a central role in the establishment of a trust-based physician-patient relationship. This central role is discernible in the debate of medical futility in which making difficult decisions, depends largely on trust and rapport which are achievable by compassion in the physician and the recognition of this compassion by the patients and their surrogate decision makers. PMID:29296257

Compassion as the reunion of feminine and masculine virtues in medicine.

PubMed

Aramesh, Kiarash

2017-01-01

The central role of the virtue of compassion in the shaping of the professional character of healthcare providers is a well-emphasized fact. On the other hand, the utmost obligation of physicians is to alleviate or eliminate human suffering. Traditionally, according to the Aristotelian understanding of virtues and virtue ethics, human virtues have been associated with masculinity. In recent decades, the founders of the ethics of care have introduced a set of virtues with feminine nature. This paper analyzes the notion of compassion as a common virtue between the traditional/masculine and care/feminine sets of virtues and shows that compassion is a reunion and merging point of both sets of human virtues. This role can be actualized through the development and promotion of compassion as an important part of the character of an ideal physician/healthcare provider. In addition, this paper argues that the notion of compassion can shed light on some important aspects of the contemporary debates on healthcare provider-patient relationship and medical futility. Despite the recent technological and scientific transformations in medicine, the interpersonal relationship between healthcare providers and patients still plays a vital role in pursuing the goals of healthcare. The virtue of compassion plays a central role in the establishment of a trust-based physician-patient relationship. This central role is discernible in the debate of medical futility in which making difficult decisions, depends largely on trust and rapport which are achievable by compassion in the physician and the recognition of this compassion by the patients and their surrogate decision makers.

``Simplest Molecule'' Clarifies Modern Physics II. Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harter, William; Reimer, Tyle

2015-05-01

A ``simplest molecule'' consisting of CW- laser beam pairs helps to clarify relativity from poster board - I. In spite of a seemingly massless evanescence, an optical pair also clarifies classical and quantum mechanics of relativistic matter and antimatter. Logical extension of (x,ct) and (ω,ck) geometry gives relativistic action functions of Hamiltonian, Lagrangian, and Poincare that may be constructed in a few ruler-and-compass steps to relate relativistic parameters for group or phase velocity, momentum, energy, rapidity, stellar aberration, Doppler shifts, and DeBroglie wavelength. This exposes hyperbolic and circular trigonometry as two sides of one coin connected by Legendre contact transforms. One is Hamiltonian-like with a longitudinal rapidity parameter ρ (log of Doppler shift). The other is Lagrange-like with a transverse angle parameter σ (stellar aberration). Optical geometry gives recoil in absorption, emission, and resonant Raman-Compton acceleration and distinguishes Einstein rest mass, Galilean momentum mass, and Newtonian effective mass. (Molecular photons appear less bullet-like and more rocket-like.) In conclusion, modern space-time physics appears as a simple result of the more self-evident Evenson's axiom: ``All colors go c.''

"simplest Molecule" Clarifies Modern Physics II. Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimer, T. C.; Harter, W. G.

2014-06-01

A "simplest molecule" consisting of CW-laser beam pairs helps to clarify relativity in Talk I. In spite of a seemingly massless evanescence, an optical pair also clarifies classical and quantum mechanics of relativistic matter and anti-matter. *Logical extension of (x,ct) and (ω,ck) geometry gives relativistic action functions of Hamiltonian, Lagrangian, and Poincare that may be constructed in a few ruler-and-compass steps to relate relativistic parameters for group or phase velocity, momentum, energy, rapidity, stellar aberration, Doppler shifts, and DeBroglie wavelength. This exposes hyperbolic and circular trigonometry as two sides of one coin connected by Legendre contact transforms. One is Hamiltonian-like with a longitudinal rapidity parameter ρ (log of Doppler shift). The other is Lagrange-like with a transverse angle parameter σ (stellar aberration). Optical geometry gives recoil in absorption, emission, and resonant Raman-Compton acceleration and distinguishes Einstein rest mass, Galilean momentum mass, and Newtonian effective mass. (Molecular photons appear less bullet-like and more rocket-like.) In conclusion, modern space-time physics appears as a simple result of the more self-evident Evenson's axiom: "All colors go c."

Self-Compassion, Stress, and Coping

PubMed Central

Allen, Ashley Batts; Leary, Mark R.

2010-01-01

People who are high in self-compassion treat themselves with kindness and concern when they experience negative events. The present article examines the construct of self-compassion from the standpoint of research on coping in an effort to understand the ways in which people who are high in self-compassion cope with stressful events. Self-compassionate people tend to rely heavily on positive cognitive restructuring but do not appear to differ from less self-compassionate people in the degree to which they cope through problem-solving and distraction. Existing evidence does not show clear differences in the degree to which people who are low vs. high in self-compassion seek support as a coping strategy, but more research is needed. PMID:20686629

PanDA for COMPASS at JINR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrosyan, A. Sh.

2016-09-01

PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis System) is a workload management system, widely used for data processing at experiments on Large Hadron Collider and others. COMPASS is a high-energy physics experiment at the Super Proton Synchrotron. Data processing for COMPASS runs locally at CERN, on lxbatch, the data itself stored in CASTOR. In 2014 an idea to start running COMPASS production through PanDA arose. Such transformation in experiment's data processing will allow COMPASS community to use not only CERN resources, but also Grid resources worldwide. During the spring and summer of 2015 installation, validation and migration work is being performed at JINR. Details and results of this process are presented in this paper.

The influence of trait-negative affect and compassion satisfaction on compassion fatigue in Australian nurses.

PubMed

Craigie, Mark; Osseiran-Moisson, Rebecca; Hemsworth, David; Aoun, Samar; Francis, Karen; Brown, Janie; Hegney, Desley; Rees, Clare

2016-01-01

For this study, we examined the nature of the unique relationships trait-negative affect and compassion satisfaction had with compassion fatigue and its components of secondary traumatic stress and burnout in 273 nurses from 1 metropolitan tertiary acute hospital in Western Australia. Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale (Stamm, 2010), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 2004), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983). Bivariate correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine and investigate 4 hypotheses. The results demonstrate a clear differential pattern of relationships with secondary traumatic stress and burnout for both trait-negative affect and compassion satisfaction. Trait-negative affect was clearly the more important factor in terms of its contribution to overall compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. In contrast, compassion satisfaction's unique protective relationship only related to burnout, and not secondary traumatic stress. The results are therefore consistent with the view that compassion satisfaction may be an important internal resource that protects against burnout, but is not directly influential in protecting against secondary traumatic stress for nurses working in an acute-care hospital environment. With the projected nursing workforce shortages in Australia, it is apparent that a further understanding is warranted of how such personal variables may work as protective and risk factors. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Practical compassions: repertoires of practice and compassion talk in acute mental healthcare.

PubMed

Brown, Brian; Crawford, Paul; Gilbert, Paul; Gilbert, Jean; Gale, Corinne

2014-03-01

This article reports an exploratory study of the concept of compassion in the work of 20 mental health practitioners in a UK Midlands facility. Using notions of practice derived from phenomenology and Bourdieusian sociology and notions of emotional labour we identify two contrasting interpretive repertoires in discussions of compassion. The first, the practical compassion repertoire, evokes the practical, physical and bodily aspects of compassion. It involves organising being with patients, playing games, anticipating disruption and taking them outside for cigarettes. Practitioners described being aware that these practical, bodily activities could lead to patients 'opening up', disclosing their interior concerns and enabling practical, compassionate mental health work to take place. In contrast, the second, organisational repertoire, concerns organisational constraints on compassionate practice. The shortage of staff, the record-keeping and internal processes of quality control were seen as time-greedy and apt to detract from contact with patients. The findings are discussed in relation to Bourdieu and Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological accounts of practice and habit and set in context in the growing interest in placing compassion centrally in healthcare. We also explore how the exercise of compassion in the way our participants describe it can afford the more effective exercise of medical power. © 2013 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2013 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of self-compassion workbook training on trauma-related guilt in a sample of homeless veterans: a pilot study.

PubMed

Held, Philip; Owens, Gina P

2015-06-01

The present pilot study examined the effects of a 4-week-long self-administered self-compassion training on trauma-related guilt and compared it to a stress inoculation control group. A total of 47 homeless male veterans who were living in transitional housing facilities volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to either a self-compassion (N = 13) or a stress inoculation (N = 14) group and were asked to complete pre-, mid-, and postintervention assessments measuring changes in self-compassion, trauma-related guilt, and posttraumatic stress disorder severity. Participants in both interventions reported increased levels of self-compassion and equal reductions in trauma-related guilt. No other significant changes were noted. The results from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence for the use of self-compassion and stress inoculation trainings as effective interventions for trauma-related guilt. The findings also suggest that self-administered trainings in the form of workbooks may be a viable, cost-effective form of intervention for disadvantaged populations, such as homeless veterans in transitional housing, who may lack resources or access to professionals or paraprofessionals. The effects of both self-compassion training and stress inoculation training on the study variables and directions for future research on self-compassion and trauma-related guilt are discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ureter tracking and segmentation in CT urography (CTU) using COMPASS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hadjiiski, Lubomir, E-mail: lhadjisk@umich.edu; Zick, David; Chan, Heang-Ping

2014-12-15

Purpose: The authors are developing a computerized system for automated segmentation of ureters in CTU, referred to as combined model-guided path-finding analysis and segmentation system (COMPASS). Ureter segmentation is a critical component for computer-aided diagnosis of ureter cancer. Methods: COMPASS consists of three stages: (1) rule-based adaptive thresholding and region growing, (2) path-finding and propagation, and (3) edge profile extraction and feature analysis. With institutional review board approval, 79 CTU scans performed with intravenous (IV) contrast material enhancement were collected retrospectively from 79 patient files. One hundred twenty-four ureters were selected from the 79 CTU volumes. On average, the uretersmore » spanned 283 computed tomography slices (range: 116–399, median: 301). More than half of the ureters contained malignant or benign lesions and some had ureter wall thickening due to malignancy. A starting point for each of the 124 ureters was identified manually to initialize the tracking by COMPASS. In addition, the centerline of each ureter was manually marked and used as reference standard for evaluation of tracking performance. The performance of COMPASS was quantitatively assessed by estimating the percentage of the length that was successfully tracked and segmented for each ureter and by estimating the average distance and the average maximum distance between the computer and the manually tracked centerlines. Results: Of the 124 ureters, 120 (97%) were segmented completely (100%), 121 (98%) were segmented through at least 70%, and 123 (99%) were segmented through at least 50% of its length. In comparison, using our previous method, 85 (69%) ureters were segmented completely (100%), 100 (81%) were segmented through at least 70%, and 107 (86%) were segmented at least 50% of its length. With COMPASS, the average distance between the computer and the manually generated centerlines is 0.54 mm, and the average maximum distance is 2.02 mm. With our previous method, the average distance between the centerlines was 0.80 mm, and the average maximum distance was 3.38 mm. The improvements in the ureteral tracking length and both distance measures were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: COMPASS improved significantly the ureter tracking, including regions across ureter lesions, wall thickening, and the narrowing of the lumen.« less

Educational NASA Computational and Scientific Studies (enCOMPASS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Memarsadeghi, Nargess

2013-01-01

Educational NASA Computational and Scientific Studies (enCOMPASS) is an educational project of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center aimed at bridging the gap between computational objectives and needs of NASA's scientific research, missions, and projects, and academia's latest advances in applied mathematics and computer science. enCOMPASS achieves this goal via bidirectional collaboration and communication between NASA and academia. Using developed NASA Computational Case Studies in university computer science/engineering and applied mathematics classes is a way of addressing NASA's goals of contributing to the Science, Technology, Education, and Math (STEM) National Objective. The enCOMPASS Web site at http://encompass.gsfc.nasa.gov provides additional information. There are currently nine enCOMPASS case studies developed in areas of earth sciences, planetary sciences, and astrophysics. Some of these case studies have been published in AIP and IEEE's Computing in Science and Engineering magazines. A few university professors have used enCOMPASS case studies in their computational classes and contributed their findings to NASA scientists. In these case studies, after introducing the science area, the specific problem, and related NASA missions, students are first asked to solve a known problem using NASA data and past approaches used and often published in a scientific/research paper. Then, after learning about the NASA application and related computational tools and approaches for solving the proposed problem, students are given a harder problem as a challenge for them to research and develop solutions for. This project provides a model for NASA scientists and engineers on one side, and university students, faculty, and researchers in computer science and applied mathematics on the other side, to learn from each other's areas of work, computational needs and solutions, and the latest advances in research and development. This innovation takes NASA science and engineering applications to computer science and applied mathematics university classes, and makes NASA objectives part of the university curricula. There is great potential for growth and return on investment of this program to the point where every major university in the U.S. would use at least one of these case studies in one of their computational courses, and where every NASA scientist and engineer facing a computational challenge (without having resources or expertise to solve it) would use enCOMPASS to formulate the problem as a case study, provide it to a university, and get back their solutions and ideas.

Report: Audit of EPA’s Fiscal 2012 and 2011 Consolidated Financial Statements

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #13-1-0054, November 15, 2012. In Oct 2011, EPA replaced the Integrated Financial Management System with a new system, Compass Financials (Compass), and we determined that Compass reporting and system limitations represented a material weakness.

Teaching Basic Geographical Skills: Map and Compass Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trussell, Margaret Edith

1986-01-01

Presents a unit on map and compass activities which introduces compass direction, magnetic declination and conversion of map measurement to familiar units. Requires four, one-hour class meetings and may be followed by a half-day orienteering activity. (Author/JDH)

What factors promote resilience and protect against burnout in first-year pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents?

PubMed

Olson, Kayloni; Kemper, Kathi J; Mahan, John D

2015-07-01

Burnout has high costs for pediatricians and their patients. There is increasing interest in educational interventions to promote resilience and minimize burnout among pediatric trainees. This study tested a conceptual model of factors that might promote resilience and protect against burnout, and which could serve as targets for addressing burnout in pediatric residents. Questionnaires were administered in a cross-sectional survey of (n = 45) first-year pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents. A minority (40%) of residents met one or more criteria for burnout. Physician empathy and emotional intelligence were not significantly correlated with burnout or resilience. Self-compassion and mindfulness were positively associated with resilience and inversely associated with burnout. Thus many residents in this sample endorsed burnout; mindfulness and self-compassion were associated with resilience and may promote resilience and protect against burnout in these trainees. Future studies should explore the impact of training in mindfulness and self-compassion in pediatric trainees. © The Author(s) 2015.

Volunteers in Circles of Support and Accountability Job Demands, Job Resources, and Outcome.

PubMed

Höing, Mechtild; Bogaerts, Stefan; Vogelvang, Bas

2017-09-01

In Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), volunteers support a medium- to high-risk sex offender in his process toward desistance by developing a long-term empathic relationship. More knowledge is needed about the impact of this work on volunteers themselves. In a sample of 40 Dutch CoSA volunteers-at the time constituting 37% of the national population of 108 then active CoSA volunteers-we measured outcome in terms of volunteer satisfaction, determination to continue, compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary stress, vicarious growth, civic capacities, and professional skills. We explored theoretically derived predictors of positive and negative outcome, and conceptualized them within the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R). Volunteers reported mainly positive effects, especially high levels of volunteer satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, and determination to continue. Results indicated that job demands and most of the internal job resources were of minor importance. External job resources, especially social support and connectedness, were associated with positive outcome. Connectedness mediated the effect of social support on compassion satisfaction.

Analysis of Parent, Teacher, and Consultant Speech Exchanges and Educational Outcomes of Students With Autism During COMPASS Consultation.

PubMed

Ruble, Lisa; Birdwhistell, Jessie; Toland, Michael D; McGrew, John H

2011-01-01

The significant increase in the numbers of students with autism combined with the need for better trained teachers (National Research Council, 2001) call for research on the effectiveness of alternative methods, such as consultation, that have the potential to improve service delivery. Data from 2 randomized controlled single-blind trials indicate that an autism-specific consultation planning framework known as the collaborative model for promoting competence and success (COMPASS) is effective in increasing child Individual Education Programs (IEP) outcomes (Ruble, Dal-rymple, & McGrew, 2010; Ruble, McGrew, & Toland, 2011). In this study, we describe the verbal interactions, defined as speech acts and speech act exchanges that take place during COMPASS consultation, and examine the associations between speech exchanges and child outcomes. We applied the Psychosocial Processes Coding Scheme (Leaper, 1991) to code speech acts. Speech act exchanges were overwhelmingly affiliative, failed to show statistically significant relationships with child IEP outcomes and teacher adherence, but did correlate positively with IEP quality.

Analysis of Parent, Teacher, and Consultant Speech Exchanges and Educational Outcomes of Students With Autism During COMPASS Consultation

PubMed Central

RUBLE, LISA; BIRDWHISTELL, JESSIE; TOLAND, MICHAEL D.; MCGREW, JOHN H.

2011-01-01

The significant increase in the numbers of students with autism combined with the need for better trained teachers (National Research Council, 2001) call for research on the effectiveness of alternative methods, such as consultation, that have the potential to improve service delivery. Data from 2 randomized controlled single-blind trials indicate that an autism-specific consultation planning framework known as the collaborative model for promoting competence and success (COMPASS) is effective in increasing child Individual Education Programs (IEP) outcomes (Ruble, Dal-rymple, & McGrew, 2010; Ruble, McGrew, & Toland, 2011). In this study, we describe the verbal interactions, defined as speech acts and speech act exchanges that take place during COMPASS consultation, and examine the associations between speech exchanges and child outcomes. We applied the Psychosocial Processes Coding Scheme (Leaper, 1991) to code speech acts. Speech act exchanges were overwhelmingly affiliative, failed to show statistically significant relationships with child IEP outcomes and teacher adherence, but did correlate positively with IEP quality. PMID:22639523

Buffering Impostor Feelings with Kindness: The Mediating Role of Self-compassion between Gender-Role Orientation and the Impostor Phenomenon

PubMed Central

Patzak, Alexandra; Kollmayer, Marlene; Schober, Barbara

2017-01-01

The impostor phenomenon (IP) refers to high-achievers who underestimate their abilities and thus fear being unmasked as impostors. IP sufferers attribute their success to factors other than their abilities, entailing negative emotions, unfavorable motivations, and reduced well-being. The IP was originally conceptualized as a predominantly female experience, and is thus seen as an important psychological barrier for female academic careers. Empirical findings of gender differences in the IP are equivocal, but sparse research on associations between gender-role orientation and the IP indicates that feminine students suffer more intensely from the IP than masculine students. Femininity and masculinity are also related to self-compassion, a rather young construct that enhances emotional resilience, well-being, and academic achievement. Self-compassion involves being kind to oneself when failing, perceiving one’s inadequacies as part of the human condition, and being mindful about negative aspects of oneself. It reduces fear of failure, denial of competences, and self-doubts which are central components of the IP. However, relations between self-compassion and the IP have not been investigated to date. In this study, we examine self-compassion as a potential resilience factor against the IP, taking gender and gender-role orientation into account. In a cross-sectional online survey, we investigated 459 (315 female) high-achieving first-year undergraduate students. Results include: Female, feminine, and undifferentiated students score higher on measures of the IP and lower on measures of self-compassion than male, masculine, or androgynous students. Higher levels of the IP are associated with lower levels of self-compassion across all students tested. Self-compassion further mediates the relationship between gender-role orientation and the IP. Interventions to enhance self-compassion might thus be an effective way to overcome impostor feelings. Female, feminine, and undifferentiated students might benefit most from facilitation of self-compassion in education. PMID:28798714

A qualitative study of key stakeholders' perspectives on compassion in healthcare and the development of a framework for compassionate interpersonal relations.

PubMed

Kneafsey, Rosie; Brown, Sarah; Sein, Kim; Chamley, Carol; Parsons, Joanne

2016-01-01

To report findings from a qualitative study of key stakeholders' perspectives on 'compassion' in the health care context. To present the 'Framework for Compassionate Interpersonal Relations'. Although many research articles, health policies and health care strategies identify compassion as an underpinning value and key component of health care quality, identifying a unified definition of compassion is challenging. For Higher Education Institutions implementing 'values-based' recruitment processes, a clearer understanding of this core concept is vital. Exploratory, qualitative design. Academic staff, health care students, clinicians and service users (n = 45), participated in nine focus groups where they were asked to define compassion in the context of health care. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Four overarching themes were drawn from the data. The first theme centred on the participants' definitions of compassion, while the second identified compassionate behaviours. The third theme related to the barriers and threats to compassionate practice and the fourth, focused on ways to support compassion in practice. Participants believed that the health care staff should be 'consistently compassionate', and were emphatic that compassion should not be substituted with a 'care without engagement' approach. The findings concur with other research, which identifies the link between compassion and empathy and the importance of establishing meaningful connections with others. While participants in this study recognised the pressures of health care work and accepted that the expectation of 'consistent compassion' was not necessarily realistic, it was still seen as an important goal. Participants held clear expectations regarding practitioners' communication skills and used these as a proxy for compassionate practice. The 'Framework for Compassionate Inter-personal Relations' may be used to promote reflection on the implementation of compassionate practice. It may also be used to highlight areas of focus when conducting values-based recruitment activities. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An empirical examination of the factor structure of compassion.

PubMed

Gu, Jenny; Cavanagh, Kate; Baer, Ruth; Strauss, Clara

2017-01-01

Compassion has long been regarded as a core part of our humanity by contemplative traditions, and in recent years, it has received growing research interest. Following a recent review of existing conceptualisations, compassion has been defined as consisting of the following five elements: 1) recognising suffering, 2) understanding the universality of suffering in human experience, 3) feeling moved by the person suffering and emotionally connecting with their distress, 4) tolerating uncomfortable feelings aroused (e.g., fear, distress) so that we remain open to and accepting of the person suffering, and 5) acting or being motivated to act to alleviate suffering. As a prerequisite to developing a high quality compassion measure and furthering research in this field, the current study empirically investigated the factor structure of the five-element definition using a combination of existing and newly generated self-report items. This study consisted of three stages: a systematic consultation with experts to review items from existing self-report measures of compassion and generate additional items (Stage 1), exploratory factor analysis of items gathered from Stage 1 to identify the underlying structure of compassion (Stage 2), and confirmatory factor analysis to validate the identified factor structure (Stage 3). Findings showed preliminary empirical support for a five-factor structure of compassion consistent with the five-element definition. However, findings indicated that the 'tolerating' factor may be problematic and not a core aspect of compassion. This possibility requires further empirical testing. Limitations with items from included measures lead us to recommend against using these items collectively to assess compassion. Instead, we call for the development of a new self-report measure of compassion, using the five-element definition to guide item generation. We recommend including newly generated 'tolerating' items in the initial item pool, to determine whether or not factor-level issues are resolved once item-level issues are addressed.

Impact of Providing Compassion on Job Performance and Mental Health: The Moderating Effect of Interpersonal Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Chu, Li-Chuan

2017-07-01

To examine the relationships of providing compassion at work with job performance and mental health, as well as to identify the role of interpersonal relationship quality in moderating these relationships. This study adopted a two-stage survey completed by 235 registered nurses employed by hospitals in Taiwan. All hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analyses. The results show that providing compassion is an effective predictor of job performance and mental health, whereas interpersonal relationship quality can moderate the relationships of providing compassion with job performance and mental health. When nurses are frequently willing to listen, understand, and help their suffering colleagues, the enhancement engendered by providing compassion can improve the provider's job performance and mental health. Creating high-quality relationships in the workplace can strengthen the positive benefits of providing compassion. Motivating employees to spontaneously exhibit compassion is crucial to an organization. Hospitals can establish value systems, belief systems, and cultural systems that support a compassionate response to suffering. In addition, nurses can internalize altruistic belief systems into their own personal value systems through a long process of socialization in the workplace. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The Relationship between the Supervision Role and Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Genetic Counseling.

PubMed

Allsbrook, Katlin; Atzinger, Carrie; He, Hua; Engelhard, Chalee; Yager, Geoffrey; Wusik, Katie

2016-12-01

Many genetic counselors provide supervision to students during their career. Previous studies have shown genetic counselors, in general, are at increased risk for developing compassion fatigue. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in compassion fatigue and burnout levels in genetic counselors who currently supervise compared to genetic counselors who do not. Genetic counselors who currently practice in a clinical setting (N = 391) completed an online survey containing demographic questions, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and questions specific to the genetic counselor's experiences with supervision. Overall, when controlling for trait-anxiety, the supervision role by itself was not independently associated with the risk for compassion fatigue and burnout among genetic counselors. Within supervisors, however, there were several factors which were associated with this risk. Those with less supervision experience reported more secondary traumatic stress. Those supervisors reporting less confidence had decreased compassion satisfaction. Those with less experience or less confidence in their supervision role were most likely to be at increased risk for developing compassion fatigue. Training in supervision and support for dealing with compassion fatigue and burnout may be beneficial to supervisors with less experience.

Compassion-based emotion regulation up-regulates experienced positive affect and associated neural networks

PubMed Central

Singer, Tania

2015-01-01

Emotion regulation research has primarily focused on techniques that attenuate or modulate the impact of emotional stimuli. Recent evidence suggests that this mode regulation can be problematic in the context of regulation of emotion elicited by the suffering of others, resulting in reduced emotional connectedness. Here, we investigated the effects of an alternative emotion regulation technique based on the up-regulation of positive affect via Compassion-meditation on experiential and neural affective responses to depictions of individuals in distress, and compared these with the established emotion regulation strategy of Reappraisal. Using fMRI, we scanned 15 expert practitioners of Compassion-meditation either passively viewing, or using Compassion-meditation or Reappraisal to modulate their emotional reactions to film clips depicting people in distress. Both strategies effectively, but differentially regulated experienced affect, with Compassion primarily increasing positive and Reappraisal primarily decreasing negative affect. Imaging results showed that Compassion, relative to both passive-viewing and Reappraisal increased activation in regions involved in affiliation, positive affect and reward processing including ventral striatum and medial orbitfrontal cortex. This network was shown to be active prior to stimulus presentation, suggesting that the regulatory mechanism of Compassion is the stimulus-independent endogenous generation of positive affect. PMID:25698699

The role of the sun in the celestial compass of dung beetles

PubMed Central

Dacke, M.; el Jundi, Basil; Smolka, Jochen; Byrne, Marcus; Baird, Emily

2014-01-01

Recent research has focused on the different types of compass cues available to ball-rolling beetles for orientation, but little is known about the relative precision of each of these cues and how they interact. In this study, we find that the absolute orientation error of the celestial compass of the day-active dung beetle Scarabaeus lamarcki doubles from 16° at solar elevations below 60° to an error of 29° at solar elevations above 75°. As ball-rolling dung beetles rely solely on celestial compass cues for their orientation, these insects experience a large decrease in orientation precision towards the middle of the day. We also find that in the compass system of dung beetles, the solar cues and the skylight cues are used together and share the control of orientation behaviour. Finally, we demonstrate that the relative influence of the azimuthal position of the sun for straight-line orientation decreases as the sun draws closer to the horizon. In conclusion, ball-rolling dung beetles possess a dynamic celestial compass system in which the orientation precision and the relative influence of the solar compass cues change over the course of the day. PMID:24395963

The role of the sun in the celestial compass of dung beetles.

PubMed

Dacke, M; el Jundi, Basil; Smolka, Jochen; Byrne, Marcus; Baird, Emily

2014-01-01

Recent research has focused on the different types of compass cues available to ball-rolling beetles for orientation, but little is known about the relative precision of each of these cues and how they interact. In this study, we find that the absolute orientation error of the celestial compass of the day-active dung beetle Scarabaeus lamarcki doubles from 16° at solar elevations below 60° to an error of 29° at solar elevations above 75°. As ball-rolling dung beetles rely solely on celestial compass cues for their orientation, these insects experience a large decrease in orientation precision towards the middle of the day. We also find that in the compass system of dung beetles, the solar cues and the skylight cues are used together and share the control of orientation behaviour. Finally, we demonstrate that the relative influence of the azimuthal position of the sun for straight-line orientation decreases as the sun draws closer to the horizon. In conclusion, ball-rolling dung beetles possess a dynamic celestial compass system in which the orientation precision and the relative influence of the solar compass cues change over the course of the day.

An analysis on combined GPS/COMPASS data quality and its effect on single point positioning accuracy under different observing conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Changsheng; Gao, Yang; Pan, Lin; Dai, Wujiao

2014-09-01

With the rapid development of the COMPASS system, it is currently capable of providing regional navigation services. In order to test its data quality and performance for single point positioning (SPP), experiments have been conducted under different observing conditions including open sky, under trees, nearby a glass wall, nearby a large area of water, under high-voltage lines and under a signal transmitting tower. To assess the COMPASS data quality, the code multipath, cycle slip occurrence rate and data availability were analyzed and compared to GPS data. The datasets obtained from the experiments have also been utilized to perform combined GPS/COMPASS SPP on an epoch-by-epoch basis using unsmoothed single-frequency code observations. The investigation on the regional navigation performance aims at low-accuracy applications and all tests are made in Changsha, China, using the “SOUTH S82-C” GPS/COMPASS receivers. The results show that adding COMPASS observations can significantly improve the positioning accuracy of single-frequency GPS-only SPP in environments with limited satellite visibility. Since the COMPASS system is still in an initial operational stage, all results are obtained based on a fairly limited amount of data.

Response to a mindful self-compassion intervention in teens: A within-person association of mindfulness, self-compassion, and emotional well-being outcomes.

PubMed

Bluth, Karen; Eisenlohr-Moul, Tory A

2017-06-01

As adolescence can be a stressful developmental stage, the purpose of this study was to determine if a novel mindful self-compassion program would decrease stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety and increase resilience, gratitude, and curiosity/exploration (positive risk-taking), and to ascertain if mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with these outcomes over time. Forty-seven adolescents in the southeast U.S. enrolled in an 8-week mindful self-compassion course in five cohorts. Measures were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Multilevel growth analyses revealed main effects of time on perceived stress, resilience, curiosity/exploration and gratitude. Additionally, both mindfulness and self-compassion co-varied with perceived stress and depressive symptoms; mindfulness also co-varied with anxiety and self-compassion co-varied with resilience and curiosity/exploration. Implications of these findings are that this program has potential in decreasing stress and increasing resilience and positive risk-taking. Future studies with a control group need to be conducted to confirm these findings. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body image satisfaction and self-esteem in Thai female adolescents: the moderating role of self-compassion.

PubMed

Pisitsungkagarn, Kullaya; Taephant, Nattasuda; Attasaranya, Ploychompoo

2014-01-01

Body image satisfaction significantly influences self-esteem in female adolescents. Increased reports of lowered satisfaction in this population have raised concerns regarding their compromised self-esteem. This research study, therefore, sought to identify a culturally significant moderator of the association between body image satisfaction and self-esteem in Thai female adolescents. Orientation toward self-compassion, found to be particularly high in Thailand, was examined. A total of 302 Thai female undergraduates from three large public and private universities in the Bangkok metropolitan area responded to a set of questionnaires, which measured demographic information, body image satisfaction, self-compassion, and self-esteem. Data were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Self-compassion was tested as a moderator of the relationship between body image satisfaction and self-esteem. Although its effect was relatively small, self-compassion significantly moderated the positive relationship between body image satisfaction and self-esteem. The relationship became less stringent for those with high self-compassion. The cultivation of self-compassion was recommended in female adolescents. In addition to moderating the association between body image satisfaction and self-esteem, the benefits to health and well-being of generalizing this cultivation are discussed.

Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Amongst Clinicians: A Medical Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Bhutani, Jaikrit; Bhutani, Sukriti; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Kalra, Sanjay

2012-01-01

Background: Compassion fatigue is a broad term comprising of two components – burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The current study is aimed at identifying ‘burnout’ and ‘compassion fatigue’ among clinicians involved in care of individuals suffering from medical illness. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 clinicians were included in the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to gather information related to personal, professional, anthropometric, and metabolic profile of the study participants. Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQoL Version V) was used to assess burnout, compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress. Analysis was carried out using the SPSS version 19.0. Results: The mean age of clinicians was 46.68±11.06 (range 26-67 years). Burnout score was significantly higher in those involved in diabetology practice. Similarly, compassion satisfaction score was greater among those with greater years of practice as well as among those in private practice. Clinicians who reported a poor working condition, as opposed to good, had more burnout and less compassion satisfaction. Conclusion: The current study suggests that it is important to find out ways of decreasing burnout and compassion fatigue among clinicians. PMID:23723540

The COMPASS Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duley, A. R.; Sullivan, D.; Fladeland, M. M.; Myers, J.; Craig, M.; Enomoto, F.; Van Gilst, D. P.; Johan, S.

2011-12-01

The Common Operations and Management Portal for Airborne Science Systems (COMPASS) project is a multi-center collaborative effort to advance and extend the research capabilities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Airborne Science Program (ASP). At its most basic, COMPASS provides tools for visualizing the position of aircraft and instrument observations during the course of a mission, and facilitates dissemination, discussion, and analysis and of multiple disparate data sources in order to more efficiently plan and execute airborne science missions. COMPASS targets a number of key objectives. First, deliver a common operating picture for improved shared situational awareness to all participants in NASA's Airborne Science missions. These participants include scientists, engineers, managers, and the general public. Second, encourage more responsive and collaborative measurements between instruments on multiple aircraft, satellites, and on the surface in order to increase the scientific value of these measurements. Fourth, provide flexible entry points for data providers to supply model and advanced analysis products to mission team members. Fifth, provide data consumers with a mechanism to ingest, search and display data products. Finally, embrace an open and transparent platform where common data products, services, and end user components can be shared with the broader scientific community. In pursuit of these objectives, and in concert with requirements solicited by the airborne science research community, the COMPASS project team has delivered a suite of core tools intended to represent the next generation toolset for airborne research. This toolset includes a collection of loosely coupled RESTful web-services, a system to curate, register, and search, commonly used data sources, end-user tools which leverage web socket and other next generation HTML5 technologies to aid real time aircraft position and data visualization, and an extensible a framework to rapidly accommodate mission specific requirements and mission tools.

Decoherence of odd compass states in the phase-sensitive amplifying/dissipating environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dodonov, V. V.; Valverde, C.; Souza, L. S.; Baseia, B.

2016-08-01

We study the evolution of odd compass states (specific superpositions of four coherent states), governed by the standard master equation with phase-sensitive amplifying/attenuating terms, in the presence of a Hamiltonian describing a parametric degenerate linear amplifier. Explicit expressions for the time-dependent Wigner function are obtained. The time of disappearance of the so called ;sub-Planck structures; is calculated using the negative value of the Wigner function at the origin of phase space. It is shown that this value rapidly decreases during a short ;conventional interference degradation time; (CIDT), which is inversely proportional to the size of quantum superposition, provided the anti-Hermitian terms in the master equation are of the same order (or stronger) as the Hermitian ones (governing the parametric amplification). The CIDT is compared with the final positivization time (FPT), when the Wigner function becomes positive. It appears that the FPT does not depend on the size of superpositions, moreover, it can be much bigger in the amplifying media than in the attenuating ones. Paradoxically, strengthening the Hamiltonian part results in decreasing the CIDT, so that the CIDT almost does not depend on the size of superpositions in the asymptotical case of very weak reservoir coupling. We also analyze the evolution of the Mandel factor, showing that for some sets of parameters this factor remains significantly negative, even when the Wigner function becomes positive.

Exploring how mindfulness and self-compassion can enhance compassionate care.

PubMed

Barratt, Caroline

2017-01-18

Research suggests that the development of mindfulness and self-compassion may help to improve the well-being and resilience of professionals and students in the healthcare setting. This is reflected in the growth of mindfulness training for these individuals. Mindfulness is an important aspect of self-compassion, and healthcare professionals should be aware of the need to care for themselves when caring for others. This article explores the concepts of mindfulness and self-compassion and their relationship with, and ability to enhance, compassionate care.

Compass: clinical evaluation of a new instrument for the diagnosis of glaucoma.

PubMed

Rossetti, Luca; Digiuni, Maurizio; Rosso, Alberto; Riva, Roberta; Barbaro, Giuliano; Smolek, Michael K; Orzalesi, Nicola; De Cilla', Stefano; Autelitano, Alessandro; Fogagnolo, Paolo

2015-01-01

To evaluate Compass, a new instrument for glaucoma screening and diagnosis that combines scanning ophthalmoscopy, automated perimetry, and eye tracking. A total of 320 human subjects (200 normal, 120 with glaucoma) underwent full ophthalmological evaluation and perimetric evaluation using the Humphrey SITA standard 24° test (HFA), and the Compass test that consisted of a full-threshold program on the central 24° with a photograph of the central 30° of the retina. A subgroup of normal subjects and glaucoma patients underwent a second Compass test during the same day in order to study test-retest variability. After exclusion of 30 patients due to protocol rules, a database was created to compare the Compass to the HFA, and to evaluate retinal image quality and fixation stability. The difference in mean sensitivity between Compass and HFA was -1.02 ± 1.55 dB in normal subjects (p<0.001) and -1.01 ± 2.81 dB in glaucoma (p<0.001). Repeatability SD for the average sensitivity was 1.53 for normal subjects and 1.84 for glaucoma. Test time with the Compass was 634±96 s (607±78 for normals, 678±108 for glaucoma). Compass analysis showed the percentage of fixation within the central 1° was 86.6% in normal subjects, and 79.3% in glaucoma patients. Color image quality was sufficient for diagnostic use in >65% of cases; Image-based diagnosis was in accordance with the initial diagnosis in 85% of the subjects. Based on preliminary results, Compass showed useful diagnostic characteristics for the study of glaucoma, and combined morphological information with functional data.

The Role of Compassion in Altruistic Helping and Punishment Behavior

PubMed Central

Weng, Helen Y.; Fox, Andrew S.; Hessenthaler, Heather C.; Stodola, Diane E.; Davidson, Richard J.

2015-01-01

Compassion, the emotional response of caring for another who is suffering and that results in motivation to relieve suffering, is thought to be an emotional antecedent to altruistic behavior. However, it remains unclear whether compassion enhances altruistic behavior in a uniform way or is specific to sub-types of behavior such as altruistic helping of a victim or altruistic punishment of a transgressor. We investigated the relationship between compassion and subtypes of altruistic behavior using third-party paradigms where participants 1) witnessed an unfair economic exchange between a transgressor and a victim, and 2) had the opportunity to either spend personal funds to either economically a) help the victim or b) punish the transgressor. In Study 1, we examined whether individual differences in self-reported empathic concern (the emotional component of compassion) was associated with greater altruistic helping or punishment behavior in two independent samples. For participants who witnessed an unfair transaction, trait empathic concern was associated with greater helping of a victim and had no relationship to punishment. However, in those who decided to punish the transgressor, participants who reported greater empathic concern decided to punish less. In Study 2, we directly enhanced compassion using short-term online compassion meditation training to examine whether altruistic helping and punishment were increased after two weeks of training. Compared to an active reappraisal training control group, the compassion training group gave more to help the victim and did not differ in punishment of the transgressor. Together, these two studies suggest that compassion is related to greater altruistic helping of victims and is not associated with or may mitigate altruistic punishment of transgressors. PMID:26655837

Sympathy, empathy, and compassion: A grounded theory study of palliative care patients’ understandings, experiences, and preferences

PubMed Central

Sinclair, Shane; Beamer, Kate; Hack, Thomas F; McClement, Susan; Raffin Bouchal, Shelley; Chochinov, Harvey M; Hagen, Neil A.

2016-01-01

Background: Compassion is considered an essential element in quality patient care. One of the conceptual challenges in healthcare literature is that compassion is often confused with sympathy and empathy. Studies comparing and contrasting patients’ perspectives of sympathy, empathy, and compassion are largely absent. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate advanced cancer patients’ understandings, experiences, and preferences of “sympathy,” “empathy,” and “compassion” in order to develop conceptual clarity for future research and to inform clinical practice. Design: Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and then independently analyzed by the research team using the three stages and principles of Straussian grounded theory. Setting/participants: Data were collected from 53 advanced cancer inpatients in a large urban hospital. Results: Constructs of sympathy, empathy, and compassion contain distinct themes and sub-themes. Sympathy was described as an unwanted, pity-based response to a distressing situation, characterized by a lack of understanding and self-preservation of the observer. Empathy was experienced as an affective response that acknowledges and attempts to understand individual’s suffering through emotional resonance. Compassion enhanced the key facets of empathy while adding distinct features of being motivated by love, the altruistic role of the responder, action, and small, supererogatory acts of kindness. Patients reported that unlike sympathy, empathy and compassion were beneficial, with compassion being the most preferred and impactful. Conclusion: Although sympathy, empathy, and compassion are used interchangeably and frequently conflated in healthcare literature, patients distinguish and experience them uniquely. Understanding patients’ perspectives is important and can guide practice, policy reform, and future research. PMID:27535319

The Role of Compassion in Altruistic Helping and Punishment Behavior.

PubMed

Weng, Helen Y; Fox, Andrew S; Hessenthaler, Heather C; Stodola, Diane E; Davidson, Richard J

2015-01-01

Compassion, the emotional response of caring for another who is suffering and that results in motivation to relieve suffering, is thought to be an emotional antecedent to altruistic behavior. However, it remains unclear whether compassion enhances altruistic behavior in a uniform way or is specific to sub-types of behavior such as altruistic helping of a victim or altruistic punishment of a transgressor. We investigated the relationship between compassion and subtypes of altruistic behavior using third-party paradigms where participants (1) witnessed an unfair economic exchange between a transgressor and a victim, and (2) had the opportunity to either spend personal funds to either economically (a) help the victim or (b) punish the transgressor. In Study 1, we examined whether individual differences in self-reported empathic concern (the emotional component of compassion) was associated with greater altruistic helping or punishment behavior in two independent samples. For participants who witnessed an unfair transaction, trait empathic concern was associated with greater helping of a victim and had no relationship to punishment. However, in those who decided to punish the transgressor, participants who reported greater empathic concern decided to punish less. In Study 2, we directly enhanced compassion using short-term online compassion meditation training to examine whether altruistic helping and punishment were increased after two weeks of training. Compared to an active reappraisal training control group, the compassion training group gave more to help the victim and did not differ in punishment of the transgressor. Together, these two studies suggest that compassion is related to greater altruistic helping of victims and is not associated with or may mitigate altruistic punishment of transgressors.

Disease Compass- a navigation system for disease knowledge based on ontology and linked data techniques.

PubMed

Kozaki, Kouji; Yamagata, Yuki; Mizoguchi, Riichiro; Imai, Takeshi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-06-19

Medical ontologies are expected to contribute to the effective use of medical information resources that store considerable amount of data. In this study, we focused on disease ontology because the complicated mechanisms of diseases are related to concepts across various medical domains. The authors developed a River Flow Model (RFM) of diseases, which captures diseases as the causal chains of abnormal states. It represents causes of diseases, disease progression, and downstream consequences of diseases, which is compliant with the intuition of medical experts. In this paper, we discuss a fact repository for causal chains of disease based on the disease ontology. It could be a valuable knowledge base for advanced medical information systems. We developed the fact repository for causal chains of diseases based on our disease ontology and abnormality ontology. This section summarizes these two ontologies. It is developed as linked data so that information scientists can access it using SPARQL queries through an Resource Description Framework (RDF) model for causal chain of diseases. We designed the RDF model as an implementation of the RFM for the fact repository based on the ontological definitions of the RFM. 1554 diseases and 7080 abnormal states in six major clinical areas, which are extracted from the disease ontology, are published as linked data (RDF) with SPARQL endpoint (accessible API). Furthermore, the authors developed Disease Compass, a navigation system for disease knowledge. Disease Compass can browse the causal chains of a disease and obtain related information, including abnormal states, through two web services that provide general information from linked data, such as DBpedia, and 3D anatomical images. Disease Compass can provide a complete picture of disease-associated processes in such a way that fits with a clinician's understanding of diseases. Therefore, it supports user exploration of disease knowledge with access to pertinent information from a variety of sources.

Developing a pilot curriculum to foster humanism among graduate medical trainees

PubMed Central

Dotters-Katz, Sarah K.; Chuang, Alice; Weil, Amy; Howell, Jennifer O.

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Humanism is a central tenant of professionalism, a required competency for all residency programs. Yet, few residencies have formal curriculum for teaching this critical aspect of medicine. Instead, professionalism and humanism are often taught informally through role-modeling. With increased burnout, faculty professionalism may suffer and may compromise resident role-modeling. The objective of this study was to design a pilot curriculum to foster humanism in among residents and assess its ability to do so. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods study. Phase 1: a qualitative analysis of residents’ narratives regarding challenges to humanistic behavior, and identified themes of compassion, fatigue, communication challenges, and work-life balance. Themes used as needs assessment to build curriculum. Phase 2: three sessions with themes taken from faculty development course. Participants and controls completed baseline and 60-day follow-up questionnaires assessing burnout, compassion, satisfaction, and ability to practice psychological medicine. Phase one included Obstetrics/Gynecology and internal medicine residents. Phase two included residents from the above programs, who attended at least 2/3 interactive sessions designed to address the themes identified above. RESULTS: Twelve participants began and ten completed curriculum (83%). The curriculum met course objectives and was well-received (4.8/5). Burnout decreased (−3.1 vs. 2.5, P = 0.048). A trend toward improved compassion (4.4 vs.−0.6, P = 0.096) for participants compared to controls was noted. CONCLUSION: A pilot humanism curriculum for residents was well-received. Participants showed decreased burnout and trended to improved compassion scores. Development and evaluation of an expanded curriculum would further explore feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention. PMID:29417062

The survey and criterion of the compass rose in Chinese A-share market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Wenzhao; Wang, Yanxiang; Huo, Zhao; Li, Yilin

2018-02-01

The compass rose is one of the few "recurring patterns" found in financial markets. In this paper, the compass rose in Chinese A-share market is comprehensively investigated. It is newly discovered that among the 1331 A-shares, which had been listed for more than 15 years by the end of 2015, only about 20 show the compass rose. The outcome of the analysis shows that there exists a threshold of the ratio of the data points on main rays to all data points. Only when this ratio is above the threshold, the compass rose appears. The reasons why such a threshold exists, and its interrelationship with the data frequency and the tick/volatility ratio are analyzed.

Antennal circadian clocks coordinate sun compass orientation in migratory monarch butterflies.

PubMed

Merlin, Christine; Gegear, Robert J; Reppert, Steven M

2009-09-25

During their fall migration, Eastern North American monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) use a time-compensated Sun compass to aid navigation to their overwintering grounds in central Mexico. It has been assumed that the circadian clock that provides time compensation resides in the brain, although this assumption has never been examined directly. Here, we show that the antennae are necessary for proper time-compensated Sun compass orientation in migratory monarch butterflies, that antennal clocks exist in monarchs, and that they likely provide the primary timing mechanism for Sun compass orientation. These unexpected findings pose a novel function for the antennae and open a new line of investigation into clock-compass connections that may extend widely to other insects that use this orientation mechanism.

[The psychology of compassion. An analysis of the 100th anniversary of the death of Fredrich Nietzsche].

PubMed

Wilkes, J

2000-06-01

Friedrich Nietzsche is supposed to have been one of the harshest critics of compassion. Many of his publications try to unmask its failings and to expose its true motives. From an ardent admirer of Schopenhauers's ethics of compassion, Nietzsche turned into a vigorous despiser of compassionate feelings. It is shown that this change was above all caused by overwhelming personal experiences of compassion due to illness and death in his family and, later on, with his first aid activities in military hospitals during the German-French war in 1870. Combined with that, Nietzsche suffered from feelings of passivity and helplessness, which gave him the impression of compassion being a negative and--in the end--loathed emotion.

The Enterprise Compass

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCardle, Ken

2005-01-01

As a CIO leading an IT department through change and reorganization, the author developed the Enterprise Compass--a four-point guide to reaching goals and focusing achievement. The Enterprise Compass directs staff to look forward to future accomplishment, back for performance assessments, across campus for better understanding of practical working…

Are doctors who have been ill more compassionate? Attitudes of resident physicians regarding personal health issues and the expression of compassion in clinical care.

PubMed

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Warner, Teddy D; Moutier, Christine; Geppert, Cynthia M A; Green Hammond, Katherine A

2011-01-01

Compassion is an attribute central to professionalism and modern clinical care, yet little is known about how compassion is acquired and preserved in medical training. We sought to understand whether personal illness experiences are thought by residents to foster compassion. The authors surveyed 155 (71% response rate) second- and third-year residents at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine regarding their views of the relationship of personal life experience with illness to compassion and empathy for patients. Residents believe that experience with personal health issues enhances physician compassion for patients. Residents who report more personal health concerns, such as physical or mental health problems and family health problems, endorse the connection between direct experience with illness and empathy. Health care trainees' own illness experiences may increase compassionate patient care practices and foster empathy. Copyright © 2011 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-compassion moderates the relationship between body mass index and both eating disorder pathology and body image flexibility.

PubMed

Kelly, Allison C; Vimalakanthan, Kiruthiha; Miller, Kathryn E

2014-09-01

The current study examined whether self-compassion, the tendency to treat oneself kindly during distress and disappointments, would attenuate the positive relationship between body mass index (BMI) and eating disorder pathology, and the negative relationship between BMI and body image flexibility. One-hundred and fifty-three female undergraduate students completed measures of self-compassion, self-esteem, eating disorder pathology, and body image flexibility, which refers to one's acceptance of negative body image experiences. Controlling for self-esteem, hierarchical regressions revealed that self-compassion moderated the relationships between BMI and the criteria. Specifically, the positive relationship between BMI and eating disorder pathology and the negative relationship between BMI and body image flexibility were weaker the higher women's levels of self-compassion. Among young women, self-compassion may help to protect against the greater eating disturbances that coincide with a higher BMI, and may facilitate the positive body image experiences that tend to be lower the higher one's BMI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Terrain Models in Field Geology Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittecar, G. Richard

1984-01-01

Describes a terrain model for geologic mapping which, when combined with exercises in rock description, Brunton compass manipulation, orienteering, and geologic report writing, allows students to refine skills needed for summer field camp. Advantages and limitations of the model and its use in a field course are also discussed. (BC)

Lying because we care: Compassion increases prosocial lying.

PubMed

Lupoli, Matthew J; Jampol, Lily; Oveis, Christopher

2017-07-01

Prosocial lies, or lies intended to benefit others, are ubiquitous behaviors that have important social and economic consequences. Though emotions play a central role in many forms of prosocial behavior, no work has investigated how emotions influence behavior when one has the opportunity to tell a prosocial lie-a situation that presents a conflict between two prosocial ethics: lying to prevent harm to another, and honesty, which might also provide benefits to the target of the lie. Here, we examine whether the emotion of compassion influences prosocial lying, and find that compassion causally increases and positively predicts prosocial lying. In Studies 1 and 2, participants evaluated a poorly written essay and provided feedback to the essay writer. Experimentally induced compassion felt toward the essay writer (Study 1) and individual differences in trait compassion (Study 2) were positively associated with inflated feedback to the essay writer. In both of these studies, the relationship between compassion and prosocial lying was partially mediated by an enhanced importance placed on preventing emotional harm. In Study 3, we found moderation such that experimentally induced compassion increased lies that resulted in financial gains for a charity, but not lies that produced financial gains for the self. This research illuminates the emotional underpinnings of the common yet morally complex behavior of prosocial lying, and builds on work highlighting the potentially harmful effects of compassion-an emotion typically seen as socially beneficial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of psychological factors in oncology nurses' burnout and compassion fatigue symptoms.

PubMed

Duarte, Joana; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2017-06-01

This study explored the role of several psychological factors in professional quality of life in nurses. Specifically, we tried to clarify the relationships between several dimensions of empathy, self-compassion, and psychological inflexibility, and positive (compassion satisfaction) and negative (burnout and compassion fatigue) domains of professional quality of life. Using a cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of 221 oncology nurses recruited from several public hospitals filling out a battery of self-report measures. Results suggested that nurses that benefit more from their work of helping and assisting others (compassion satisfaction) seem to have more empathic feelings and sensibility towards others in distress and make an effort to see things from others' perspective. Also, they are less disturbed by negative feelings associated with seeing others' suffering and are more self-compassionate. Nurses more prone to experience the negative consequences associated with care-providing (burnout and compassion fatigue) are more self-judgmental and have more psychological inflexibility. In addition, they experience more personal feelings of distress when seeing others in suffering and less feelings of empathy and sensibility to others' suffering. Psychological factors explained 26% of compassion satisfaction, 29% of burnout and 18% of compassion fatigue. We discuss the results in terms of the importance of taking into account the role of these psychological factors in oncology nurses' professional quality of life, and of designing nursing education training and interventions aimed at targeting such factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mission Critical: Nursing Leadership Support for Compassion to Sustain Staff Well-being.

PubMed

Lown, Beth A

Compassion, the foundation of Nursing, is a source of both healing for those who suffer and of purpose and meaning for those who seek to heal others. Increasingly, however, the fast pace and volume of care and documentation requirements diminish time with patients and families and hinder the enactment of compassion. These issues and other aspects of the work environment decrease the satisfaction and well-being of professional caregivers and are contributing to a rising tide of burnout. Research suggests that employee engagement emerges from their satisfaction and well-being; however, it is difficult for an individual to engage when she or he feels depleted and unsupported. Nursing leaders and managers can play a significant role in support of compassionate practices for staff and improvement of the work environment and staff well-being. Compassion practices that recognize employees for the caring they show to patients and each other, and that provide the support needed to sustain their caring and compassion, are associated with significantly better patient ratings of their care experiences in hospitals and ambulatory settings. This article describes an example of a compassion practice, Schwartz Rounds®, a program that has been implemented internationally to enhance staff caring and compassion, teamwork, and psychological well-being. Schwartz Rounds have been included as a component of organizational initiatives to enhance staff well-being and patient experience, and as an individual program. Nurse leaders and managers who wish to engage their staff can do so by supporting their compassion and well-being.

The ProQOL-21: A revised version of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale based on Rasch analysis

PubMed Central

Rees, Clare S.; Hegney, Desley G.

2018-01-01

The Professional Quality of Life scale is a measure intended to provide practitioners and researchers with an indication of a caring professional’s compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. While this measure has been used extensively in nursing research, owing to the relevancy of patient-care associated satisfaction and fatigue within this profession, information regarding the construct validity of this measure is less well represented in the literature. We examined the construct validity of the Professional Quality of Life scale using a Rasch analysis procedure on each of its three scales, as a means of substantiating their measurement adequacy. Responses on the Professional Quality of Life scale from 1615 registered nurses (age x̅ = 46.48 years, SD = 11.78) were analysed. While support for the measurement adequacy (invariance, person/item fit, and unidimensionality) of the compassion satisfaction scale was found, the burnout and secondary traumatic stress scales did not demonstrate adequate measurement properties. We instead present an alternative measurement model of these subscales, involving items from each, to form a robust measure of compassion fatigue, and provide recoding, scoring, and normed scores for both measures. Our findings indicate that use of the Professional Quality of Life scale’s burnout and secondary traumatic stress scales may require caution, while our revised compassion satisfaction and fatigue scales provide robust measurement options for practitioners and researchers. PMID:29489875

The ProQOL-21: A revised version of the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale based on Rasch analysis.

PubMed

Heritage, Brody; Rees, Clare S; Hegney, Desley G

2018-01-01

The Professional Quality of Life scale is a measure intended to provide practitioners and researchers with an indication of a caring professional's compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. While this measure has been used extensively in nursing research, owing to the relevancy of patient-care associated satisfaction and fatigue within this profession, information regarding the construct validity of this measure is less well represented in the literature. We examined the construct validity of the Professional Quality of Life scale using a Rasch analysis procedure on each of its three scales, as a means of substantiating their measurement adequacy. Responses on the Professional Quality of Life scale from 1615 registered nurses (age x̅ = 46.48 years, SD = 11.78) were analysed. While support for the measurement adequacy (invariance, person/item fit, and unidimensionality) of the compassion satisfaction scale was found, the burnout and secondary traumatic stress scales did not demonstrate adequate measurement properties. We instead present an alternative measurement model of these subscales, involving items from each, to form a robust measure of compassion fatigue, and provide recoding, scoring, and normed scores for both measures. Our findings indicate that use of the Professional Quality of Life scale's burnout and secondary traumatic stress scales may require caution, while our revised compassion satisfaction and fatigue scales provide robust measurement options for practitioners and researchers.

Mindfulness-Based Awareness and Compassion: Predictors of Counselor Empathy and Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulton, Cheryl L.; Cashwell, Craig S.

2015-01-01

Mindfulness-based awareness and compassion were examined as predictors of empathy and anxiety among 152 master's-level counseling interns. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis supported that awareness and compassion differentially contributed to explaining the variance in counselor empathy and anxiety. Implications for counselor…

The Influence of Self-Compassion on Academic Procrastination and Dysfunctional Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iskender, Murat

2011-01-01

In the present study, aims were (1) to determine gender differences in self-compassion, academic procrastination, and dysfunctional attitudes and (2) to examine the relationships between self-compassion, academic procrastination, and dysfunctional attitudes. Participants were 251 university students who completed a questionnaire package that…

46 CFR 169.709 - Compass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Compass. 169.709 Section 169.709 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Vessel Control, Miscellaneous Systems, and Equipment § 169.709 Compass. (a) Each vessel must be fitted with a magnetic steering...

46 CFR 169.709 - Compass.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Compass. 169.709 Section 169.709 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Vessel Control, Miscellaneous Systems, and Equipment § 169.709 Compass. (a) Each vessel must be fitted with a magnetic steering...

The concept of compassion within uk media generated discourse: A corpus informed analysis.

PubMed

Bond, Carmel; Stacey, Gemma; Field-Richards, Sarah; Callaghan, Patrick; Keeley, Philip; Lymn, Joanne; Redsell, Sarah; Spiby, Helen

2018-04-27

To examine how the concept of compassion is socially constructed within UK discourse, in response to recommendations that aspiring nurses gain care experience prior to entering nurse education. Following a report of significant failings in care, the UK government proposed prior care experience for aspiring nurses as a strategy to enhance compassion amongst the profession. Media reporting of this generated substantial online discussion, which formed the data for this research. There is a need to define how compassion is constructed through language as a limited understanding exists, of what compassion means in healthcare. This is important, for any meaningful evaluation of quality, compassionate practices. A corpus-informed discourse analysis. A 62626-word corpus of data was analysed using Laurence Anthony software 'AntCon', a free corpus analysis toolkit. Frequent words were retrieved and used as a focal point for further analysis. Concordance lines were computed and analysed in the context of which frequent word-types occurred. Patterns of language were revealed and interpreted through researcher immersion. Findings identified that compassion was frequently described in various ways as a natural characteristic attribute. A pattern of language also referred to compassion as something that was not able to be taught, but could be developed through the repetition of behaviours observed in practice learning. In the context of compassion, the word-type 'nurse' was used positively. This paper adds to important debates highlighting how compassion is constructed and defined in the context of nursing. Compassion is constructed as both an individual, personal trait and a professional behaviour to be learnt. Educational design could include effective interpersonal skills training, which may help enhance and develop compassion from within the nursing profession. Likewise, ways of thinking, behaving and communicating should also be addressed by established practitioners in order to maintain compassionate interactions between professionals as well as nurse-patient relationships. Future research should focus on how compassionate practice is defined by both health professionals and patients. In order to maintain nursing as an attractive profession to join, it is important that nurses are viewed as compassionate. This holds implications for professional morale, associated with the continued retention and recruitment of the future workforce. Existing ideologies within the practice placement, the prior care experience environment, as well as the educational and organisational design are crucial factors to consider, in terms of their influences on the expression of compassion in practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Compelled to Act: The Negotiation of Compassion Fatigue among Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoves, Douglas R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of the qualitative study was to identify the ways in which Student Affairs professionals in higher education in South Texas experienced and negotiated compassion fatigue through their everyday responsibilities. Research questions explored the development and experience of, and coping with, compassion fatigue. Grounded in Constructivist…

Conversation Compass: A Teacher's Guide to High-Quality Language Learning in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curenton, Stephanie M.

2016-01-01

Classroom conversation plays an important role in the development of children's language and reasoning. However, studies show that classroom talk relies too much on directives and close-ended questions. "Conversation Compass" provides the tools to strengthen your language-learning environment: (1) The Compass: guide high-quality…

78 FR 42153 - Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel COMPASS ROSE; Invitation for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-15

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration [Docket No. MARAD-2013-0081] Requested Administrative Waiver of the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel COMPASS ROSE; Invitation for Public Comments AGENCY... COMPASS ROSE is: Intended Commercial Use Of Vessel: ``Sailboat charters six passengers or less...

46 CFR 77.11-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 77.11-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean, coastwise or Great Lakes service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

46 CFR 96.17-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 96.17-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

46 CFR 77.11-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 77.11-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean, coastwise or Great Lakes service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

46 CFR 195.19-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 195.19-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

46 CFR 195.19-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 195.19-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

46 CFR 96.17-1 - When required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT Magnetic Compass and Gyrocompass § 96.17-1 When required. (a) All mechanically propelled vessels in ocean or coastwise service must be fitted with a magnetic compass. (b) All... gyrocompass in addition to the magnetic compass. (c) Each vessel must have an illuminated repeater for the...

75 FR 67775 - Compass Group USA, Inc., Canteen, Webster City, Iowa; Notice of Negative Determination on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-03

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-73,503] Compass Group USA, Inc... Services provided services (janitorial, maintenance, and hazardous waste disposal) that were directly... workers cannot be considered employees of Electrolux, but only of the subject firm, Compass Group USA...

Self-Compassion as a Mediator of Maladaptive Perfectionism and Depressive Symptoms in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehr, Kristin E.; Adams, Aimee C.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among maladaptive perfectionism, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms in college students. It was hypothesized that self-compassion would mediate the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depressive symptoms, with maladaptive perfectionism related to lower levels of…

Borehole survey instrument

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharp, H.E.; Lin, J.W. III; Macha, E.S.

1984-12-04

A borehole survey instrument is provided having a meniscus type floating compass member with indicia thereon for indicating azimuth and inclination. A light source is disposed below the indicia for illuminating the indicia upward through the liquid through which the meniscus type floating compass member floats. A lens system is provided for focusing the image of the illuminated compass member upon a film disposed below the compass member. This arrangement permits the centering post for the compass member to be of minimum diameter consistent with rigidity requirements and permits a high angle compass member to indicate angles of inclination approachingmore » ninety degrees. A multiple light bulb light source is utilized and each light bulb is mounted in a manner which permits a single light bulb to illuminate the entire compass member. A hand-held programming and diagnostic unit is provided which may be momentarily electrically mated with the borehole survey tool to input a programmed timed delay and diagnostically test both the condition of the light bulbs utilized as the illumination source and the state of the batteries within the instrument. This hand-held programmable unit eliminates all the mechanical programming switches and permits the instrument to be completely sealed from the pressure, fluids and contaminants normally found in a well bore.« less

Online Training in Specific Meditation Practices Improves Gratitude, Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Confidence in Providing Compassionate Care Among Health Professionals.

PubMed

Rao, Nisha; Kemper, Kathi J

2016-04-06

Mind-body practices that intentionally generate positive emotion could improve health professionals' well-being and compassion. However, the feasibility and impact of clinician training in these practices is unknown. Data were analyzed from 3 online modules offered to health professionals: (a) Gratitude, (b) Positive Word, and (c) Loving-kindness/Compassion meditation. Pairedttests were used to assess pre- to posttraining changes in gratitude (Gratitude Questionnaire), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index), self-compassion (Neff's Self-Compassion Scale), and confidence in providing compassionate care (Confidence in Providing Calm, Compassionate Care Scale). The 177 enrollees included diverse practitioners (nurses, physicians, social workers, and others). Training was associated with statistically significant improvements in gratitude (38.3 ± 4.6 to 39.5 ± 3.3), well-being (16.4 ± 4.0 to 17.9 ± 4.2), self-compassion (39.5 ± 8.1 to 43.1 ± 7.6), and confidence in providing compassionate care (73.3 ± 16.4 to 80.9 ± 13.8;P< .001 for all comparisons). Brief, online training appeals to diverse health professionals and improves their gratitude, well-being, self-compassion, and confidence in providing compassionate care. © The Author(s) 2016.

Online Training in Specific Meditation Practices Improves Gratitude, Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Confidence in Providing Compassionate Care Among Health Professionals

PubMed Central

Rao, Nisha; Kemper, Kathi J.

2016-01-01

Mind-body practices that intentionally generate positive emotion could improve health professionals’ well-being and compassion. However, the feasibility and impact of clinician training in these practices is unknown. Data were analyzed from 3 online modules offered to health professionals: (a) Gratitude, (b) Positive Word, and (c) Loving-kindness/Compassion meditation. Paired t tests were used to assess pre- to posttraining changes in gratitude (Gratitude Questionnaire), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index), self-compassion (Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale), and confidence in providing compassionate care (Confidence in Providing Calm, Compassionate Care Scale). The 177 enrollees included diverse practitioners (nurses, physicians, social workers, and others). Training was associated with statistically significant improvements in gratitude (38.3 ± 4.6 to 39.5 ± 3.3), well-being (16.4 ± 4.0 to 17.9 ± 4.2), self-compassion (39.5 ± 8.1 to 43.1 ± 7.6), and confidence in providing compassionate care (73.3 ± 16.4 to 80.9 ± 13.8; P < .001 for all comparisons). Brief, online training appeals to diverse health professionals and improves their gratitude, well-being, self-compassion, and confidence in providing compassionate care. PMID:27055823

Self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses.

PubMed

Heffernan, Mary; Quinn Griffin, Mary T; Sister Rita McNulty; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2010-08-01

Nurses often provide care for patients and families who are suffering and where emotions are heightened. Compassion is an essential component of the care that nurses provide. Emotions play an important role in the relationship and communication between nurses, patients and families. Self-compassion is the ability to be compassionate to oneself, without this ability nurses might not be prepared to be compassionate to patients. Emotionally intelligent persons perceive themselves as confident, better able to understand, control and manage their emotions. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to examine the relationship between self-compassion and emotional intelligence. Participants were 135 nurses. The setting for this study was a health system with hospitals located in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties of New York, USA. Three of the hospitals in the study are located in Queens and/or the Queens/Nassau border. Queens is the most culturally diverse community in the USA. The patients served, as well as the nursing staff, are reflective of this cultural and religious diversity. Results indicated a positive correlation between self-compassion and emotional intelligence (r = 0.55). Recommendations for future research include: exploration of self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses, and identification of the benefits of enhancing self-compassion and emotional intelligence in nurses.

An fMRI study of caring vs self-focus during induced compassion and pride.

PubMed

Simon-Thomas, Emiliana R; Godzik, Jakub; Castle, Elizabeth; Antonenko, Olga; Ponz, Aurelie; Kogan, Aleksander; Keltner, Dacher J

2012-08-01

This study examined neural activation during the experience of compassion, an emotion that orients people toward vulnerable others and prompts caregiving, and pride, a self-focused emotion that signals individual strength and heightened status. Functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) were acquired as participants viewed 55 s continuous sequences of slides to induce either compassion or pride, presented in alternation with sequences of neutral slides. Emotion self-report data were collected after each slide condition within the fMRI scanner. Compassion induction was associated with activation in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), a region that is activated during pain and the perception of others' pain, and that has been implicated in parental nurturance behaviors. Pride induction engaged the posterior medial cortex, a region that has been associated with self-referent processing. Self-reports of compassion experience were correlated with increased activation in a region near the PAG, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Self-reports of pride experience, in contrast, were correlated with reduced activation in the IFG and the anterior insula. These results provide preliminary evidence towards understanding the neural correlates of important interpersonal dimensions of compassion and pride. Caring (compassion) and self-focus (pride) may represent core appraisals that differentiate the response profiles of many emotions.

An fMRI study of caring vs self-focus during induced compassion and pride

PubMed Central

Godzik, Jakub; Castle, Elizabeth; Antonenko, Olga; Ponz, Aurelie; Kogan, Aleksander; Keltner, Dacher J.

2012-01-01

This study examined neural activation during the experience of compassion, an emotion that orients people toward vulnerable others and prompts caregiving, and pride, a self-focused emotion that signals individual strength and heightened status. Functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) were acquired as participants viewed 55 s continuous sequences of slides to induce either compassion or pride, presented in alternation with sequences of neutral slides. Emotion self-report data were collected after each slide condition within the fMRI scanner. Compassion induction was associated with activation in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), a region that is activated during pain and the perception of others’ pain, and that has been implicated in parental nurturance behaviors. Pride induction engaged the posterior medial cortex, a region that has been associated with self-referent processing. Self-reports of compassion experience were correlated with increased activation in a region near the PAG, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Self-reports of pride experience, in contrast, were correlated with reduced activation in the IFG and the anterior insula. These results provide preliminary evidence towards understanding the neural correlates of important interpersonal dimensions of compassion and pride. Caring (compassion) and self-focus (pride) may represent core appraisals that differentiate the response profiles of many emotions. PMID:21896494

The GFZ real-time GNSS precise positioning service system and its adaption for COMPASS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingxing; Ge, Maorong; Zhang, Hongping; Nischan, Thomas; Wickert, Jens

2013-03-01

Motivated by the IGS real-time Pilot Project, GFZ has been developing its own real-time precise positioning service for various applications. An operational system at GFZ is now broadcasting real-time orbits, clocks, global ionospheric model, uncalibrated phase delays and regional atmospheric corrections for standard PPP, PPP with ambiguity fixing, single-frequency PPP and regional augmented PPP. To avoid developing various algorithms for different applications, we proposed a uniform algorithm and implemented it into our real-time software. In the new processing scheme, we employed un-differenced raw observations with atmospheric delays as parameters, which are properly constrained by real-time derived global ionospheric model or regional atmospheric corrections and by the empirical characteristics of the atmospheric delay variation in time and space. The positioning performance in terms of convergence time and ambiguity fixing depends mainly on the quality of the received atmospheric information and the spatial and temporal constraints. The un-differenced raw observation model can not only integrate PPP and NRTK into a seamless positioning service, but also syncretize these two techniques into a unique model and algorithm. Furthermore, it is suitable for both dual-frequency and sing-frequency receivers. Based on the real-time data streams from IGS, EUREF and SAPOS reference networks, we can provide services of global precise point positioning (PPP) with 5-10 cm accuracy, PPP with ambiguity-fixing of 2-5 cm accuracy, PPP using single-frequency receiver with accuracy of better than 50 cm and PPP with regional augmentation for instantaneous ambiguity resolution of 1-3 cm accuracy. We adapted the system for current COMPASS to provide PPP service. COMPASS observations from a regional network of nine stations are used for precise orbit determination and clock estimation in simulated real-time mode, the orbit and clock products are applied for real-time precise point positioning. The simulated real-time PPP service confirms that real-time positioning services of accuracy at dm-level and even cm-level is achievable with COMPASS only.

The desired moral attitude of the physician: (II) compassion.

PubMed

Gelhaus, Petra

2012-11-01

Professional medical ethics demands of health care professionals in addition to specific duties and rules of conduct that they embody a responsible and trustworthy personality. In the public discussion, different concepts are suggested to describe the desired implied attitude of physicians. In a sequel of three articles, a set of three of these concepts is presented in an interpretation that is meant to characterise the morally emotional part of this attitude: "empathy", "compassion" and "care". In the first article of the series, "empathy" has been developed as a mainly cognitive and morally neutral capacity of understanding. In this article, the emotional and virtuous core of the desired professional attitude-compassion-is elaborated. Compassion is distinguished from sympathy, empathy and pity. Several problems of compassion as a spontaneous, warm emotion for being a professional virtue are discussed: especially questions of over-demand, of justice and of concerns because of a possible threat to the patient's dignity and autonomy. An interpretation of compassion as processed and learned professional attitude, that founds dignity on the general idea of man as a sentient being and on solidarity, not on his independence and capacities, is developed. It is meant to rule out the possible side effects and to make compassion as a professional attitude and as professional virtue attractive, teachable and acquirable. In order to reach the adequate warmth and closeness for the particular physician-patient-relation, professional compassion has to be combined with the capacity of empathy. If appropriate, the combination of both empathy and compassion as "empathic compassion" can demand a much warmer attitude towards the patient than each of the elements alone, or the simple addition of them can provide. The concept of "care" that will be discussed in a forthcoming article of this sequel is a missing necessary part to describe the active potential of the desired moral attitude of the physician more completely. The reconstruction of the desired professional attitude in terms of "empathic compassionate care" is certainly not the only possible description, but it is a detailed proposal in order to give an impulse for the discussion about the inner tacit values and the meaning of medicine and clinical healthcare professions.

Examining Self-Protection Measures Guarding Adult Protective Services Social Workers against Compassion Fatigue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourassa, Dara

2012-01-01

Little research has focused on the risk factors, effects, and experiences of compassion fatigue among gerontological social workers. This qualitative study explores the experiences and perspectives of nine Adult Protective Services (APS) social workers in relation to compassion fatigue. Results show that the APS social workers combined personal…

Autonomous Underwater Munitions and Explosives of Concern Detection System

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

Field Magnetometer ......................................................................... 19 5.3.2 Fluxgate Compass...through the vehicle control system. Magnetic measurements are sampled at 10 Hz. 5.3.2 Fluxgate Compass Located in the magnetometer module pressure...pitch, and roll) from the fluxgate compass and the total field magnetometer measurements are required for processing into the MagComp compensation

Map and Compass. Outdoor Living Skills Series. Instructor Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludwig, Gail S.

Designed for instructors with little or no map and compass experience, the self-contained manual contains background information, lesson plans, student handouts, and references for teaching the basic skills of map and compass use to junior high and senior high school students and youth groups. An introductory section briefly discusses the…

Mindfulness and Compassion in Human Development: Introduction to the Special Section

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roeser, Robert W.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2015-01-01

Research on contemplative practices (e.g., mindfulness or compassion training) is growing rapidly in the clinical, health and neuro-sciences, but almost none of this research takes an explicitly developmental life span perspective. At present, we know rather little about the naturalistic development of mindfulness or compassion in children and…

Contribution of Self-Compassion to Competence and Mental Health in Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ying, Yu-Wen

2009-01-01

This study examined the potential contribution of self-compassion to perceived competence and mental health in master's of social work students (N=65). It was hypothesized that the components of self-compassion (i.e., mindfulness, common humanity, self-kindness, overidentification, isolation, and self-judgment) would impact perceived competence…

Compass Games: An Introduction to Orienteering Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sension-Hall, Debra

2011-01-01

Compasses are useful tools for teaching the basics of navigation. Knowing where you are, where you are going, and how to get there are important facets of outdoor recreation. Compass games are a fun way to teach introductory navigation skills, and this article describes how they can be used as innovative, nontraditional activities in physical…

COMPASS-AIM: A University/P-12 Partnership Innovation for Continuous Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Kristen C.; Lawson, Hal A.; Angelis, Janet I.

2017-01-01

COMPASS-AIM is a set of processes and tools used by participants in a research-practice partnership (RPP) to improve organizational capacities and individual and team competencies for organizational learning and improvement. The "COMPASS" team includes teams of teachers and school leaders who work with a university researcher and expert…

Novel robust skylight compass method based on full-sky polarization imaging under harsh conditions.

PubMed

Tang, Jun; Zhang, Nan; Li, Dalin; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Binzhen; Wang, Chenguang; Shen, Chong; Ren, Jianbin; Xue, Chenyang; Liu, Jun

2016-07-11

A novel method based on Pulse Coupled Neural Network(PCNN) algorithm for the highly accurate and robust compass information calculation from the polarized skylight imaging is proposed,which showed good accuracy and reliability especially under cloudy weather,surrounding shielding and moon light. The degree of polarization (DOP) combined with the angle of polarization (AOP), calculated from the full sky polarization image, were used for the compass information caculation. Due to the high sensitivity to the environments, DOP was used to judge the destruction of polarized information using the PCNN algorithm. Only areas with high accuracy of AOP were kept after the DOP PCNN filtering, thereby greatly increasing the compass accuracy and robustness. From the experimental results, it was shown that the compass accuracy was 0.1805° under clear weather. This method was also proven to be applicable under conditions of shielding by clouds, trees and buildings, with a compass accuracy better than 1°. With weak polarization information sources, such as moonlight, this method was shown experimentally to have an accuracy of 0.878°.

Self-compassionate responses to aging.

PubMed

Allen, Ashley Batts; Leary, Mark R

2014-04-01

Evidence suggests that self-compassion may be beneficial to older adults who are struggling to cope with the aging process. The purpose of this study was to assess the thoughts of self-compassionate older adults and to determine whether self-compassionate thoughts relate to positive responses to aging. Participants (n = 121, M = 76.2 years, approximately 65% female) completed measures of self-compassion and self-esteem; were randomly assigned to write about a positive, negative, or neutral age-related event; and completed questions about the event and their reactions. Responses were coded for self-compassionate themes and emotional tone. Analyses indicated that self-compassion predicted positive responses to aging and that self-compassionate thoughts explained the relationship between trait self-compassion and emotional tone as well as the belief that one's attitude helped them cope with age-related events. Although older adults who were low versus high in self-compassion experienced similar age-related events, participants high in self-compassion thought about these events in ways that predicted positive outcomes. Encouraging older adults to be more self-compassionate may improve well-being in old age.

Remotely readable fiber optic compass

DOEpatents

Migliori, Albert; Swift, Gregory W.; Garrett, Steven L.

1986-01-01

A remotely readable fiber optic compass. A sheet polarizer is affixed to a magnet rotatably mounted in a compass body, such that the polarizer rotates with the magnet. The optical axis of the sheet polarizer is preferably aligned with the north-south axis of the magnet. A single excitation light beam is divided into four identical beams, two of which are passed through the sheet polarizer and through two fixed polarizing sheets which have their optical axes at right angles to one another. The angle of the compass magnet with respect to a fixed axis of the compass body can be determined by measuring the ratio of the intensities of the two light beams. The remaining ambiguity as to which of the four possible quadrants the magnet is pointing to is resolved by the second pair of light beams, which are passed through the sheet polarizer at positions which are transected by two semicircular opaque strips formed on the sheet polarizer. The incoming excitation beam and the four return beams are communicated by means of optical fibers, giving a remotely readable compass which has no electrical parts.

DNA Compass: a secure, client-side site for navigating personal genetic information

PubMed Central

Curnin, Charles; Gordon, Assaf; Erlich, Yaniv

2017-01-01

Abstract Motivation: Millions of individuals have access to raw genomic data using direct-to-consumer companies. The advent of large-scale sequencing projects, such as the Precision Medicine Initiative, will further increase the number of individuals with access to their own genomic information. However, querying genomic data requires a computer terminal and computational skill to analyze the data—an impediment for the general public. Results: DNA Compass is a website designed to empower the public by enabling simple navigation of personal genomic data. Users can query the status of their genomic variants for over 1658 markers or tens of millions of documented single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). DNA Compass presents the relevant genotypes of the user side-by-side with explanatory scientific resources. The genotype data never leaves the user’s computer, a feature that provides improved security and performance. More than 12 000 unique users, mainly from the general genetic genealogy community, have already used DNA Compass, demonstrating its utility. Availability and Implementation: DNA Compass is freely available on https://compass.dna.land. Contact: yaniv@cs.columbia.edu PMID:28334237

The effectiveness of self-compassion and self-esteem writing tasks in reducing body image concerns.

PubMed

Seekis, Veya; Bradley, Graham L; Duffy, Amanda

2017-12-01

This study investigated whether single-session self-compassion and self-esteem writing tasks ameliorate the body image concerns evoked by a negative body image induction. Ninety-six female university students aged 17-25 years (M age =19.45, SD=1.84) were randomly assigned to one of three writing treatment groups: self-compassion, self-esteem, or control. After reading a negative body image scenario, participants completed scales measuring state body appreciation, body satisfaction, and appearance anxiety. They then undertook the assigned writing task, and completed the three measures again, both immediately post-treatment and at 2-week follow-up. The self-compassion writing group showed higher post-treatment body appreciation than the self-esteem and control groups, and higher body appreciation than the control group at follow-up. At post-treatment and follow-up, self-compassion and self-esteem writing showed higher body satisfaction than the control. The groups did not differ on appearance anxiety. Writing-based interventions, especially those that enhance self-compassion, may help alleviate certain body image concerns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remotely readable fiber optic compass

DOEpatents

Migliori, A.; Swift, G.W.; Garrett, S.L.

1985-04-30

A remotely readable fiber optic compass. A sheet polarizer is affixed to a magnet rotatably mounted in a compass body, such that the polarizer rotates with the magnet. The optical axis of the sheet polarizer is preferably aligned with the north-south axis of the magnet. A single excitation light beam is divided into four identical beams, two of which are passed through the sheet polarizer and through two fixed polarizing sheets which have their optical axes at right angles to one another. The angle of the compass magnet with respect to a fixed axis of the compass body can be determined by measuring the ratio of the intensities of the two light beams. The remaining ambiguity as to which of the four possible quadrants the magnet is pointing to is resolved by the second pair of light beams, which are passed through the sheet polarizer at positions which are transected by two semicircular opaque strips formed on the sheet polarizer. The incoming excitation beam and the four return beams are communicated by means of optical fibers, giving a remotely readable compass which has no electrical parts.

Occupational stress amongst audiologists: compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout.

PubMed

Severn, Michael S; Searchfield, Grant D; Huggard, Peter

2012-01-01

This study aimed to investigate occupational stress amongst audiologists, along with quantification of their professional quality of life: Burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. A cross-sectional postal survey research design using an audiology occupational stress questionnaire (AOSQ), and the professional quality of life (ProQOL) instrument. The sample consisted of members of the New Zealand Audiological Society. One hundred and forty-five questionnaires were mailed, 82 responses were received. The main findings suggest that six stress factors dominate clinical audiology: (1) time demand, (2) audiological management, (3) patient contact, (4) clinical protocol, (5) patient accountability, and (6) administration or equipment. A significant relationship was found between increasing age of the audiologist and risk of acquiring burnout (chi-square (1)=6.119, p<0.05). Pearson's correlation's revealed time demand was the strongest predictor of low compassion satisfaction (r=0.327) and burnout (r=0.463), while stress associated with patient contact was the strongest predictor of compassion fatigue (r=0.352). This study identifies sources of stress for clinical audiologists and different factors that contribute to professional quality of life.

Embodying self-compassion within virtual reality and its effects on patients with depression.

PubMed

Falconer, Caroline J; Rovira, Aitor; King, John A; Gilbert, Paul; Antley, Angus; Fearon, Pasco; Ralph, Neil; Slater, Mel; Brewin, Chris R

2016-01-01

Self-criticism is a ubiquitous feature of psychopathology and can be combatted by increasing levels of self-compassion. However, some patients are resistant to self-compassion. To investigate whether the effects of self-identification with virtual bodies within immersive virtual reality could be exploited to increase self-compassion in patients with depression. We developed an 8-minute scenario in which 15 patients practised delivering compassion in one virtual body and then experienced receiving it from themselves in another virtual body. In an open trial, three repetitions of this scenario led to significant reductions in depression severity and self-criticism, as well as to a significant increase in self-compassion, from baseline to 4-week follow-up. Four patients showed clinically significant improvement. The results indicate that interventions using immersive virtual reality may have considerable clinical potential and that further development of these methods preparatory to a controlled trial is now warranted. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.

Self-compassion and psychological distress in parents of young people and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

PubMed

Robinson, Suzanne; Hastings, Richard P; Weiss, Jonathan A; Pagavathsing, Jaffni; Lunsky, Yona

2018-05-01

Parenting an individual with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can be challenging, particularly during adulthood. It is important to better understand ways of supporting families as individuals with IDD age. Self-compassion is a potential internal coping resource for parents, and is strongly linked to positive mental health outcomes, though research has yet to examine it in parents of adults with IDD. The current study examines the association between self-compassion and measures of well-being for 56 parents of adults with IDD. Greater self-compassion was related to lower levels of stress and depression, even after accounting for other known stressors, such as economic disadvantage, having a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, and high parent burden. Self-compassion may offer resiliency against these parenting challenges. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Grief rumination mediates the association between self-compassion and psychopathology in relatives of missing persons.

PubMed

Lenferink, Lonneke I M; Eisma, Maarten C; de Keijser, Jos; Boelen, Paul A

2017-01-01

Background : The disappearance of a loved one is a unique type of loss, also termed 'ambiguous loss', which may heighten the risk for developing prolonged grief (PG), depression, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Little is known about protective and risk factors for psychopathology among relatives of missing persons. A potential protective factor is self-compassion, referring to openness toward and acceptance of one's own pain, failures, and inadequacies. One could reason that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of emotional distress following ambiguous loss, because it might serve as a buffer for getting entangled in ruminative thinking about the causes and consequences of the disappearance ('grief rumination'). Objective : In a sample of relatives of missing persons we aimed to examine (1) the prediction that greater self-compassion is related to lower symptom-levels of PG, depression, and PTS and (2) to what extent these associations are mediated by grief rumination. Method : Dutch and Belgian relatives of long-term missing persons ( N  = 137) completed self-report measures tapping self-compassion, grief rumination, PG, depression, and PTS. Mediation analyses were conducted. Results : Self-compassion was significantly, negatively, and moderately associated with PG, depression, and PTS levels. Grief rumination significantly mediated the associations of higher levels of self-compassion with lower levels of PG (a*b = -0.11), depression (a*b = -0.07), and PTS (a*b = -0.11). Specifically, 50%, 32%, and 32% of the effect of self-compassion on PG, depression, and PTS levels, respectively, was accounted for by grief rumination. Conclusions : Findings suggest that people with more self-compassion experience less severe psychopathology, in part because these people are less strongly inclined to engage in ruminative thinking related to the disappearance. Strengthening a self-compassionate attitude using, for instance, mindfulness-based interventions may therefore be a useful intervention to reduce emotional distress associated with the disappearance of a loved one.

Grief rumination mediates the association between self-compassion and psychopathology in relatives of missing persons

PubMed Central

Lenferink, Lonneke I. M.; Eisma, Maarten C.; de Keijser, Jos; Boelen, Paul A.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The disappearance of a loved one is a unique type of loss, also termed ‘ambiguous loss’, which may heighten the risk for developing prolonged grief (PG), depression, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Little is known about protective and risk factors for psychopathology among relatives of missing persons. A potential protective factor is self-compassion, referring to openness toward and acceptance of one’s own pain, failures, and inadequacies. One could reason that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of emotional distress following ambiguous loss, because it might serve as a buffer for getting entangled in ruminative thinking about the causes and consequences of the disappearance (‘grief rumination’). Objective: In a sample of relatives of missing persons we aimed to examine (1) the prediction that greater self-compassion is related to lower symptom-levels of PG, depression, and PTS and (2) to what extent these associations are mediated by grief rumination. Method: Dutch and Belgian relatives of long-term missing persons (N = 137) completed self-report measures tapping self-compassion, grief rumination, PG, depression, and PTS. Mediation analyses were conducted. Results: Self-compassion was significantly, negatively, and moderately associated with PG, depression, and PTS levels. Grief rumination significantly mediated the associations of higher levels of self-compassion with lower levels of PG (a*b = −0.11), depression (a*b = −0.07), and PTS (a*b = −0.11). Specifically, 50%, 32%, and 32% of the effect of self-compassion on PG, depression, and PTS levels, respectively, was accounted for by grief rumination. Conclusions: Findings suggest that people with more self-compassion experience less severe psychopathology, in part because these people are less strongly inclined to engage in ruminative thinking related to the disappearance. Strengthening a self-compassionate attitude using, for instance, mindfulness-based interventions may therefore be a useful intervention to reduce emotional distress associated with the disappearance of a loved one. PMID:29163871

The qualities of attachment with significant others and self-compassion protect adolescents from non suicidal self-injury.

PubMed

Jiang, Yongqiang; You, Jianing; Zheng, Xiaoling; Lin, Min-Pei

2017-06-01

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious public health problem. Identifying the factors that could help prevent or reduce NSSI is important. The current study examined the protective roles of the perceived qualities of current attachment to significant others (i.e., mothers, fathers, and peers) and self-compassion in adolescent NSSI. The potential mediating effect of self-compassion in the relationships between attachment relationships with mothers, fathers, and peers and adolescent NSSI was also explored. Self-reported data on mother, father, and peer attachment (each included 3 dimensions; i.e., trust, communication, and closeness); self-compassion; and NSSI were collected from 658 secondary school students (59.9% male; M age = 13.58 years). Participants with NSSI experiences scored significantly higher on the perceived qualities of current attachment with parents and self-compassion than those reporting no NSSI experience. Attachment with peers did not distinguish the NSSI group from the Non-NSSI group. Further mediation analyses indicated that self-compassion mediated the relationships of closeness with mothers, fathers (partially), and peers to NSSI as well as the relationship of peer communication to NSSI. Limitations of this study and implications regarding the protective roles of attachment and self-compassion in the prevention and intervention for NSSI are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Translation and linguistic validation of the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score COMPASS 31.

PubMed

Pierangeli, Giulia; Turrini, Alessandra; Giannini, Giulia; Del Sorbo, Francesca; Calandra-Buonaura, Giovanna; Guaraldi, Pietro; Bacchi Reggiani, Maria Letizia; Cortelli, Pietro

2015-10-01

The aim of our study was to translate and to do a linguistic validation of the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score COMPASS 31. COMPASS 31 is a self-assessment instrument including 31 items assessing six domains of autonomic functions: orthostatic intolerance, vasomotor, secretomotor, gastrointestinal, bladder, and pupillomotor functions. This questionnaire has been created by the Autonomic group of the Mayo Clinic from two previous versions: the Autonomic Symptom Profile (ASP) composed of 169 items and the following COMPASS with 72 items selected from the ASP. We translated the questionnaire by means of a standardized forward and back-translation procedure. Thirty-six subjects, 25 patients with autonomic failure of different aethiologies and 11 healthy controls filled in the COMPASS 31 twice, 4 ± 1 weeks apart, once in Italian and once in English in a randomized order. The test-retest showed a significant correlation between the Italian and the English versions as total score. The evaluation of single domains by means of Pearson correlation when applicable or by means of Spearman test showed a significant correlation between the English and the Italian COMPASS 31 version for all clinical domains except the vasomotor one for the lack of scoring. The comparison between the patients with autonomic failure and healthy control groups showed significantly higher total scores in patients with respect to controls confirming the high sensitivity of COMPASS 31 in revealing autonomic symptoms.

Mindfulness and Self-compassion as Unique and Common Predictors of Affect in the General Population.

PubMed

López, Angélica; Sanderman, Robbert; Schroevers, Maya J

2016-01-01

In contrast to the increased research interest in the benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion, relatively few studies have examined their unique and combined effects in predicting affect. This cross-sectional study examined the predictive value of mindfulness and self-compassion for depressive symptoms, negative affect, and positive affect in a large representative sample of community adults ( N  = 1736). The Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) was used as a measure of mindfulness and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) as a measure of self-compassion. Five FFMQ facets were explored: observe, describe, act with awareness, non-judgment, and non-reactivity. Two SCS facets were explored: its positive items (SCS Pos) and its negative items (SCS Neg). When simultaneously examining all seven facets of mindfulness and self-compassion, three of the five FFMQ facets and SCS Neg significantly predicted both depressive symptoms and negative affect, with SCS Neg and act with awareness being the strongest predictors. These findings suggest that a harsh attitude towards oneself and a lack of attention when acting have the greatest value in predicting the presence of psychological symptoms. With respect to positive affect, four of the five FFMQ facets (except non-judgment) were significant predictors, with no unique predictive value of the two SCS's facets, suggesting that mindfulness is a more important predictor of positive affect than self-compassion, as measured by the FFMQ and SCS.

Testing a mediation framework for the link between perceived discrimination and psychological distress among sexual minority individuals.

PubMed

Liao, Kelly Yu-Hsin; Kashubeck-West, Susan; Weng, Chih-Yuan; Deitz, Cori

2015-04-01

Perceived discrimination is a risk factor for mental health problems among sexual minority individuals. An increasing number of research studies have investigated the mechanisms through which stigma-related stressors such as perceived discrimination are linked with adverse mental health outcomes for sexual minority populations. The integrative mediation framework proposed by Hatzenbuehler (2009) underscores the importance of identifying mediators in the association between stigma-related stressors and mental health outcomes. This study tested 3 mediators--expectations of rejection, anger rumination, and self-compassion--in the perceived discrimination-distress link. Moreover, it examined associations among these mediators. A nationwide sample of 265 sexual minorities responded to an online survey. Structural equation modeling results supported the mediator roles of expectations of rejection, anger rumination, and self-compassion. More specifically, perceived discrimination was associated with expectations of rejection, which, in turn, was associated with increased anger rumination and less self-compassion, resulting in greater psychological distress. The findings suggest several avenues for prevention and intervention with sexual minority individuals. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

"You better not leave me shaming!": Conditional indirect effect analyses of anti-fat attitudes, body shame, and fat talk as a function of self-compassion in college women.

PubMed

Webb, Jennifer B; Fiery, Mallory F; Jafari, Nadia

2016-09-01

The present investigation provided a theoretically-driven analysis testing whether body shame helped account for the predicted positive associations between explicit weight bias in the form of possessing anti-fat attitudes (i.e., dislike, fear of fat, and willpower beliefs) and engaging in fat talk among 309 weight-diverse college women. We also evaluated whether self-compassion served as a protective factor in these relationships. Robust non-parametric bootstrap resampling procedures adjusted for body mass index (BMI) revealed stronger indirect and conditional indirect effects for dislike and fear of fat attitudes and weaker, marginal effects for the models inclusive of willpower beliefs. In general, the indirect effect of anti-fat attitudes on fat talk via body shame declined with increasing levels of self-compassion. Our preliminary findings may point to useful process variables to target in mitigating the impact of endorsing anti-fat prejudice on fat talk in college women and may help clarify who is at higher risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Patience Tendency Levels in Terms of Self-Determination, Self-Compassion and Personality Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bülbül, Ayse Eliüsük; Arslan, Coskun

2017-01-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between self-determination, self-compassion and the five-factor personality traits of university students. Moreover it was aimed to determine whether self-compassion, self-determination and personality traits predict patience levels at a meaningful level. The sample population of…

Self-Compassion and Suicidal Behavior in College Students: Serial Indirect Effects via Depression and Wellness Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelliher Rabon, Jessica; Sirois, Fuschia M.; Hirsch, Jameson K.

2018-01-01

Objective: College students may be at heightened risk for suicide and suicidal behavior due to maladaptive cognitive-emotional factors and failure to practice basic health behaviors. However, self-compassion and wellness behaviors may protect against risk. The relation between self-compassion and suicidal behavior and the contributing roles of…

Topographic Map and Compass Use. A Teaching Packet to Supplement the Student Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Michael

This teacher's manual is designed to supplement the student manual for a unit of study on topographic map and compass use. The beginning section of the manual discusses (1) teaching strategy and evaluation, (2) teaching time and facilities, (3) materials and equipment required, (4) suggested field experience, (5) setting up a compass competition,…

Perception of Suffering and Compassion Experience: Brain Gender Disparities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercadillo, Roberto E.; Diaz, Jose Luis; Pasaye, Erick H.; Barrios, Fernando A.

2011-01-01

Compassion is considered a moral emotion related to the perception of suffering in others, and resulting in a motivation to alleviate the afflicted party. We compared brain correlates of compassion-evoking images in women and men. BOLD functional images of 24 healthy volunteers (twelve women and twelve men; age=27 [plus or minus] 2.5 y.o.) were…

A qualitative exploration of responses to self-compassion in a non-clinical sample.

PubMed

Campion, Maxine; Glover, Lesley

2017-05-01

Research suggests that being self-compassionate can have myriad benefits, including life satisfaction, health-promoting behaviours and improved mental health. Given the possible advantages of being self-compassionate, it seems critical to explore how to promote this in the general population. This qualitative study aimed to understand responses to the idea of being compassionate to oneself within the general population. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the North East of England between October 2014 and February 2015, they were analysed using thematic analysis. As part of an intervention study, non-clinical volunteers watched a psychoeducation video about the concept of self-compassion and then participated in one of four meditation exercises. Following this, participants were interviewed about their responses to the idea of being self-compassionate. Three themes were identified: Benefits of Self-Compassion; Being Self-Compassionate and Barriers to Self-Compassion. Participants believed that being self-compassionate would be beneficial, for both themselves and the world, but they believed that self-compassion would make them vulnerable and that others would judge them. Thus, participants were afraid to be the first ones to be self-compassionate and stated that, in order for self-compassion to be acceptable, we need to change the perspective of western culture. These findings underscore the importance of understanding society's role in a person's ability to be self-compassionate. In order to reap the benefits of self-compassion, we need to create a culture that accepts and encourages this. As practitioners, we are in a position to lead in self-compassion and to encourage other leaders to promote this as a preventative mental health strategy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Zebra finches have a light-dependent magnetic compass similar to migratory birds.

PubMed

Pinzon-Rodriguez, Atticus; Muheim, Rachel

2017-04-01

Birds have a light-dependent magnetic compass that provides information about the spatial alignment of the geomagnetic field. It is proposed to be located in the avian retina and mediated by a light-induced, radical-pair mechanism involving cryptochromes as sensory receptor molecules. To investigate how the behavioural responses of birds under different light spectra match with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, we examined the spectral properties of the magnetic compass in zebra finches. We trained birds to relocate a food reward in a spatial orientation task using magnetic compass cues. The birds were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis when trained and tested under low-irradiance 521 nm green light. In the presence of a 1.4 MHz radio-frequency electromagnetic (RF)-field, the birds were disoriented, which supports the involvement of radical-pair reactions in the primary magnetoreception process. Birds trained and tested under 638 nm red light showed a weak tendency to orient ∼45 deg clockwise of the trained magnetic direction. Under low-irradiance 460 nm blue light, they tended to orient along the trained magnetic compass axis, but were disoriented under higher irradiance light. Zebra finches trained and tested under high-irradiance 430 nm indigo light were well oriented along the trained magnetic compass axis, but disoriented in the presence of a RF-field. We conclude that magnetic compass responses of zebra finches are similar to those observed in nocturnally migrating birds and agree with cryptochromes as the primary magnetoreceptor, suggesting that light-dependent, radical-pair-mediated magnetoreception is a common property for all birds, including non-migratory species. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Compassion Is a Necessity and an Individual and Collective Responsibility Comment on "Why and How Is Compassion Necessary to Provide Good Quality Healthcare?".

PubMed

Lown, Beth A

2015-06-02

Compassion is a complex process that is innate, determined in part by individual traits, and modulated by a myriad of conscious and unconscious factors, immediate context, social structures and expectations, and organizational "culture." Compassion is an ethical foundation of healthcare and a widely shared value; it is not an optional luxury in the healing process. While the interrelations between individual motivation and social structure are complex, we can choose to act individually and collectively to remove barriers to the innate compassion that most healthcare professionals bring to their work. Doing so will reduce professional burnout, improve the well-being of the healthcare workforce, and facilitate our efforts to achieve the triple aim of improving patients' experiences of care and health while lowering costs. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Migration along orthodromic sun compass routes by arctic birds.

PubMed

Alerstam, T; Gudmundsson, G A; Green, M; Hedenstrom, A

2001-01-12

Flight directions of birds migrating at high geographic and magnetic latitudes can be used to test bird orientation by celestial or geomagnetic compass systems under polar conditions. Migration patterns of arctic shorebirds, revealed by tracking radar studies during an icebreaker expedition along the Northwest Passage in 1999, support predicted sun compass trajectories but cannot be reconciled with orientation along either geographic or magnetic loxodromes (rhumb lines). Sun compass routes are similar to orthodromes (great circle routes) at high latitudes, showing changing geographic courses as the birds traverse longitudes and their internal clock gets out of phase with local time. These routes bring the shorebirds from high arctic Canada to the east coast of North America, from which they make transoceanic flights to South America. The observations are also consistent with a migration link between Siberia and the Beaufort Sea region by way of sun compass routes across the Arctic Ocean.

On the use of magnets to disrupt the physiological compass of birds.

PubMed

Wang, K; Mattern, E; Ritz, T

2006-10-04

Behavioral researchers have attached magnets to birds during orientation experiments, assuming that such magnets will disrupt their ability to obtain magnetic information. Here, we investigate the effect of an attached magnet on the ability to derive directional information from a radical-pair based compass mechanism. We outline in some detail the geometrical symmetries that would allow a bird to identify magnetic directions in a radical-pair based compass. We show that the artificial field through an attached magnet will quickly disrupt the birds' ability to distinguish pole-ward from equator-ward headings, but that much stronger fields are necessary to disrupt their ability to detect the magnetic axis. Together with estimates of the functional limits of a radical-pair based compass, our calculations suggest that artificial fields of comparable size to the geomagnetic field are not generally sufficient to render a radical-pair based compass non-functional.

Dispositional mindfulness and employment status as predictors of resilience in third year nursing students: a quantitative study.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Diane; Williams, Allison; Stanley, David; Mellor, Peter; Cross, Wendy; Siegloff, Lesley

2016-10-01

Nursing students will graduate into stressful workplace environments and resilience is an essential acquired ability for surviving the workplace. Few studies have explored the relationship between resilience and the degree of innate dispositional mindfulness, compassion, compassion fatigue and burnout in nursing students, including those who find themselves in the position of needing to work in addition to their academic responsibilities. This paper investigates the predictors of resilience, including dispositional mindfulness and employment status of third year nursing students from three Australian universities. Participants were 240 undergraduate, third year, nursing students. Participants completed a resilience measure (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, CD-RISC), measures of dispositional mindfulness (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale Revised, CAMS-R) and professional quality of life (The Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5, PROQOL5), such as compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout. An observational quantitative successive independent samples survey design was employed. A stepwise linear regression was used to evaluate the extent to which predictive variables were related each to resilience. The predictive model explained 57% of the variance in resilience. Dispositional mindfulness subset acceptance made the strongest contribution, followed by the expectation of a graduate nurse transition programme acceptance, with dispositional mindfulness total score and employment greater than 20 hours per week making the smallest contribution. This was a resilient group of nursing students who rated high with dispositional mindfulness and exhibited hopeful and positive aspirations for obtaining a position in a competitive graduate nurse transition programme after graduation.

Cesar Chavez--Grade Six Model Curriculum and Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

In this California state curriculum model for grade 6, "World History and Geography: Ancient Civilization," students learn that religious ideas have inspired and influenced the lives and actions of men and women, including Cesar Chavez. They see how his unselfishness, compassion for others, tolerance, and nonviolence have roots reaching…

A high accuracy magnetic heading system composed of fluxgate magnetometers and a microcomputer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Sheng-Wu; Zhang, Zhao-Nian; Hung, James C.

The authors present a magnetic heading system consisting of two fluxgate magnetometers and a single-chip microcomputer. The system, when compared to gyro compasses, is smaller in size, lighter in weight, simpler in construction, quicker in reaction time, free from drift, and more reliable. Using a microcomputer in the system, heading error due to compass deviation, sensor offsets, scale factor uncertainty, and sensor tilts can be compensated with the help of an error model. The laboratory test of a typical system showed that the accuracy of the system was improved from more than 8 deg error without error compensation to less than 0.3 deg error with compensation.

A Predictive Score for Thrombosis Associated with Breast, Colorectal, Lung, or Ovarian Cancer: The Prospective COMPASS-Cancer-Associated Thrombosis Study.

PubMed

Gerotziafas, Grigoris T; Taher, Ali; Abdel-Razeq, Hikmat; AboElnazar, Essam; Spyropoulos, Alex C; El Shemmari, Salem; Larsen, Annette K; Elalamy, Ismail

2017-10-01

The stratification of outpatients on chemotherapy for breast, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains an unmet clinical need. The derivation of a risk assessment model (RAM) for VTE in these patients was the aim of the study "Prospective Comparison of Methods for thromboembolic risk assessment with clinical Perceptions and AwareneSS in real life patients-Cancer Associated Thrombosis" (COMPASS-CAT). The derivation cohort consisted of 1,023 outpatients. Patients on low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis were excluded. Documented symptomatic VTE was the endpoint of the study. Patients had breast (61%), colorectal (17%), lung (13%), or ovarian cancer (8.6%) at localized (30%) or advanced stage (70%). In 64% of patients, cancer was diagnosed within the last 6 months prior to inclusion. Most of them were on chemotherapy when assessed. Symptomatic VTE occurred in 8.5% of patients. The COMPASS-CAT RAM includes the following variables: (a) anthracycline or anti - hormonal therapy, (b) time since cancer diagnosis, (c) central venous catheter, (d) stage of cancer, (e) presence of cardiovascular risk factors, (f) recent hospitalization for acute medical illness, (g) personal history of VTE, and (h) platelet count. At 6 months, patients stratified at low/intermediate and high-risk groups had VTE rates of 1.7% and 13.3%, respectively. The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics analysis was 0.85. The sensitivity and specificity of the RAM were 88% and 52%, respectively. The negative and positive predictive values of the RAM were 98% and 13%, respectively. The COMPASS-CAT RAM includes reliable and easily collected VTE risk predictors and, in contrast to the Khorana score, it is applicable after the initiation of anticancer treatment in patients with common solid tumors. Its robustness for stratification of patients at high and low/intermediate VTE risk needs to be externally validated. The Prospective Comparison of Methods for thromboembolic risk assessment with clinical Perceptions and AwareneSS in real life patients-Cancer Associated Thrombosis (COMPASS-CAT) study provides a new risk assessment model (RAM) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) applicable in outpatients with breast, colorectal, lung or ovarian cancer. The COMPASS-CAT RAM is robust, applicable during chemotherapy and determines the need for VTE prévention by including reliable and easily collected VTE predictors associated with cancer status, its treatment as well as with patients' characteristics and comorbidities. An independent external validation of the RAM is indicated before its use in clinical practice. © 2017 The Authors The Oncologist published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AlphaMed Press.

Validity Evidence for ACT Compass® Placement Tests. ACT Research Report Series 2014 (2)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westrick, Paul A.; Allen, Jeff

2014-01-01

We examined the validity of using Compass® test scores and high school grade point average (GPA) for placing students in first-year college courses and for identifying students at risk of not succeeding. Consistent with other research, the combination of high school GPA and Compass scores performed better than either measure used alone. Results…

Compassionate Values as a Resource during the Transition to College: Quiet Ego, Compassionate Goals, and Self-Compassion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wayment, Heidi A.; West, Taylor N.; Craddock, Emily B.

2016-01-01

This study examined the unique contributions of compassion-related values and skills on stress and life satisfaction in two samples of first-year college students. Quiet ego, a measure of a compassionate self-identity, was associated with using relatively more compassionate interpersonal goals relative to self-image goals. Self-compassion and, to…

The Art of Teaching Map and Compass: Instructional Techniques, Curricular Formats and Practical Field Exercises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watters, Ron

This paper discusses the value of teaching map and compass skills in the classroom or an outdoor situation. Navigation is the most basic of all outdoor skills. A map and compass curriculum can be taught to anyone, is inexpensive, and is easily incorporated in a variety of educational situations. General teaching principles are outlined: (1) start…

76 FR 47596 - Notice of Scientific Summit; The Science of Compassion-Future Directions in End-of-Life and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-05

...; The Science of Compassion--Future Directions in End-of-Life and Palliative Care SUMMARY: Notice is... science at the end-of-life. On August 11-12, the summit will feature keynote presentations, three plenary...), Department of Health and Human Services, will convene a scientific summit titled ``The Science of Compassion...

New York City social workers after 9/11: their attachment, resiliency, and compassion fatigue.

PubMed

Tosone, Carol; Bettmann, Joanna E; Minami, Takuya; Jasperson, Rachael A

2010-01-01

This study examines the relationship between attachment classification, resiliency, and compassion fatigue in New York social workers following 9/11. We used single occasion, quasi-random sampling, surveying 481 social workers living in Manhattan. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that secure attachment is predictive of the ability to cope with secondary traumatic stress as well as capacity for resilience, explaining approximately 7% of the variance in both compassion fatigue and resiliency. These findings suggest that secure attachment may serve as a source of resilience for social workers, immunizing them from significant compassion fatigue. Such findings have significant implications for clinicians working with traumatized populations.

Night-Migratory Songbirds Possess a Magnetic Compass in Both Eyes

PubMed Central

Lefeldt, Nele; Prior, Helmut; Mouritsen, Henrik

2012-01-01

Previous studies on European robins, Erithacus rubecula, and Australian silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis, had suggested that magnetic compass information is being processed only in the right eye and left brain hemisphere of migratory birds. However, recently it was demonstrated that both garden warblers, Sylvia borin, and European robins have a magnetic compass in both eyes. These results raise the question if the strong lateralization effect observed in earlier experiments might have arisen from artifacts or from differences in experimental conditions rather than reflecting a true all-or-none lateralization of the magnetic compass in European robins. Here we show that (1) European robins having only their left eye open can orient in their seasonally appropriate direction both during autumn and spring, i.e. there are no strong lateralization differences between the outward journey and the way home, that (2) their directional choices are based on the standard inclination compass as they are turned 180° when the inclination is reversed, and that (3) the capability to use the magnetic compass does not depend on monocular learning or intraocular transfer as it is already present in the first tests of the birds with only one eye open. PMID:22984416

Self-compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: the implications of treating oneself kindly.

PubMed

Leary, Mark R; Tate, Eleanor B; Adams, Claire E; Allen, Ashley Batts; Hancock, Jessica

2007-05-01

Five studies investigated the cognitive and emotional processes by which self-compassionate people deal with unpleasant life events. In the various studies, participants reported on negative events in their daily lives, responded to hypothetical scenarios, reacted to interpersonal feedback, rated their or others' videotaped performances in an awkward situation, and reflected on negative personal experiences. Results from Study 1 showed that self-compassion predicted emotional and cognitive reactions to negative events in everyday life, and Study 2 found that self-compassion buffered people against negative self-feelings when imagining distressing social events. In Study 3, self-compassion moderated negative emotions after receiving ambivalent feedback, particularly for participants who were low in self-esteem. Study 4 found that low-self-compassionate people undervalued their videotaped performances relative to observers. Study 5 experimentally induced a self-compassionate perspective and found that self-compassion leads people to acknowledge their role in negative events without feeling overwhelmed with negative emotions. In general, these studies suggest that self-compassion attenuates people's reactions to negative events in ways that are distinct from and, in some cases, more beneficial than self-esteem. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Integration of polarization and chromatic cues in the insect sky compass.

PubMed

el Jundi, Basil; Pfeiffer, Keram; Heinze, Stanley; Homberg, Uwe

2014-06-01

Animals relying on a celestial compass for spatial orientation may use the position of the sun, the chromatic or intensity gradient of the sky, the polarization pattern of the sky, or a combination of these cues as compass signals. Behavioral experiments in bees and ants, indeed, showed that direct sunlight and sky polarization play a role in sky compass orientation, but the relative importance of these cues are species-specific. Intracellular recordings from polarization-sensitive interneurons in the desert locust and monarch butterfly suggest that inputs from different eye regions, including polarized-light input through the dorsal rim area of the eye and chromatic/intensity gradient input from the main eye, are combined at the level of the medulla to create a robust compass signal. Conflicting input from the polarization and chromatic/intensity channel, resulting from eccentric receptive fields, is eliminated at the level of the anterior optic tubercle and central complex through internal compensation for changing solar elevations, which requires input from a circadian clock. Across several species, the central complex likely serves as an internal sky compass, combining E-vector information with other celestial cues. Descending neurons, likewise, respond both to zenithal polarization and to unpolarized cues in an azimuth-dependent way.

The COMPASS study: a longitudinal hierarchical research platform for evaluating natural experiments related to changes in school-level programs, policies and built environment resources.

PubMed

Leatherdale, Scott T; Brown, K Stephen; Carson, Valerie; Childs, Ruth A; Dubin, Joel A; Elliott, Susan J; Faulkner, Guy; Hammond, David; Manske, Steve; Sabiston, Catherine M; Laxer, Rachel E; Bredin, Chad; Thompson-Haile, Audra

2014-04-08

Few researchers have the data required to adequately understand how the school environment impacts youth health behaviour development over time. COMPASS is a prospective cohort study designed to annually collect hierarchical longitudinal data from a sample of 90 secondary schools and the 50,000+ grade 9 to 12 students attending those schools. COMPASS uses a rigorous quasi-experimental design to evaluate how changes in school programs, policies, and/or built environment (BE) characteristics are related to changes in multiple youth health behaviours and outcomes over time. These data will allow for the quasi-experimental evaluation of natural experiments that will occur within schools over the course of COMPASS, providing a means for generating "practice based evidence" in school-based prevention programming. COMPASS is the first study with the infrastructure to robustly evaluate the impact that changes in multiple school-level programs, policies, and BE characteristics within or surrounding a school might have on multiple youth health behaviours or outcomes over time. COMPASS will provide valuable new insight for planning, tailoring and targeting of school-based prevention initiatives where they are most likely to have impact.

Embodying self-compassion within virtual reality and its effects on patients with depression

PubMed Central

Falconer, Caroline J.; Rovira, Aitor; King, John A.; Gilbert, Paul; Antley, Angus; Fearon, Pasco; Ralph, Neil; Slater, Mel

2016-01-01

Background Self-criticism is a ubiquitous feature of psychopathology and can be combatted by increasing levels of self-compassion. However, some patients are resistant to self-compassion. Aims To investigate whether the effects of self-identification with virtual bodies within immersive virtual reality could be exploited to increase self-compassion in patients with depression. Method We developed an 8-minute scenario in which 15 patients practised delivering compassion in one virtual body and then experienced receiving it from themselves in another virtual body. Results In an open trial, three repetitions of this scenario led to significant reductions in depression severity and self-criticism, as well as to a significant increase in self-compassion, from baseline to 4-week follow-up. Four patients showed clinically significant improvement. Conclusions The results indicate that interventions using immersive virtual reality may have considerable clinical potential and that further development of these methods preparatory to a controlled trial is now warranted. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence. PMID:27703757

Psychiatric caregiver stress: clinical implications of compassion fatigue.

PubMed

Franza, Francesco; Del Buono, Gianfranco; Pellegrino, Ferdinando

2015-09-01

The capacity to work productively is a key component of health and emotional well-being. People who work in health care can be exposed to the fatigue of care. Compassion fatigue has been described as an occupational hazard specific to clinical work related severe emotional distress. In our study, we have evaluated compassion fatigue in a mental health group (47 psychiatric staff) and its relationship with inpatients (237 inpatients) affected by some psychiatric disorders. At baseline, the more significant data indicate a high percentage of Job Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in psychiatric nurses (respectively, 39.28%, 28.57%). Significant Compassion Fatigue percentage is present also in psychologist group (36.36%). Finally, in psychiatrists, the exposure to patients increased vicarious trauma (28.57%), but not job burnout. After a year of participation in Balint Groups, the psychiatric staff presented an overall reduction in total mean score in any administered scale (CBI: p<0.0000045; sCFs: (Vicarious Trauma: p<0.0288; Job Burnout: p<0.000001)). Thus, compassion fatigue causes concern among mental health professionals, and Balint Groups may represent a therapeutic strategy to help health professionals to face difficulties in challenging work environments.

The Role of Self-Compassion in Buffering Symptoms of Depression in the General Population

PubMed Central

Körner, Annett; Coroiu, Adina; Copeland, Laura; Gomez-Garibello, Carlos; Albani, Cornelia; Zenger, Markus; Brähler, Elmar

2015-01-01

Self-compassion, typically operationalized as the total score of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS; Neff, 2003b), has been shown to be related to increased psychological well-being and lower depression in students of the social sciences, users of psychology websites and psychotherapy patients. The current study builds on the existing literature by examining the link between self-compassion and depressive symptomatology in a sample representative of the German general population (n = 2,404). The SCS subscales of self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification, and the “self-coldness”, composite score, which encompass these three negative subscales, consistently differed between subsamples of individuals without any depressive symptoms, with any depressive syndromes, and with major depressive disorder. The contribution of the positive SCS subscales of self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness to the variance in depressive symptomatology was almost negligible. However, when combined to a “self-compassion composite”, the positive SCS subscales significantly moderated the relationship between “self-coldness” and depressive symptoms in the general population. This speaks for self-compassion having the potential to buffer self-coldness related to depression—providing an argument for interventions that foster self-caring, kind, and forgiving attitudes towards oneself. PMID:26430893

Web-Based Software for Managing Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoadley, Sherwood T.; Ingraldi, Anthony M.; Gough, Kerry M.; Fox, Charles; Cronin, Catherine K.; Hagemann, Andrew G.; Kemmerly, Guy T.; Goodman, Wesley L.

2007-01-01

aeroCOMPASS is a software system, originally designed to aid in the management of wind tunnels at Langley Research Center, that could be adapted to provide similar aid to other enterprises in which research is performed in common laboratory facilities by users who may be geographically dispersed. Included in aeroCOMPASS is Web-interface software that provides a single, convenient portal to a set of project- and test-related software tools and other application programs. The heart of aeroCOMPASS is a user-oriented document-management software subsystem that enables geographically dispersed users to easily share and manage a variety of documents. A principle of "write once, read many" is implemented throughout aeroCOMPASS to eliminate the need for multiple entry of the same information. The Web framework of aeroCOMPASS provides links to client-side application programs that are fully integrated with databases and server-side application programs. Other subsystems of aeroCOMPASS include ones for reserving hardware, tracking of requests and feedback from users, generating interactive notes, administration of a customer-satisfaction questionnaire, managing execution of tests, managing archives of metadata about tests, planning tests, and providing online help and instruction for users.

Tenebrio beetles use magnetic inclination compass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vácha, Martin; Drštková, Dana; Půžová, Tereza

2008-08-01

Animals that guide directions of their locomotion or their migration routes by the lines of the geomagnetic field use either polarity or inclination compasses to determine the field polarity (the north or south direction). Distinguishing the two compass types is a guideline for estimation of the molecular principle of reception and has been achieved for a number of animal groups, with the exception of insects. A standard diagnostic method to distinguish a compass type is based on reversing the vertical component of the geomagnetic field, which leads to the opposite reactions of animals with two different compass types. In the present study, adults of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor were tested by means of a two-step laboratory test of magnetoreception. Beetles that were initially trained to memorize the magnetic position of the light source preferred, during the subsequent test, this same direction, pursuant geomagnetic cues only. In the following step, the vertical component was reversed between the training and the test. The beetles significantly turned their preferred direction by 180°. Our results brought until then unknown original findings that insects, represented here by the T. molitor species, use—in contrast to another previously researched Arthropod, spiny lobster—the inclination compass.

Drell-Yan measurement at COMPASS: a place to test the TMD PDFs universality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrieux, Vincent

2017-01-01

For the first time ever, the COMPASS experiment (CERN, SPS) collected in 2015 Drell-Yan (DY) data using a 190 GeV/ c pion beam on a transversely polarized NH3 target. The azimuthal modulations of the DY cross-section give access to the set of transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions (PDFs), which describe the spin structure of the nucleon. Those PDFs were already measured in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) by several experiments and especially COMPASS, which dedicated several campaigns between 2002 and 2010 to measure spin (in)dependent azimuthal asymmetries using a 160 GeV/ c polarized muon beam on a transversely polarized 6LiD or NH3 target. A key interest of extracting those TMD PDFs from different processes is to check the universality and the process-dependent features of TMD PDFs. In this aim, COMPASS is a unique place to test the predicted sign-change of the TMD PDFs using a similar experimental setup and comparable kinematic domain. The main focus of this talk will be set on the physics aspects of the COMPASS polarized Drell-Yan program and related SIDIS results. on behalf of the COMPASS collaboration.

Decoherence of odd compass states in the phase-sensitive amplifying/dissipating environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodonov, V.V., E-mail: vdodonov@fis.unb.br; Valverde, C.; Universidade Paulista, BR 153, km 7, 74845-090 Goiânia, GO

2016-08-15

We study the evolution of odd compass states (specific superpositions of four coherent states), governed by the standard master equation with phase-sensitive amplifying/attenuating terms, in the presence of a Hamiltonian describing a parametric degenerate linear amplifier. Explicit expressions for the time-dependent Wigner function are obtained. The time of disappearance of the so called “sub-Planck structures” is calculated using the negative value of the Wigner function at the origin of phase space. It is shown that this value rapidly decreases during a short “conventional interference degradation time” (CIDT), which is inversely proportional to the size of quantum superposition, provided the anti-Hermitianmore » terms in the master equation are of the same order (or stronger) as the Hermitian ones (governing the parametric amplification). The CIDT is compared with the final positivization time (FPT), when the Wigner function becomes positive. It appears that the FPT does not depend on the size of superpositions, moreover, it can be much bigger in the amplifying media than in the attenuating ones. Paradoxically, strengthening the Hamiltonian part results in decreasing the CIDT, so that the CIDT almost does not depend on the size of superpositions in the asymptotical case of very weak reservoir coupling. We also analyze the evolution of the Mandel factor, showing that for some sets of parameters this factor remains significantly negative, even when the Wigner function becomes positive.« less

A cross-sectional pilot study of compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in pediatric palliative care providers in the United States.

PubMed

Kase, Samuel M; Waldman, Elisha D; Weintraub, Andrea S

2018-02-05

Compassion fatigue (CF) is secondary traumatic distress experienced by providers from contact with patients' suffering. Burnout (BO) is job-related distress resulting from uncontrollable workplace factors that manifest in career dissatisfaction. Compassion satisfaction (CS) is emotional fulfillment derived from caring for others. The literature on BO in healthcare providers is extensive, whereas CF and CS have not been comprehensively studied. Because of ongoing exposure to patient and family distress, pediatric palliative care (PPC) providers may be at particular risk for CF. We conducted a cross-sectional pilot study of CF, BO, and CS among PPC providers across the United States. The Compassion Fatigue and Satisfaction Self-Test for Helpers and a questionnaire of professional and personal characteristics were distributed electronically and anonymously to PPC physicians and nurses. Logistic and linear regression models for CF, BO, and CS as a function of potential risk factors were constructed. The survey response rate was 39%, primarily consisting of female, Caucasian providers. The prevalence of CF, BO, and CS was 18%, 12%, and 25%, respectively. Distress about a "clinical situation," physical exhaustion, and personal loss were identified as significant determinants of CF. Distress about "coworkers," emotional depletion, social isolation, and "recent involvement in a clinical situation in which life-prolonging activities were not introduced" were significant determinants of BO. Physical exhaustion, personal history of trauma, "recent involvement in a clinical situation in which life-prolonging activities were not introduced," and not discussing distressing issues were significant predictors of lower CS scores. Significance of results CF and BO directly influence the well-being and professional performance of PPC providers. To provide effective compassionate care to patients, PPC providers must be attentive to predictors of these phenomena. Further work is needed to explore additional causes of CF, BO, and CS in PPC providers as well as potential interventions.

Within-person changes in mindfulness and self-compassion predict enhanced emotional well-being in healthy, but stressed adolescents.

PubMed

Galla, Brian M

2016-06-01

Meditation training programs for adolescents are predicated on the assumptions that mindfulness and self-compassion can be directly cultivated, and further, that doing so is beneficial for emotional well-being. Yet, very little research with adolescents has tested these assumptions directly. In the current study, I examined longitudinal relationships between changes in mindfulness and self-compassion and changes in emotional well-being among healthy, but stressed adolescents who participated in five-day, intensive meditation retreats. Immediately before and after the retreats, and then three months later, 132 adolescents (Mage = 16.76 years, 61% female) completed questionnaires measuring mindfulness, self-compassion, and emotional well-being. Repeated measures ANOVA showed adolescents improved in mindfulness, self-compassion, and all indices of emotional well-being immediately following the retreat (Cohen's d = |0.39-1.19|), and many of these improvements were maintained three months later (Cohen's d = |0.04-0.68|). Further, multilevel growth curve analyses with time-varying covariates indicated within-person changes in self-compassion predicted enhanced emotional well-being more consistently than within-person changes in mindfulness. Specifically, increases in self-compassion predicted reductions in perceived stress, rumination, depressive symptoms, and negative affect, and conversely, increases in positive affect and life satisfaction (pseudo-R(2) variance explained = 5.9% and 15.8%, ps < 0.01). Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making Friends With Yourself: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of a Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Adolescents

PubMed Central

Bluth, Karen; Gaylord, Susan A.; Campo, Rebecca A.; Mullarkey, Michael C.; Hobbs, Lorraine

2015-01-01

The aims of this mixed-method pilot study were to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary psychosocial outcomes of “Making Friends with Yourself: A Mindful Self-Compassion Program for Teens” (MFY), an adaptation of the adult Mindful Self-Compassion program. Thirty-four students age 14–17 enrolled in this waitlist controlled crossover study. Participants were randomized to either the waitlist or intervention group and administered online surveys at baseline, after the first cohort participated in the intervention, and after the waitlist crossovers participated in the intervention. Attendance and retention data were collected to determine feasibility, and audiorecordings of the 6-week class were analyzed to determine acceptability of the program. Findings indicated that MFY is a feasible and acceptable program for adolescents. Compared to the waitlist control, the intervention group had significantly greater self-compassion and life satisfaction and significantly lower depression than the waitlist control, with trends for greater mindfulness, greater social connectedness and lower anxiety. When waitlist crossovers results were combined with that of the first intervention group, findings indicated significantly greater mindfulness and self-compassion, and significantly less anxiety, depression, perceived stress and negative affect post-intervention. Additionally, regression results demonstrated that self-compassion and mindfulness predicted decreases in anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and increases in life satisfaction post-intervention. MFY shows promise as a program to increase psychosocial wellbeing in adolescents through increasing mindfulness and self-compassion. Further testing is needed to substantiate the findings. PMID:27110301

Self-compassion, pain, and breaking a social contract.

PubMed

Purdie, Fiona; Morley, Stephen

2015-11-01

Self-compassion is the ability to respond to one's failures, shortcomings, and difficulties with kindness and openness rather than criticism. This study, which might be regarded as a proof-of-concept study, aimed to establish whether self-compassion is associated with expected emotional responses and the likelihood of responding with problem solving, support seeking, distraction, avoidance, rumination, or catastrophizing to unpleasant self-relevant events occurring in 3 social contexts. Sixty chronic pain patients were presented with 6 vignettes describing scenes in which the principal actor transgressed a social contract with negative interpersonal consequences. Vignettes represented 2 dimensions: (1) whether pain or a nonpain factor interrupted the fulfillment of the contract and (2) variation in the social setting (work, peer, and family). The Self-Compassion Scale was the covariate in the analysis. Higher levels of self-compassion were associated with significantly lower negative affect and lower reported likelihood of avoidance, catastrophizing, and rumination. Self-compassion did not interact with pain vs nonpain factor. Work-related vignettes were rated as more emotional and more likely to be associated with avoidance, catastrophizing, and rumination and less likelihood of problem solving. The findings suggest that self-compassion warrants further investigation in the chronic pain population both regarding the extent of its influence as a trait and in terms of the potential to enhance chronic pain patients' ability to be self-compassionate, with a view to its therapeutic utility in enhancing psychological well-being and adjustment. Limitations regarding the possible criterion contamination and the generalizability of vignette studies are discussed.

Operational planning using Climatological Observations for Maritime Prediction and Analysis Support Service (COMPASS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, Alison; Kirtman, Benjamin; Harrison, Scott; Gorman, Joe

2016-05-01

The US Navy faces several limitations when planning operations in regard to forecasting environmental conditions. Currently, mission analysis and planning tools rely heavily on short-term (less than a week) forecasts or long-term statistical climate products. However, newly available data in the form of weather forecast ensembles provides dynamical and statistical extended-range predictions that can produce more accurate predictions if ensemble members can be combined correctly. Charles River Analytics is designing the Climatological Observations for Maritime Prediction and Analysis Support Service (COMPASS), which performs data fusion over extended-range multi-model ensembles, such as the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME), to produce a unified forecast for several weeks to several seasons in the future. We evaluated thirty years of forecasts using machine learning to select predictions for an all-encompassing and superior forecast that can be used to inform the Navy's decision planning process.

A Bionic Polarization Navigation Sensor and Its Calibration Method.

PubMed

Zhao, Huijie; Xu, Wujian

2016-08-03

The polarization patterns of skylight which arise due to the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere can be used by many insects for deriving compass information. Inspired by insects' polarized light compass, scientists have developed a new kind of navigation method. One of the key techniques in this method is the polarimetric sensor which is used to acquire direction information from skylight. In this paper, a polarization navigation sensor is proposed which imitates the working principles of the polarization vision systems of insects. We introduce the optical design and mathematical model of the sensor. In addition, a calibration method based on variable substitution and non-linear curve fitting is proposed. The results obtained from the outdoor experiments provide support for the feasibility and precision of the sensor. The sensor's signal processing can be well described using our mathematical model. A relatively high degree of accuracy in polarization measurement can be obtained without any error compensation.

A Bionic Polarization Navigation Sensor and Its Calibration Method

PubMed Central

Zhao, Huijie; Xu, Wujian

2016-01-01

The polarization patterns of skylight which arise due to the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere can be used by many insects for deriving compass information. Inspired by insects’ polarized light compass, scientists have developed a new kind of navigation method. One of the key techniques in this method is the polarimetric sensor which is used to acquire direction information from skylight. In this paper, a polarization navigation sensor is proposed which imitates the working principles of the polarization vision systems of insects. We introduce the optical design and mathematical model of the sensor. In addition, a calibration method based on variable substitution and non-linear curve fitting is proposed. The results obtained from the outdoor experiments provide support for the feasibility and precision of the sensor. The sensor’s signal processing can be well described using our mathematical model. A relatively high degree of accuracy in polarization measurement can be obtained without any error compensation. PMID:27527171

Compassion Fatigue and Psychological Distress Among Social Workers: A Validation Study

PubMed Central

Adams, Richard E.; Boscarino, Joseph A.; Figley, Charles R.

2009-01-01

Few studies have focused on caring professionals and their emotional exhaustion from working with traumatized clients, referred to as compassion fatigue (CF). The present study had 2 goals: (a) to assess the psychometric properties of a CF scale, and (b) to examine the scale's predictive validity in a multivariate model. The data came from a survey of social workers living in New York City following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Factor analyses indicated that the CF scale measured multiple dimensions. After overlapping items were eliminated, the scale measured 2 key underlying dimensions—secondary trauma and job burnout. In a multivariate model, these dimensions were related to psychological distress, even after other risk factors were controlled. The authors discuss the results in light of increasing the ability of professional caregivers to meet the emotional needs of their clients within a stressful environment without experiencing CF. PMID:16569133

Walking dynamics of the passive compass-gait model under OGY-based control: Emergence of bifurcations and chaos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gritli, Hassène; Belghith, Safya

2017-06-01

An analysis of the passive dynamic walking of a compass-gait biped model under the OGY-based control approach using the impulsive hybrid nonlinear dynamics is presented in this paper. We describe our strategy for the development of a simplified analytical expression of a controlled hybrid Poincaré map and then for the design of a state-feedback control. Our control methodology is based mainly on the linearization of the impulsive hybrid nonlinear dynamics around a desired nominal one-periodic hybrid limit cycle. Our analysis of the controlled walking dynamics is achieved by means of bifurcation diagrams. Some interesting nonlinear phenomena are displayed, such as the period-doubling bifurcation, the cyclic-fold bifurcation, the period remerging, the period bubbling and chaos. A comparison between the raised phenomena in the impulsive hybrid nonlinear dynamics and the hybrid Poincaré map under control was also presented.

An Investigation into Psychological Well-Being Levels of Higher Education Students with Respect to Personality Traits and Self-Compassion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saricaoglu, Halim; Arslan, Coskun

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between psychological well-being, personal traits and self-compassion levels, and to find out whether personal traits and self-compassion level significantly predict psychological well-being. The study sample is composed of 232 (36.5%) students from Education Faculty of Selçuk University,…

Map and Compass Skills for the Secondary School (Understanding Topographic Maps, Developing Compass Skills, and Orienteering). Instructional Activities Series IA/S-18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Robert P.

This activity is one of a series of 17 teacher-developed instructional activities for geography at the secondary-grade level described in SO 009 140. The activity investigates the development of compass skills, map skills, and orienteering. It employs the educational-games approach. Given specific exercises and instructions, students become…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vikraman, S; Ramu, M; Karrthick, Kp

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the advent of COMPASS 3D dosimetry as a routine pre treatment verification tool with commercially available CMS Monaco and Oncentra Masterplan planning system. Methods: Twenty esophagus patients were selected for this study. All these patients underwent radical VMAT treatment in Elekta Linac and plans were generated in Monaco v5.0 with MonteCarlo(MC) dose calculation algorithm. COMPASS 3D dosimetry comprises an advanced dose calculation algorithm of collapsed cone convolution(CCC). To validate CCC algorithm in COMPASS, The DICOM RT Plans generated using Monaco MC algorithm were transferred to Oncentra Masterplan v4.3 TPS. Only finalmore » dose calculations were performed using CCC algorithm with out optimization in Masterplan planning system. It is proven that MC algorithm is an accurate algorithm and obvious that there will be a difference with MC and CCC algorithms. Hence CCC in COMPASS should be validated with other commercially available CCC algorithm. To use the CCC as pretreatment verification tool with reference to MC generated treatment plans, CCC in OMP and CCC in COMPASS were validated using dose volume based indices such as D98, D95 for target volumes and OAR doses. Results: The point doses for open beams were observed <1% with reference to Monaco MC algorithms. Comparisons of CCC(OMP) Vs CCC(COMPASS) showed a mean difference of 1.82%±1.12SD and 1.65%±0.67SD for D98 and D95 respectively for Target coverage. Maximum point dose of −2.15%±0.60SD difference was observed in target volume. The mean lung dose of −2.68%±1.67SD was noticed between OMP and COMPASS. The maximum point doses for spinal cord were −1.82%±0.287SD. Conclusion: In this study, the accuracy of CCC algorithm in COMPASS 3D dosimetry was validated by compared with CCC algorithm in OMP TPS. Dose calculation in COMPASS is feasible within < 2% in comparison with commercially available TPS algorithms.« less

Neural mechanisms in insect navigation: polarization compass and odometer.

PubMed

Labhart, Thomas; Meyer, Eric P

2002-12-01

Insect navigation relies on path integration, a procedure by which information about compass bearings pursued and distances travelled are combined to calculate position. Three neural levels of the polarization compass, which uses the polarization of skylight as a reference, have been analyzed in orthopteran insects. A group of dorsally directed, highly specialized ommatidia serve as polarization sensors. Polarization-opponent neurons in the optic lobe condition the polarization signal by removing unreliable and irrelevant components of the celestial stimulus. Neurons found in the central complex of the brain possibly represent elements of the compass output. The odometer for measuring travelling distances in honeybees relies on optic flow experienced during flight, whereas desert ants most probably use proprioreceptive cues.

A community of scientists: cultivating scientific identity among undergraduates within the Berkeley Compass Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aceves, Ana V.; Berkeley Compass Project

2015-01-01

The Berkeley Compass Project is a self-formed group of graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences at UC Berkeley. Our goals are to improve undergraduate physics education, provide opportunities for professional development, and increase retention of students from populations typically underrepresented in the physical sciences. For students who enter as freshmen, the core Compass experience consists of a summer program and several seminar courses. These programs are designed to foster a diverse, collaborative student community in which students engage in authentic research practices and regular self-reflection. Compass encourages undergraduates to develop an identity as a scientist from the beginning of their university experience.

Artifacts in the Wake: Leadership via an Oriented Compass Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallon, Paul D.

2013-01-01

Although inextricable, the act of leading, the leader, and outcome of leadership are unique entities. Lack of such differentiation may ensnare novice leaders in broad suppositions. This conceptual article introduces a tool for analyzing leadership. Leaders can leverage the model to evaluate the act of leading, in route, via a measurable trajectory…

Shame and Depressive Symptoms: Self-compassion and Contingent Self-worth as Mediators?

PubMed

Zhang, Huaiyu; Carr, Erika R; Garcia-Williams, Amanda G; Siegelman, Asher E; Berke, Danielle; Niles-Carnes, Larisa V; Patterson, Bobbi; Watson-Singleton, Natalie N; Kaslow, Nadine J

2018-02-27

Research has identified the experience of shame as a relevant predictor of depressive symptoms. Building upon resilience theory, this is the first study to investigate if self-compassion and/or contingent self-worth (i.e., family support and God's love) mediate the link between shame and depressive symptoms. Participants were 109 African Americans, within the age range of 18 and 64, who sought service following a suicide attempt from a public hospital that serves mostly low-income patients. Findings suggest that shame was related to depressive symptoms through self-compassion but not through contingent self-worth, underscoring the significant role that self-compassion plays in ameliorating the aggravating effect of shame on depressive symptoms. Results highlight the value of incorporating self-compassion training into interventions for suicidal African Americans in an effort to reduce the impact of shame on their depressive symptoms and ultimately their suicidal behavior and as a result enhance their capacity for resilience.

Sun compass integration of skylight cues in migratory monarch butterflies.

PubMed

Heinze, Stanley; Reppert, Steven M

2011-01-27

Migrating monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) use a time-compensated sun compass to navigate from eastern North America to their overwintering grounds in central Mexico. Here we describe the neuronal layout of those aspects of the butterfly's central complex likely to establish part of the internal sun compass and find them highly homologous to those of the desert locust. Intracellular recordings from neurons in the monarch sun compass network reveal responses tuned to specific E-vector angles of polarized light, as well as azimuth-dependent responses to unpolarized light, independent of spectral composition. The neural responses to these two stimuli in individual neurons are mediated through different regions of the compound eye. Moreover, these dual responses are integrated to create a consistent representation of skylight cues in the sun compass throughout the day. The results advance our understanding of how ambiguous sensory signals are processed by the brain to elicit a robust behavioral response. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Celestial orientation with the sun not in view: lizards use a time-compensated sky polarization compass.

PubMed

Maoret, Francesco; Beltrami, Giulia; Bertolucci, Cristiano; Foà, Augusto

2014-04-01

The present investigation was aimed at testing whether the lizard sky polarization compass is time compensated. For this purpose, ruin lizards, Podarcis sicula, were both trained and tested for orientation inside a Morris water maze under clear skies with the sun not in view. During training, lizards showed a striking bimodal orientation along the training axis, demonstrating their capability of determining the symmetry plane of the sky polarization pattern and thus the use of polarization information in orientation. After reaching criteria, lizards were kept 7 days in a 6-h fast clock-shift treatment and then released with the sun not in view. Six-hour clock-shifted lizards showed a bimodal distribution of directional choices, which was oriented perpendicularly to the training axis, as it was expected on the basis of the clock-shift. The results show that the only celestial diurnal compass mechanism that does not need a direct vision of the sun disk (i.e., the sky polarization compass) is a time-compensated compass.

Orientation in birds. The sun compass.

PubMed

Schmidt-Koenig, K; Ganzhorn, J U; Ranvaud, R

1991-01-01

The sun compass was discovered by G. Kramer in caged birds showing migratory restlessness. Subsequent experiments with caged birds employing directional training and clock shifts, carried out by Hoffman and Schmidt-Koenig, showed that the sun azimuth is used, and the sun altitude ignored. In the laboratory, McDonald found the accuracy to be +/- 3 degrees(-)+/- 5 degrees. According to Hoffmann and Schmidt-Koenig, caged birds trained at medium northern latitudes were able to allow for the sun's apparent movement north of the arctic circle, but not in equatorial and trans-equatorial latitudes. In homing experiments, and employing clock shifts, Schmidt-Koenig demonstrated that the sun compass is used by homing pigeons during initial orientation. This finding is the principal evidence for the existence of a map-and-compass navigational system. Pigeons living in equatorial latitudes utilize the sun compass even under the extreme solar conditions of equinox, achieving angular resolution of about 3 degrees in homing experiments. According to preliminary analyses, the homing pigeons' ephemerides are retarded by several weeks (Ranvaud, Schmidt-Koenig, Ganzhorn et al.).

Short-Term Compassion Training Increases Prosocial Behavior in a Newly Developed Prosocial Game

PubMed Central

Leiberg, Susanne; Klimecki, Olga; Singer, Tania

2011-01-01

Compassion has been suggested to be a strong motivator for prosocial behavior. While research has demonstrated that compassion training has positive effects on mood and health, we do not know whether it also leads to increases in prosocial behavior. We addressed this question in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we introduce a new prosocial game, the Zurich Prosocial Game (ZPG), which allows for repeated, ecologically valid assessment of prosocial behavior and is sensitive to the influence of reciprocity, helping cost, and distress cues on helping behavior. Experiment 2 shows that helping behavior in the ZPG increased in participants who had received short-term compassion training, but not in participants who had received short-term memory training. Interindividual differences in practice duration were specifically related to changes in the amount of helping under no-reciprocity conditions. Our results provide first evidence for the positive impact of short-term compassion training on prosocial behavior towards strangers in a training-unrelated task. PMID:21408020

News | Computing

Science.gov Websites

Support News Publications Computing for Experiments Computing for Neutrino and Muon Physics Computing for Collider Experiments Computing for Astrophysics Research and Development Accelerator Modeling ComPASS - Impact of Detector Simulation on Particle Physics Collider Experiments Daniel Elvira's paper "Impact

Rapid Prototyping of Application Specific Signal Processors (RASSP)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

as well as government, research and and COMPASS , and how the improved plan academic institutions. CFI believes that effective might fit in with the... Compass ). libraries for COTS parts Tools and standards would be strongly based on - Ease of Use VHDL in its latest form(s). Block 2 would take * Open...EDIF Comrcial Rel:wased * Logic Inc. capture for Proprietary boards graphical language Logic Compass Schematic Proprietary EDIF; Commercial Released

The mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment in a sample of adolescents.

PubMed

Játiva, Raquel; Cerezo, M Angeles

2014-07-01

The objectives of the present study were to analyze the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment in adolescents and the role of self-compassion as a mediator in this relationship. The sample was composed of 109 adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years old with poor school performance. The participants filled out a battery of questionnaires made up of: a socio-demographic data questionnaire; the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ); the Youth Self-Report (YSR); and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Results indicated that victimization was positively associated with psychological maladjustment. Moreover, adolescents reporting poly-victimization showed significantly higher level of psychological maladjustment and different types of victimization show different effects on adolescents' psychological maladjustment. Self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment and reduced negative consequences in adolescents who reported having been victimized. Adolescence is a time of development and search for identity in which strengthening personal protective factors could help overcome any traumas experienced. Therefore, developing self-compassion in adolescence could be a good way to help young people recover from bad experiences and protect themselves against future negative experiences. As self-compassion can be improved with practice it could be included in adolescent intervention and prevention programs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for discrete solar and lunar orientation mechanisms in the beach amphipod, Talitrus saltator Montagu (Crustacea, Amphipoda)

PubMed Central

Ugolini, Alberto; Hoelters, Laura S.; Ciofini, Alice; Pasquali, Vittorio; Wilcockson, David C.

2016-01-01

Animals that use astronomical cues to orientate must make continuous adjustment to account for temporal changes in azimuth caused by Earth’s rotation. For example, the Monarch butterfly possesses a time-compensated sun compass dependent upon a circadian clock in the antennae. The amphipod Talitrus saltator possesses both a sun compass and a moon compass. We reasoned that the time-compensated compass mechanism that enables solar orientation of T. saltator is located in the antennae, as is the case for Monarch butterflies. We examined activity rhythms and orientation of sandhoppers with antennae surgically removed, or unilaterally occluded with black paint. Removing or painting the antennae did not affect daily activity rhythms or competence to orientate using the sun. However, when tested at night these animals were unable to orientate correctly to the moon. We subsequently measured circadian gene expression in the antennae and brain of T. saltator and show the clock genes period and cryptochrome 2 are rhythmically expressed in both tissues, reminiscent of other arthropods known to possess antennal clocks. Together, our behavioural and molecular data suggest that, T. saltator has anatomically discrete lunar and solar orientation apparatus; a sun compass, likely located in the brain and a moon compass in the antennae. PMID:27759059

Evidence for discrete solar and lunar orientation mechanisms in the beach amphipod, Talitrus saltator Montagu (Crustacea, Amphipoda)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ugolini, Alberto; Hoelters, Laura S.; Ciofini, Alice; Pasquali, Vittorio; Wilcockson, David C.

2016-10-01

Animals that use astronomical cues to orientate must make continuous adjustment to account for temporal changes in azimuth caused by Earth’s rotation. For example, the Monarch butterfly possesses a time-compensated sun compass dependent upon a circadian clock in the antennae. The amphipod Talitrus saltator possesses both a sun compass and a moon compass. We reasoned that the time-compensated compass mechanism that enables solar orientation of T. saltator is located in the antennae, as is the case for Monarch butterflies. We examined activity rhythms and orientation of sandhoppers with antennae surgically removed, or unilaterally occluded with black paint. Removing or painting the antennae did not affect daily activity rhythms or competence to orientate using the sun. However, when tested at night these animals were unable to orientate correctly to the moon. We subsequently measured circadian gene expression in the antennae and brain of T. saltator and show the clock genes period and cryptochrome 2 are rhythmically expressed in both tissues, reminiscent of other arthropods known to possess antennal clocks. Together, our behavioural and molecular data suggest that, T. saltator has anatomically discrete lunar and solar orientation apparatus; a sun compass, likely located in the brain and a moon compass in the antennae.

Cognition and the compassion deficit: the social psychology of helping behaviour in nursing.

PubMed

Paley, John

2014-10-01

This paper discusses compassion failure and compassion deficits in health care, using two major reports by Robert Francis in the UK as a point of reference. Francis enquired into events at the Mid Staffordshire Hospital between 2005 and 2009, events that unequivocally warrant the description 'appalling care'. These events prompted an intense national debate, along with proposals for significant changes in the regulation of nursing and nurse education. The circumstances are specific to the UK, but the issues are international. I suggest that social psychology provides numerous hints about the mechanisms that might have been involved at Mid Staffs and about the reasons why outsiders are blind to these mechanisms. However, there have been few references to social psychology in the post-Francis debate (the Francis Report itself makes no reference to it at all). It is an enormously valuable resource, and it has been overlooked. Drawing on the social psychology literature, I express scepticism about the idea that there was a compassion deficit among the Mid Staff nurses - the assumption that the appalling care had something to do with the character, attitudes, and values of nurses - and argue that the Francis Report's emphasis on a 'culture of compassion and caring in nurse recruitment, training and education' is misconceived. It was not a 'failure of compassion' that led to the events in Mid Staffs but an interlocking set of contextual factors that are known to affect social cognition. These factors cannot be corrected or compensated for by teaching ethics, empathy, and compassion to student nurses. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Compassion Satisfaction, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout in Spain and Brazil: ProQOL Validation and Cross-cultural Diagnosis.

PubMed

Galiana, Laura; Arena, Fernanda; Oliver, Amparo; Sansó, Noemí; Benito, Enric

2017-03-01

Palliative care professionals' quality of life has emerged as a growing issue of interest in health care literature, centered on concerns about professionals' compassion within a context of work characterized by pain and death. The aim of this study was threefold: 1) to study the psychometric properties of both the Spanish and the Portuguese versions of the ProQOL scale, by means of confirmatory factor analyses; 2) to offer a diagnosis of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue levels of Spanish and Brazilian palliative care professionals; and 3) to compare levels in ProQOL between countries. Two surveys with a cross-sectional design were carried out; 161 Brazilian palliative care professionals and 385 Spanish participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis for both the Spanish and the Portuguese versions showed an adequate fit. Reliability estimates were also adequate, with problems with the burnout dimension. Spanish and Brazilian palliative care professionals showed high levels of compassion satisfaction (specially, for the Brazilian samples), medium levels of secondary traumatic stress, and low levels of burnout. Finally, statistically significant differences in Spanish and Brazilian levels of compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress were found, but not in burnout. The ProQOL shows psychometric goodness in its Spanish and Portuguese versions, although some items should be revised. The ProQOL is also useful for diagnosis and is sensitive enough to distinguish nuances as that found between Brazilian and Spanish professionals. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural analysis of the core COMPASS family of histone H3K4 methylases from yeast to human

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Yoh-hei; Westfield, Gerwin H.; Oleskie, Austin N.; Trievel, Raymond C.; Shilatifard, Ali; Skiniotis, Georgios

2011-01-01

Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation is catalyzed by the highly evolutionarily conserved multiprotein complex known as Set1/COMPASS or MLL/COMPASS-like complexes from yeast to human, respectively. Here we have reconstituted fully functional yeast Set1/COMPASS and human MLL/COMPASS-like complex in vitro and have identified the minimum subunit composition required for histone H3K4 methylation. These subunits include the methyltransferase C-terminal SET domain of Set1/MLL, Cps60/Ash2L, Cps50/RbBP5, Cps30/WDR5, and Cps25/Dpy30, which are all common components of the COMPASS family from yeast to human. Three-dimensional (3D) cryo-EM reconstructions of the core yeast complex, combined with immunolabeling and two-dimensional (2D) EM analysis of the individual subcomplexes reveal a Y-shaped architecture with Cps50 and Cps30 localizing on the top two adjacent lobes and Cps60-Cps25 forming the base at the bottom. EM analysis of the human complex reveals a striking similarity to its yeast counterpart, suggesting a common subunit organization. The SET domain of Set1 is located at the juncture of Cps50, Cps30, and the Cps60-Cps25 module, lining the walls of a central channel that may act as the platform for catalysis and regulative processing of various degrees of H3K4 methylation. This structural arrangement suggested that COMPASS family members function as exo-methylases, which we have confirmed by in vitro and in vivo studies. PMID:22158900

The Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue among Veterinary Students in Australia and the Associated Psychological Factors.

PubMed

McArthur, Michelle L; Andrews, Jena R; Brand, Conor; Hazel, Susan J

Compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and other characteristics such as mindfulness and mental health stigma have not been investigated in veterinary students. The aims of this study were twofold: first to determine the prevalence of compassion, satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress among Australian veterinary students and second to investigate the association between these factors and self-stigma, coping, empathy, and mindfulness. A cross-sectional online survey consisting of demographic questions and four validated psychological measures sampled 828 students, with a response rate of 31% (255/828). We obtained a usable sample of completed surveys from 193 of 828 (23%) veterinary students from six of the seven Australian veterinary schools. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations between the psychological predictors and the outcome variables. Approximately 30% of veterinary students were at high risk of burnout, 24% were at high risk of secondary traumatic stress, and 21% reported low compassion satisfaction. High empathic concern, low personal distress, female gender, and employment history at a veterinary clinic were associated with high compassion satisfaction. High dysfunctional coping, low nonjudgmental and acting-with-awareness mindfulness, and lack of previous employment at a veterinary clinic were associated with high burnout. High dysfunctional coping, low acting-with-awareness mindfulness, high self-stigma, and high personal distress were associated with high secondary traumatic stress. As a result of these findings, certain emotional characteristics can be identified as targets for intervention to minimize the frequency and potentially negative impact of compassion fatigue and burnout in veterinary students.

A Pilot Study of a Mindfulness Intervention for Adolescents and the Potential Role of Self-Compassion in Reducing Stress.

PubMed

Bluth, Karen; Roberson, Patricia N E; Gaylord, Susan A

2015-01-01

In this pilot study, we sought to investigate the effects of a mindfulness intervention for adolescents on a community sample of teens. Specifically, we explored the effects of mindfulness training on emotional well-being outcomes. Also, we examined the relationship between mindfulness and self-compassion at baseline-predicted outcome measures. This design was a pre-/post-pilot intervention study. Paired t-tests were conducted to examine change in outcome measures before and after the mindfulness intervention. Multiple regression was also conducted to investigate the influence of baseline mindfulness and self-compassion on outcome measures. The study took place after school in a classroom at a local university. Overall 28 adolescents age 10-18 years from two different cohorts participated in this study. Learning to BREATHE, a mindfulness curriculum designed specifically for adolescents and taught in six 1.5h sessions, was implemented. The outcome measures, life satisfaction and perceived stress, were included in an online survey before and after the mindfulness intervention. Results indicated that mindfulness, self-compassion, perceived stress, and life satisfaction improved from pre-intervention to post-intervention. Further, self-compassion (taught within the mindfulness intervention) was negatively related to perceived stress post-intervention while controlling for baseline stress. These findings suggest that mindfulness may be an effective intervention for improving indicators of emotional well-being among an adolescent population. Additionally, self-compassion may be a pathway through which youth can lower stress. Future research should examine self-compassion as a potential factor in promoting emotional well-being. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Insights on compassion and patient-centred nursing in intensive care: A constructivist grounded theory.

PubMed

Jakimowicz, Samantha; Perry, Lin; Lewis, Joanne

2018-04-01

To explore patient-centred nursing, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue from intensive care nurses' perspectives. Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue can influence critical care nurses' decisions to either continue or leave the profession, and could impact the compassionate patient-centred nursing care patients receive during their ICU admission. This qualitative research design was informed by Charmaz's Grounded Theory Constructivist methodology. In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 critical care nurses of two ICUs in Australia during 2016. Interview data were analysed using grounded theory processes. Findings reflected positive and negative impacts on critical care nurses' ability to deal compassionately with their patients. Effects on patient-centred nursing and critical care nurses' own well-being were revealed. A core category of "Expectations" emerged, explaining the tension between critical care nurses' biomedical, clinical skills and knowledge versus compassionate, patient-centred nursing care. This tension was clarified and expanded in subcategories of "Life in the Balance," "Passion and Pressure," "Understanding and Advocacy" and "Tenacity and Fragility". Providing patient-centred nursing may enhance critical care nurses' experience of compassion satisfaction, in turn impacting delivery of compassionate patient-centred nursing to generate a virtuous circle. Critical care nurses who feel respected and supported by their management team and colleagues experience feelings of compassion satisfaction, leading to greater engagement and care towards their patient. Systematically addressing critical care nurses' needs to successfully balance biomedical with compassionate nursing care may lead to greater well-being in the critical care nursing workforce and improve patient experience of intensive care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Structural analysis of the core COMPASS family of histone H3K4 methylases from yeast to human.

PubMed

Takahashi, Yoh-hei; Westfield, Gerwin H; Oleskie, Austin N; Trievel, Raymond C; Shilatifard, Ali; Skiniotis, Georgios

2011-12-20

Histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation is catalyzed by the highly evolutionarily conserved multiprotein complex known as Set1/COMPASS or MLL/COMPASS-like complexes from yeast to human, respectively. Here we have reconstituted fully functional yeast Set1/COMPASS and human MLL/COMPASS-like complex in vitro and have identified the minimum subunit composition required for histone H3K4 methylation. These subunits include the methyltransferase C-terminal SET domain of Set1/MLL, Cps60/Ash2L, Cps50/RbBP5, Cps30/WDR5, and Cps25/Dpy30, which are all common components of the COMPASS family from yeast to human. Three-dimensional (3D) cryo-EM reconstructions of the core yeast complex, combined with immunolabeling and two-dimensional (2D) EM analysis of the individual subcomplexes reveal a Y-shaped architecture with Cps50 and Cps30 localizing on the top two adjacent lobes and Cps60-Cps25 forming the base at the bottom. EM analysis of the human complex reveals a striking similarity to its yeast counterpart, suggesting a common subunit organization. The SET domain of Set1 is located at the juncture of Cps50, Cps30, and the Cps60-Cps25 module, lining the walls of a central channel that may act as the platform for catalysis and regulative processing of various degrees of H3K4 methylation. This structural arrangement suggested that COMPASS family members function as exo-methylases, which we have confirmed by in vitro and in vivo studies.

Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood.

PubMed

Ferrari, Madeleine; Yap, Keong; Scott, Nicole; Einstein, Danielle A; Ciarrochi, Joseph

2018-01-01

Psychological practitioners often seek to directly change the form or frequency of clients' maladaptive perfectionist thoughts, because such thoughts predict future depression. Indirect strategies, such as self-compassion interventions, that seek to change clients' relationships to difficult thoughts, rather than trying to change the thoughts directly could be just as effective. This study aimed to investigate whether self-compassion moderated, or weakened, the relationship between high perfectionism and high depression symptoms in both adolescence and adulthood. The present study utilised anonymous self-report questionnaires to assess maladaptive perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across two samples covering much of the lifespan. Questionnaires were administered in a high school setting for the adolescent sample (Study 1, Mage = 14.1 years, n = 541), and advertised through university and widely online to attract a convenience sample of adults (Study 2, Mage = 25.22 years, n = 515). Moderation analyses revealed that self-compassion reduced the strength of relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in our adolescent Study 1 (β = -.15, p < .001, R2 = .021.) and our adult study 2 (β = -.14, p < .001, R2 = .020). Cross-sectional self-reported data restricts the application of causal conclusions and also relies on accurate self-awareness and willingness to respond to questionnaire openly. The replication of this finding in two samples and across different age-appropriate measures suggests that self-compassion does moderate the link between perfectionism and depression. Self-compassion interventions may be a useful way to undermine the effects of maladaptive perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this important possibility.

Airport geomagnetic surveys in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berarducci, A.

2006-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the United States military have requirements for design, location, and construction of compass calibration pads (compass roses), these having been developed through collaboration with US Geological Survey (USGS) personnel. These requirements are detailed in the FAA Advisory Circular AC 150/5300-13, Appendix 4, and in various military documents, such as Handbook 1021/1, but the major requirement is that the range of declination measured within 75 meters of the center of a compass rose be less than or equal to 30 minutes of arc. The USGS Geomagnetism Group has developed specific methods for conducting a magnetic survey so that existing compass roses can be judged in terms of the needed standards and also that new sites can be evaluated for their suitability as potentially new compass roses. First, a preliminary survey is performed with a total-field magnetometer, with differences over the site area of less than 75nT being sufficient to warrant additional, more detailed surveying. Next, a number of survey points are established over the compass rose area and nearby, where declination is to be measured with an instrument capable of measuring declination to within 1 minute of arc, such as a Gurley transit magnetometer, DI Flux theodolite magnetometer, or Wild T-0. The data are corrected for diurnal and irregular effects of the magnetic field and declination is determined for each survey point, as well as declination range and average of the entire compass rose site. Altogether, a typical survey takes about four days to complete. ?? 2006 Springer.

Which Physicians' Behaviors on Death Pronouncement Affect Family-Perceived Physician Compassion? A Randomized, Scripted, Video-Vignette Study.

PubMed

Mori, Masanori; Fujimori, Maiko; Hamano, Jun; Naito, Akemi S; Morita, Tatsuya

2018-02-01

Although the death of a loved one is a devastating family event, little is known about which behaviors positively affect families' perceptions on death pronouncements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a compassionate death pronouncement on participant-perceived physician compassion, trust in physicians, and emotions. In this randomized, video-vignette study, 92 people (≥50 years) in Tokyo metropolitan area viewed two videos of death pronouncements by an on-call physician with or without compassion-enhanced behaviors, including five components: waiting until the families calm themselves down, explaining that the physician has received a sign-out about information of the patient's condition, performing examination respectfully, ascertaining the time of death with a wristwatch (vs. smartphone), and reassuring the families that the patient did not experience pain. Main outcomes were physician compassion score, trust in physician, and emotions. After viewing the video with compassion-enhanced behaviors compared with the video without them, participants assigned significantly lower compassion scores (reflecting higher physician compassion) (mean 26.2 vs. 36.4, F = 33.1, P < 0.001); higher trust in physician (5.10 vs. 3.00, F = 39.7, P < 0.001); and lower scores for anger (2.49 vs. 3.78, F = 18.0, P < 0.001), sadness (3.42 vs. 3.85, F = 11.8, P = 0.001), fear (1.93 vs. 2.55, F = 15.8, P < 0.001), and disgust (2.45 vs. 3.71, F = 19.4, P < 0.001). To convey compassion on death pronouncement, we recommend that physicians initiate prompt examination, explain that the physician has received a sign-out, perform examination respectfully, ascertain the time of death with a wristwatch, and reassure the families that the patient did not experience pain. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Support for redistribution is shaped by compassion, envy, and self-interest, but not a taste for fairness.

PubMed

Sznycer, Daniel; Lopez Seal, Maria Florencia; Sell, Aaron; Lim, Julian; Porat, Roni; Shalvi, Shaul; Halperin, Eran; Cosmides, Leda; Tooby, John

2017-08-01

Why do people support economic redistribution? Hypotheses include inequity aversion, a moral sense that inequality is intrinsically unfair, and cultural explanations such as exposure to and assimilation of culturally transmitted ideologies. However, humans have been interacting with worse-off and better-off individuals over evolutionary time, and our motivational systems may have been naturally selected to navigate the opportunities and challenges posed by such recurrent interactions. We hypothesize that modern redistribution is perceived as an ancestral scene involving three notional players: the needy other, the better-off other, and the actor herself. We explore how three motivational systems-compassion, self-interest, and envy-guide responses to the needy other and the better-off other, and how they pattern responses to redistribution. Data from the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel support this model. Endorsement of redistribution is independently predicted by dispositional compassion, dispositional envy, and the expectation of personal gain from redistribution. By contrast, a taste for fairness, in the sense of ( i ) universality in the application of laws and standards, or ( ii ) low variance in group-level payoffs, fails to predict attitudes about redistribution.

Support for redistribution is shaped by compassion, envy, and self-interest, but not a taste for fairness

PubMed Central

Lopez Seal, Maria Florencia; Sell, Aaron; Lim, Julian; Porat, Roni; Halperin, Eran; Cosmides, Leda; Tooby, John

2017-01-01

Why do people support economic redistribution? Hypotheses include inequity aversion, a moral sense that inequality is intrinsically unfair, and cultural explanations such as exposure to and assimilation of culturally transmitted ideologies. However, humans have been interacting with worse-off and better-off individuals over evolutionary time, and our motivational systems may have been naturally selected to navigate the opportunities and challenges posed by such recurrent interactions. We hypothesize that modern redistribution is perceived as an ancestral scene involving three notional players: the needy other, the better-off other, and the actor herself. We explore how three motivational systems—compassion, self-interest, and envy—guide responses to the needy other and the better-off other, and how they pattern responses to redistribution. Data from the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel support this model. Endorsement of redistribution is independently predicted by dispositional compassion, dispositional envy, and the expectation of personal gain from redistribution. By contrast, a taste for fairness, in the sense of (i) universality in the application of laws and standards, or (ii) low variance in group-level payoffs, fails to predict attitudes about redistribution. PMID:28716928

Examining communication- and media-based recreational sedentary behaviors among Canadian youth: results from the COMPASS study.

PubMed

Leatherdale, Scott T; Harvey, Amanda

2015-05-01

To examine the prevalence of different communication- and media-based sedentary behaviors and examine how they are associated with modifiable risk behaviors and key demographic correlates among a large sample of youth. Data from 23,031 grade 9 to grade 12 students in Year 1 (2012-2013) of the COMPASS study (Canada) were used to examine the prevalence of sedentary behaviors by gender and by grade. The between-school variance in sedentary behaviors was calculated and models were developed to examine how modifiable risk factors and demographic correlates were associated with sedentary behaviors. Youth averaged 494 (± 313) min/day of sedentary behavior and 96.7% of the sample exceeded the sedentary behavior guidelines of no more than 2h per day. Significant between-school random variation in the sedentary behaviors was identified. Substance use, weight status, ethnicity, and gender were the main predictors of the sedentary behaviors examined. The vast majority of youth in the COMPASS sample are considered highly sedentary. The evidence clearly suggests we need to develop more effective methods of intervening, that school-based programming is warranted, and that gender-specific programming may be required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetoreception in eusocial insects: an update

PubMed Central

Wajnberg, Eliane; Acosta-Avalos, Daniel; Alves, Odivaldo Cambraia; de Oliveira, Jandira Ferreira; Srygley, Robert B.; Esquivel, Darci M. S.

2010-01-01

Behavioural experiments for magnetoreception in eusocial insects in the last decade are reviewed. Ants and bees use the geomagnetic field to orient and navigate in areas around their nests and along migratory paths. Bees show sensitivity to small changes in magnetic fields in conditioning experiments and when exiting the hive. For the first time, the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles found in eusocial insects, obtained by magnetic techniques and electron microscopy, are reviewed. Different magnetic oxide nanoparticles, ranging from superparamagnetic to multi-domain particles, were observed in all body parts, but greater relative concentrations in the abdomens and antennae of honeybees and ants have focused attention on these segments. Theoretical models for how these specific magnetosensory apparatuses function have been proposed. Neuron-rich ant antennae may be the most amenable to discovering a magnetosensor that will greatly assist research into higher order processing of magnetic information. The ferromagnetic hypothesis is believed to apply to eusocial insects, but interest in a light-sensitive mechanism is growing. The diversity of compass mechanisms in animals suggests that multiple compasses may function in insect orientation and navigation. The search for magnetic compasses will continue even after a magnetosensor is discovered in eusocial insects. PMID:20106876

Magnetic orientation in birds: non-compass responses under monochromatic light of increased intensity.

PubMed

Wiltschko, Wolfgang; Munro, Ursula; Ford, Hugh; Wiltschko, Roswitha

2003-10-22

Migratory Australian silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) were tested under monochromatic light at wavelengths of 424 nm blue and 565 nm green. At a low light level of 7 x 10(15) quanta m(-2) s(-1) in the local geomagnetic field, the birds preferred their seasonally appropriate southern migratory direction under both wavelengths. Their reversal of headings when the vertical component of the magnetic field was inverted indicated normal use of the avian inclination compass. A higher light intensity of 43 x 10(15) quanta m(-2) s(-1), however, caused a fundamental change in behaviour: under bright blue, the silvereyes showed an axial tendency along the east-west axis; under bright green, they showed a unimodal preference of a west-northwesterly direction that followed a shift in magnetic north, but was not reversed by inverting the vertical component of the magnetic field. Hence it is not based on the inclination compass. The change in behaviour at higher light intensities suggests a complex interaction between at least two receptors. The polar nature of the response under bright green cannot be explained by the current models of light-dependent magnetoreception and will lead to new considerations on these receptive processes.

Developing Navigational Skills with Young Children: Investigating Serial and Conceptual Approaches to the Teaching of Compass Skills. Sports Science Education Programme, Annual Report 1989/90.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liverpool Univ. (England).

Map and compass skills are a neglected aspect of the elementary school curriculum. Orienteering--a sport that involves running a prescribed course with the aid of map and compass--may provide an avenue for teaching these skills. This study taught orienteering to 148 10-year-old children and compared the effectiveness of a serial approach based on…

Helicopter Display Improvement Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-05-01

PRESSURE INDICATOR 43 TURN A N D SLIP INDICATOR 21 ENGINE AND SDG OIL IN TEMPERATURE INDICATOR 44 COURSE INDICATOR 22 RADIO MAGNETIC COMPASS INDICATOR... compass seemed to present a problem to several H-l series pilots In that It was poorly located and should be moved. Possible locations Included...the UH-lNs standby compass . Both H/L and L/L pilots agreed that internal, white light was the best system currently in use. INDIVIDUAL DISPLAYS

The Impact of a Knitting Intervention on Compassion Fatigue in Oncology Nurses.

PubMed

Anderson, Lyndsay W; Gustavson, Christina U

2016-02-01

Compassion fatigue is the emotional exhaustion and stress that nurses can feel when caring for terminally ill patients. This can contribute to high nursing turnover rates, result in poor job satisfaction, and lead to decreased ability to provide quality care. Oncology nurses are vulnerable to compassion fatigue because they develop relationships with patients battling life-threatening illnesses, provide end-of-life care, and encounter ethical dilemmas related to cancer treatment. 
.

Unraveling navigational strategies in migratory insects

PubMed Central

Merlin, Christine; Heinze, Stanley; Reppert, Steven M.

2011-01-01

Long-distance migration is a strategy some animals use to survive a seasonally changing environment. To reach favorable grounds, migratory animals have evolved sophisticated navigational mechanisms that rely on a map and compasses. In migratory insects, the existence of a map sense (sense of position) remains poorly understood, but recent work has provided new insights into the mechanisms some compasses use for maintaining a constant bearing during long-distance navigation. The best-studied directional strategy relies on a time-compensated sun compass, used by diurnal insects, for which neural circuits have begun to be delineated. Yet, a growing body of evidence suggests that migratory insects may also rely on other compasses that use night sky cues or the Earth's magnetic field. Those mechanisms are ripe for exploration. PMID:22154565

Compassion Fade: Affect and Charity Are Greatest for a Single Child in Need

PubMed Central

Västfjäll, Daniel; Slovic, Paul; Mayorga, Marcus; Peters, Ellen

2014-01-01

Charitable giving in 2013 exceeded $300 billion, but why do we respond to some life-saving causes while ignoring others? In our first two studies, we demonstrated that valuation of lives is associated with affective feelings (self-reported and psychophysiological) and that a decline in compassion may begin with the second endangered life. In Study 3, this fading of compassion was reversed by describing multiple lives in a more unitary fashion. Study 4 extended our findings to loss-frame scenarios. Our capacity to feel sympathy for people in need appears limited, and this form of compassion fatigue can lead to apathy and inaction, consistent with what is seen repeatedly in response to many large-scale human and environmental catastrophes. PMID:24940738

A community of educators: professional development for graduate students within the Berkeley Compass Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Josiah; Roth, Nathaniel; Berkeley Compass Project

2015-01-01

The Berkeley Compass Project is a self-formed group of graduate and undergraduate students in the physical sciences at UC Berkeley. Our goals are to improve undergraduate physics education, provide opportunities for professional development, and increase retention of students from populations typically underrepresented in the physical sciences. Graduate students, together with upper-level undergraduates, design and run all Compass programs. We strive to create a community of educators that incorporates best practices from the science education literature. Along the way, we develop experience in curriculum development, fundraising, grant writing, interfacing with university administration, and other aspects of running an effective organization. Our experience in Compass leaves us better poised to be successful researchers, teachers, and mentors.

Sensory bases of navigation.

PubMed

Gould, J L

1998-10-08

Navigating animals need to know both the bearing of their goal (the 'map' step), and how to determine that direction (the 'compass' step). Compasses are typically arranged in hierarchies, with magnetic backup as a last resort when celestial information is unavailable. Magnetic information is often essential to calibrating celestial cues, though, and repeated recalibration between celestial and magnetic compasses is important in many species. Most magnetic compasses are based on magnetite crystals, but others make use of induction or paramagnetic interactions between short-wavelength light and visual pigments. Though odors may be used in some cases, most if not all long-range maps probably depend on magnetite. Magnetitebased map senses are used to measure only latitude in some species, but provide the distance and direction of the goal in others.

Pilot Study: Use of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Yoga Practices With Low-Income and/or Uninsured Patients With Depression and/or Anxiety.

PubMed

Falsafi, Nasrin; Leopard, Louisa

2015-12-01

This pilot study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness practices, including self-compassion and yoga, on depression and/or anxiety in uninsured and/or low-income patients. The design was repeated measures with one group. Patients received 8 weeks of mindfulness training including self-compassion and yoga. Depression and anxiety symptoms, self-compassion, and psychological well-being were measured four times. Interventions were effective in helping uninsured and low-income patients reduce depression and/or anxiety symptoms. This study may have implications for a cost-effective treatment for these disorders. The findings from this study can provide useful information to health care providers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Clinical introduction of a linac head-mounted 2D detector array based quality assurance system in head and neck IMRT.

PubMed

Korevaar, Erik W; Wauben, David J L; van der Hulst, Peter C; Langendijk, Johannes A; Van't Veld, Aart A

2011-09-01

IMRT QA is commonly performed in a phantom geometry but the clinical interpretation of the results in a 2D phantom plane is difficult. The main objective of our work is to move from film measurement based QA to 3D dose reconstruction in a patient CT scan. In principle, this could be achieved using a dose reconstruction method from 2D detector array measurements as available in the COMPASS system (IBA Dosimetry). The first step in the clinical introduction of this system instead of the currently used film QA procedures is to test the reliability of the dose reconstruction. In this paper we investigated the validation of the method in a homogeneous phantom with the film QA procedure as a reference. We tested whether COMPASS QA results correctly identified treatment plans that did or did not fulfil QA requirements in head and neck (H&N) IMRT. A total number of 24 treatments were selected from an existing database with more than 100 film based H&N IMRT QA results. The QA results were classified as either good, just acceptable or clinically rejected (mean gamma index <0.4, 0.4-0.5 or >0.5, respectively with 3%/3mm criteria). Film QA was repeated and compared to COMPASS QA with a MatriXX detector measurement performed on the same day. Good agreement was found between COMPASS reconstructed dose and film measured dose in a phantom (mean gamma 0.83±0.09, 1SD with 1%/1mm criteria, 0.33±0.04 with 3%/3mm criteria). COMPASS QA results correlated well with film QA, identifying the same patients with less good QA results. Repeated measurements with film and COMPASS showed changes in delivery after a modified MLC calibration, also visible in a standard MLC check in COMPASS. The time required for QA reduced by half by using COMPASS instead of film. Agreement of COMPASS QA results with film based QA supports its clinical introduction for a phantom geometry. A standard MLC calibration check is sensitive to <1mm changes that could be significant in H&N IMRT. These findings offer opportunities to further investigate the method based on a 2D detector array to 3D dose reconstruction in a patient anatomy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient Perception of Physician Compassion After a More Optimistic vs a Less Optimistic Message: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Tanco, Kimberson; Rhondali, Wadih; Perez-Cruz, Pedro; Tanzi, Silvia; Chisholm, Gary B; Baile, Walter; Frisbee-Hume, Susan; Williams, Janet; Masino, Charles; Cantu, Hilda; Sisson, Amy; Arthur, Joseph; Bruera, Eduardo

2015-05-01

Information regarding treatment options and prognosis is essential for patient decision making. Patient perception of physicians as being less compassionate when they deliver bad news might be a contributor to physicians' reluctance in delivering these types of communication. To compare patients' perception of physician compassion after watching video vignettes of 2 physicians conveying a more optimistic vs a less optimistic message, determine patients' physician preference after watching both videos, and establish demographic and clinical predictors of compassion. Randomized clinical trial at an outpatient supportive care center in a cancer center in Houston, Texas, including English-speaking adult patients with advanced cancer who were able to understand the nature of the study and complete the consent process. Actors and patients were blinded to the purpose of the study. Investigators were blinded to the videos observed by the patient. One hundred patients were randomized to observe 2 standardized, roughly 4-minute videos depicting a physician discussing treatment information (more optimistic message vs less optimistic message) with a patient with advanced cancer. Both physicians made an identical number of empathetic statements (5) and displayed identical posture. After viewing each video, patients completed assessments including the Physician Compassion Questionnaire (0 = best, 50 = worst). Patients' perception of physician compassion after being exposed to a more optimistic vs an equally empathetic but less optimistic message. Patients reported significantly better compassion scores after watching the more optimistic video as compared with the less optimistic video (median [interquartile range], 15 [5-23] vs 23 [10-31]; P < .001). There was a sequence effect favoring the second video on both compassion scores (P < .001) and physician preference (P < .001). Higher perception of compassion was found to be associated with greater trust in the medical profession independent of message type: 63 patients observing the more optimistic message ranked the physician as trustworthy vs 39 after the less optimistic message (P = .03). Patients perceived a higher level of compassion and preferred physicians who provided a more optimistic message. More research is needed in structuring less optimistic message content to support health care professionals in delivering less optimistic news. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02357108.

Mindful Self-Care and Secondary Traumatic Stress Mediate a Relationship Between Compassion Satisfaction and Burnout Risk Among Hospice Care Professionals.

PubMed

Hotchkiss, Jason T

2018-01-01

Effective self-care in hospice is anecdotally proclaimed to reduce burnout risk. Yet, the topic has received little empirical attention. This study developed a model for predicting burnout risk from compassion satisfaction (CS), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and mindful self-care. Hospice care professionals (n = 324). Cross-sectional self-report survey. Mindful self-care was correlated with CS ( r = 0.497, p < .01), Burnout ( r = -0.726, p < .01), and STS ( r = -0.276, p < .01). A multiple regression model indicated that the combined effect of CS, STS, and mindful self-care explained 73.7% of the variance in Burnout. Mindful self-care and STS mediated a relationship between CS and Burnout. Each self-care category was statistically significant protective factors against burnout risk ( p < .01). Associations with Burnout in order of strength were self-compassion and purpose (SC; r = -0.673), supportive structure (SS; r = -0.650), mindful self-awareness (MS; r = -0.642), mindful relaxation (MR; r = -0.531), supportive relationships (SR; r = -0.503), and physical care (PC; r = -0.435). However, for STS, only SS ( r = -0.407, p < .01) and MR ( r = -0.285, p < .05) were statistically significant protective factors. Hospice care professional had higher self-care, CS, lower STS, and Burnout compared to published norms. Those who engaged in multiple and frequent self-care strategies experienced higher professional quality of life. Implications for hospice providers and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Applying Buddhist Practices to Recovery: What I Learned from Skiing with a Little Buddha Wisdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Jane

2012-01-01

The author describes how 5 Buddhist practices--enlightenment, compassion, acceptance, mindfulness/meditation, and the spiritual community--can serve as a foundation for an integrated recovery model that incorporates numerous perspectives from the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. An application of the model illustrates how it is applied to…

Burnout and compassion fatigue: prevalence and associations among Israeli burn clinicians

PubMed Central

Haik, Josef; Brown, Stav; Liran, Alon; Visentin, Denis; Sokolov, Amit; Zilinsky, Isaac; Kornhaber, Rachel

2017-01-01

Acute health care environments can be stressful settings with clinicians experiencing deleterious effects of burnout and compassion fatigue affecting their mental health. Subsequently, the quality of patient care and outcomes may be threatened if clinicians experience burnout or compassion fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of burnout and compassion fatigue among burn clinicians in Israel. Fifty-five clinicians from Burns, Plastics and Reconstruction Surgery and Intensive Care completed four validated surveys to assess burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (PRIME-MD), health-related quality of life (SF-8), and compassion fatigue (Professional Quality of Life version 5). Burn clinicians were compared with Plastics and Reconstruction Surgery and Intensive Care clinicians. This study identified a high prevalence of burnout (38.2%) among Intensive Care, Plastics and Reconstruction and Burns clinicians, with Burns clinicians having a greatly increased prevalence of burnout compared to Intensive Care clinicians (OR =24.3, P=0.017). Additional factors contributing to compassion fatigue were those without children (P=0.016), divorced (P=0.035), of a younger age (P=0.019), and a registered nurse (P=0.05). Burnout increased clinicians’ risk of adverse professional and personal outcomes and correlated with less free time (P<0.001), increased risk of experiencing work-home disputes (P=0.05), increased depression (P=0.001) and decreased career satisfaction (P=0.01). Burnout was also associated with higher physical (mean difference =3.8, P<0.001) and lower mental (mean difference =−3.5, P<0.001) Quality of Life scores. Caring for burn survivors can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. Identifying strategies to abate these issues is essential to ensure improved clinicial environments and patient outcomes. PMID:28670122

Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood

PubMed Central

Yap, Keong; Scott, Nicole; Einstein, Danielle A.; Ciarrochi, Joseph

2018-01-01

Background Psychological practitioners often seek to directly change the form or frequency of clients’ maladaptive perfectionist thoughts, because such thoughts predict future depression. Indirect strategies, such as self-compassion interventions, that seek to change clients’ relationships to difficult thoughts, rather than trying to change the thoughts directly could be just as effective. This study aimed to investigate whether self-compassion moderated, or weakened, the relationship between high perfectionism and high depression symptoms in both adolescence and adulthood. Methods The present study utilised anonymous self-report questionnaires to assess maladaptive perfectionism, depression, and self-compassion across two samples covering much of the lifespan. Questionnaires were administered in a high school setting for the adolescent sample (Study 1, Mage = 14.1 years, n = 541), and advertised through university and widely online to attract a convenience sample of adults (Study 2, Mage = 25.22 years, n = 515). Results Moderation analyses revealed that self-compassion reduced the strength of relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in our adolescent Study 1 (β = -.15, p < .001, R2 = .021.) and our adult study 2 (β = -.14, p < .001, R2 = .020). Limitations Cross-sectional self-reported data restricts the application of causal conclusions and also relies on accurate self-awareness and willingness to respond to questionnaire openly. Conclusions The replication of this finding in two samples and across different age-appropriate measures suggests that self-compassion does moderate the link between perfectionism and depression. Self-compassion interventions may be a useful way to undermine the effects of maladaptive perfectionism, but future experimental or intervention research is needed to fully assess this important possibility. PMID:29466452

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention in Reducing Stress and Burnout for Mental Health Professionals in Singapore.

PubMed

Suyi, Yang; Meredith, Pamela; Khan, Asaduzzaman

Stress and burnout have been shown to be a concern among mental health professionals in several countries including Singapore, and can affect quality of care and staff turnover. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness program in increasing mindfulness and compassion, and reducing stress and burnout, among mental health professionals in Singapore. The study utilized data from a prospective pre-post study design with follow-up. A total of 37 mental health professionals participated in the program, which was conducted in three cohorts over nine months. The program consisted of six, two-hour sessions offered once a week over six weeks, and used a range of mindfulness techniques to teach participants to cultivate compassionate and non-judgemental attitudes toward their inner experiences. Data were collected at three stages: pre- and post-intervention, and three months follow-up. Assessments considered mindfulness (five facets mindfulness questionnaire), compassion (self-compassion scale-SF and compassion scale), stress (perceived stress scale-10), and burnout (Oldenburg Burnout inventory). Participants demonstrated significant improvement in four of the five mindfulness facets (observe, describe, non-judge, and non-react) and in compassion levels, and a significant reduction in stress, following intervention. The gains in mindfulness and self-compassion scores were maintained at three months follow-up. No change was observed for burnout variables. Results suggest that mindfulness training was effective in reducing stress and improving mindfulness and compassion, but not decreasing burnout, for this group of mental health professionals in Singapore. Future experimental research with larger samples is warranted to validate the findings of the present study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence, causes and consequences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in emergency care: a mixed-methods study of UK NHS Consultants.

PubMed

Dasan, Sunil; Gohil, Poonam; Cornelius, Victoria; Taylor, Cath

2015-08-01

To estimate prevalence and explore potential causes and consequences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in UK emergency medicine consultants. A sequential mixed-methods design. Cross-sectional e-survey to all UK NHS emergency medicine consultants (n=1317) including Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) (compassion satisfaction/fatigue), followed by interviews with consultants scoring above (n=6) and below (n=6) predefined ProQOL thresholds. 681 (52%) consultants responded. Most (98%) reported at least 'average' compassion satisfaction. Higher scores were associated with type of workplace (designated trauma centres faring better) and number of years worked as a consultant (gradually worsen over time, except 20 years onwards when it improves). Consultants with lower (worse) compassion satisfaction scores were more likely to report being irritable with patients or colleagues and reducing their standards of care (a third reported these behaviours at least monthly) and were more likely to intend to retire early (59% had such plans). Key features distinguishing 'satisfied' from 'fatigued' interviewed consultants included having strategies to deal with the high work intensities associated with their role and having positive views of the team within which they worked. The degree of variety in their roles and the ability to maintain empathy for their patients were also distinguishing features between these groups. Findings support an urgent review of workforce and resources in emergency medicine and suggest that a multifactorial approach to identification, prevention and treatment of occupational stress in the workforce is required that considers individual, job and organisational factors, particularly those that impact on perceived control and support at work. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Improving Emotional and Cognitive Outcomes for Domestic Violence Survivors: The Impact of Shelter Stay and Self-Compassion Support Groups.

PubMed

Allen, Ashley Batts; Robertson, Emily; Patin, Gail A

2017-10-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a domestic violence shelter and tested the impact of a self-compassion support group curriculum on outcomes valued by shelters such as autonomy, emotional restoration, and safety. Data were collected from 251 women staying in a domestic violence shelter who had the opportunity to attend a self-compassion support group during their stay. Women completed a pre- and posttest survey assessing self-compassion, empowerment, positive emotion, and perceptions of safety. First, women experienced a positive change ( N = 36) from pretest to posttest across all four outcome variables, suggesting the domestic violence shelter was effective at improving survivors' well-being. Second, participants who attended a self-compassion support group at least once reported more positive posttest scores compared with those who did not attend a group ( N = 79); however, this effect was limited to participants who stayed in shelter a short time. Women who stayed in shelter a longer amount of time experienced more positive posttest scores regardless of group attendance. Although the sample size was limited, analyses directly comparing the traditional shelter support group with the self-compassion support group show that both were equally effective. These findings provide support for shelter effectiveness in terms of improving well-being. They also suggest women who stay in shelter a short period of time may not experience as many shelter benefits unless they attend a support group. Therefore, shelters should consider offering support groups to women very soon after shelter entry. Furthermore, more research is needed to disentangle the benefits of self-compassion interventions over and above a general support group curriculum.

Burnout and compassion fatigue: prevalence and associations among Israeli burn clinicians.

PubMed

Haik, Josef; Brown, Stav; Liran, Alon; Visentin, Denis; Sokolov, Amit; Zilinsky, Isaac; Kornhaber, Rachel

2017-01-01

Acute health care environments can be stressful settings with clinicians experiencing deleterious effects of burnout and compassion fatigue affecting their mental health. Subsequently, the quality of patient care and outcomes may be threatened if clinicians experience burnout or compassion fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of burnout and compassion fatigue among burn clinicians in Israel. Fifty-five clinicians from Burns, Plastics and Reconstruction Surgery and Intensive Care completed four validated surveys to assess burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (PRIME-MD), health-related quality of life (SF-8), and compassion fatigue (Professional Quality of Life version 5). Burn clinicians were compared with Plastics and Reconstruction Surgery and Intensive Care clinicians. This study identified a high prevalence of burnout (38.2%) among Intensive Care, Plastics and Reconstruction and Burns clinicians, with Burns clinicians having a greatly increased prevalence of burnout compared to Intensive Care clinicians (OR =24.3, P =0.017). Additional factors contributing to compassion fatigue were those without children ( P =0.016), divorced ( P =0.035), of a younger age ( P =0.019), and a registered nurse ( P =0.05). Burnout increased clinicians' risk of adverse professional and personal outcomes and correlated with less free time ( P <0.001), increased risk of experiencing work-home disputes ( P =0.05), increased depression ( P =0.001) and decreased career satisfaction ( P =0.01). Burnout was also associated with higher physical (mean difference =3.8, P <0.001) and lower mental (mean difference =-3.5, P <0.001) Quality of Life scores. Caring for burn survivors can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. Identifying strategies to abate these issues is essential to ensure improved clinicial environments and patient outcomes.

Integration of celestial compass cues in the central complex of the locust brain.

PubMed

Pegel, Uta; Pfeiffer, Keram; Homberg, Uwe

2018-01-29

Many insects rely on celestial compass cues such as the polarization pattern of the sky for spatial orientation. In the desert locust, the central complex (CX) houses multiple sets of neurons, sensitive to the oscillation plane of polarized light and thus probably acts as an internal polarization compass. We investigated whether other sky compass cues like direct sunlight or the chromatic gradient of the sky might contribute to this compass. We recorded from polarization-sensitive CX neurons while an unpolarized green or ultraviolet light spot was moved around the head of the animal. All types of neuron that were sensitive to the plane of polarization ( E -vector) above the animal also responded to the unpolarized light spots in an azimuth-dependent way. The tuning to the unpolarized light spots was independent of wavelength, suggesting that the neurons encode solar azimuth based on direct sunlight and not on the sky chromatic gradient. Two cell types represented the natural 90 deg relationship between solar azimuth and zenithal E -vector orientation, providing evidence to suggest that solar azimuth information supports the internal polarization compass. Most neurons showed advances in their tuning to the E -vector and the unpolarized light spots dependent on rotation direction, consistent with anticipatory signaling. The amplitude of responses and its variability were dependent on the level of background firing, possibly indicating different internal states. The integration of polarization and solar azimuth information strongly suggests that besides the polarization pattern of the sky, direct sunlight might be an important cue for sky compass navigation in the locust. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

VetCompass Australia: A National Big Data Collection System for Veterinary Science

PubMed Central

McGreevy, Paul; Thomson, Peter; Dhand, Navneet K.; Raubenheimer, David; Masters, Sophie; Mansfield, Caroline S.; Baldwin, Timothy; Soares Magalhaes, Ricardo J.; Rand, Jacquie; Hill, Peter; Gilkerson, James; Combs, Martin; Raidal, Shane; Irwin, Peter; Irons, Peter; Squires, Richard; Brodbelt, David; Hammond, Jeremy

2017-01-01

Simple Summary The VetCompass Australia program collects real-time clinical records from veterinary practices and aggregates them for researchers to interrogate. It delivers Australian researchers sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners, across Australia and opens up major international collaborative opportunities with related projects in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Abstract VetCompass Australia is veterinary medical records-based research coordinated with the global VetCompass endeavor to maximize its quality and effectiveness for Australian companion animals (cats, dogs, and horses). Bringing together all seven Australian veterinary schools, it is the first nationwide surveillance system collating clinical records on companion-animal diseases and treatments. VetCompass data service collects and aggregates real-time, clinical records for researchers to interrogate, delivering sustainable and cost-effective access to data from hundreds of veterinary practitioners nationwide. Analysis of these clinical records will reveal geographical and temporal trends in the prevalence of inherited and acquired diseases, identify frequently prescribed treatments, revolutionize clinical auditing, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and assure evidence-based companion-animal curricula in veterinary schools. VetCompass Australia will progress in three phases: (1) roll-out of the VetCompass platform to harvest Australian veterinary clinical record data; (2) development and enrichment of the coding (data-presentation) platform; and (3) creation of a world-first, real-time surveillance interface with natural language processing (NLP) technology. The first of these three phases is described in the current article. Advances in the collection and sharing of records from numerous practices will enable veterinary professionals to deliver a vastly improved level of care for companion animals that will improve their quality of life. PMID:28954419

Predictors of professional quality of life among physicians in a conflict setting: the role of risk and protective factors.

PubMed

Haber, Yeela; Palgi, Yuval; Hamama-Raz, Yaira; Shrira, Amit; Ben-Ezra, Menachem

2013-01-01

Unlike other places in the western world, Israeli physicians are prone to be exposed to victims of terror and war (soldiers and civilians alike), while in some cases the patients are close friends or relatives. Moreover, in other armed conflict situations (stemming from war or terror), there is a direct threat to the physician's life and his/her family. Among hospital personnel, there is little research concerning the factors associated with aspects of professional quality of life such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. The current study compared a set of risk and protective factors associated with burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. The sample consisted of 97 physicians who answered a wide battery of questionnaires tapping to the aforementioned factors that served as predictive variables (age, gender, marital status, PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, dissociative symptoms, life satisfaction, perceived self-efficacy, perceived family support) using multiple regressions. The study results showed that higher levels of PTSD symptoms were associated with higher levels of compassion fatigue (β = .594; t = 4.419; p <.001). A higher level of life satisfaction was associated with lower burnout (β = -.436; t = -4.293; p <.001). The same results were found also in lower level of perceived family support (β = -.203; t = -2.533; p <.05), and higher level of perceived self-efficacy was associated with higher burnout (β = .298; t = 2.702; p <.01). Finally, a higher level of life satisfaction was associated with higher compassion satisfaction (β = .493; t = 4.419; p <.001). These results may suggest that life satisfaction is a predictor associated with burnout and compassion satisfaction. These results are viewed in light of the importance of life satisfaction as a barrier against burnout and its implication for physicians and hospital policy.

The case for values as a basis for organizational culture.

PubMed

Brinkley, Ruth W

2013-01-01

At a time when almost every aspect of healthcare is rapidly and dramatically changing, it is important for healthcare leaders to maintain a moral compass--a clear sense of the morals or virtues that guide their decisions. A firmly rooted moral compass inspires, leads, guides, and provides a solid foundation--and some sense of security--for organizations navigating massive or significant transformational changes, such as those required by the Affordable Care Act. In addition, "smaller" changes, such as consolidation, rationalization, and relocation of services, have a strong chance of succeeding in organizations that operate within a moral framework from which the organization can shape its future strategies and make important decisions. Finally, an organization's moral compass guides actions, reactions, and behaviors when unexpected or devastating events occur in the lives of consumers, employees, physicians, business partners, patients, families, and members of the community. The direction toward which its moral compass is pointing determines the types and quality of relationships it has with those key stakeholders, and those individuals and groups come to depend on what they have observed and know to be true about how the organization behaves in certain circumstances. While no organization can predict the future and all of the implications of change, key stakeholder groups need and want to know how they will be treated in the face of such change-whether expected or unexpected. In this sense, every organization must establish ways to evaluate the validity of its moral compass and develop--and adhere to--guidelines that determine how its members will behave, whether in ordinary circumstances; in the face of extraordinary, high-impact situations; or in times of massive transformational change. Above all, executive leaders must always be mindful that their own personal moral compass becomes their organization's moral compass.

A pilot study on the effects and feasibility of compassion-focused expressive writing in Day Hospice patients.

PubMed

Imrie, Susan; Troop, Nicholas A

2012-06-01

Research has found that writing about stress can confer physical and psychological health benefits on participants and that adopting a self-compassionate stance may have additional benefits. This pilot study evaluated a self-compassionate expressive writing intervention in a Day Hospice setting. Thirteen patients with life-limiting illnesses wrote on two occasions about recent stressful experiences. Half also received a self-compassion instruction for their writing. Outcome measures were taken at baseline and one week after the second writing session, and text analysis was used to identify changes in the types of words used, reflecting changes in psychological processes. Patients given the self-compassion instruction increased in their self-soothing and self-esteem in contrast to patients in the stress-only condition. Happiness broadly increased in both groups although reported levels of stress generally increased in patients given the self-compassion instruction but decreased in patients in the stress-only condition. Those given the self-compassion instruction also increased in their use of causal reasoning words across the two writing sessions compared with those in the stress-only condition. Expressive writing appears to be beneficial in patients at a hospice and was viewed as valuable by participants. The inclusion of a self-compassion instruction may have additional benefits and a discussion of the feasibility of implementing expressive writing sessions in a Day Hospice is offered.

Beliefs about Emotions, Depression, Anxiety and Fatigue: A Mediational Analysis.

PubMed

Sydenham, Mia; Beardwood, Jennifer; Rimes, Katharine A

2017-01-01

Beliefs that it is unacceptable to experience or express negative emotions have been found to be associated with various clinical problems. It is unclear how such beliefs, which could be viewed as a form of unhelpful perfectionism about emotions, may contribute to symptomatology. This study investigated two hypotheses: a) greater endorsement of beliefs about the unacceptability of negative emotions will be associated with greater emotional avoidance and lower levels of support-seeking and self-compassion; b) these beliefs about emotions will be associated with higher levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety and fatigue and that this relationship will be mediated by social support-seeking, emotional avoidance and self-compassion. Online questionnaires were completed by 451 community participants. Mediational analyses were undertaken to investigate emotional avoidance, social support-seeking and self-compassion as mediators of the relationship between beliefs about emotions and symptoms of depression, anxiety and fatigue. Beliefs about the unacceptability of negative emotions were significantly associated with more emotional avoidance and less self-compassion and support-seeking. The relationships between beliefs about emotions and depression, anxiety and fatigue were significantly mediated by self-compassion and emotional avoidance but not social support-seeking. Future research should investigate whether interventions that pay particular attention to emotional avoidance and self-compassion, such as mindfulness-based therapy or modified forms of CBT, may be beneficial in reducing distress and fatigue associated with beliefs about the unacceptability of negative emotions.

Empathy in Clinical Practice: How Individual Dispositions, Gender, and Experience Moderate Empathic Concern, Burnout, and Emotional Distress in Physicians

PubMed Central

Gleichgerrcht, Ezequiel; Decety, Jean

2013-01-01

To better understand clinical empathy and what factors can undermine its experience and outcome in care-giving settings, a large-scale study was conducted with 7,584 board certified practicing physicians. Online validated instruments assessing different aspects of empathy, distress, burnout, altruistic behavior, emotional awareness, and well-being were used. Compassion satisfaction was strongly associated with empathic concern, perspective taking and altruism, while compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) was more closely related to personal distress and alexithymia. Gender had a highly selective effect on empathic concern, with women displaying higher values, which led to a wide array of negative and devalued feelings. Years of experience did not influence dispositional measures per se after controlling for the effect of age and gender. Participants who experienced compassion fatigue with little to no compassion satisfaction showed the highest scores on personal distress and alexithymia as well as the strongest indicators of compassion fatigue. Physicians who have difficulty regulating their negative arousal and describing and identifying emotions seem to be more prone to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and a low sense of accomplishment. On the contrary, the ability to engage in self-other awareness and regulate one’s emotions and the tendency to help others, seem to contribute to the sense of compassion that comes from assisting patients in clinical practice. PMID:23620760

Overview of the COMPASS results on the nucleon spin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Celso; COMPASS Collaboration

2016-04-01

The COMPASS experiment [COMPASS, P. Abbon et al., The COMPASS experiment at CERN, Nucl. Inst. Meth. A577, 455 (2007)] at CERN is one of the leading experiments studying the nucleon spin. These studies are being carried on since 2002, by measuring hadrons produced in deep inelastic scattering (DIS) of 160 GeV/c and 200 GeV/c polarised muons off different polarised targets (NH3 for polarised protons and 6LiD for polarised deuterons). One of the main goals is to determine how the total longitudinal spin projection of the nucleon, 1/2, is distributed among its constituents, quarks and gluons. We review here the recent results on the quark and gluon helicities obtained by COMPASS. The other major goal, whose fulfilment is needed for a complete understanding of the nucleon spin, is the determination of the transverse momentum dependent parton distributions (TMDs). Regarding this topic, the latest results on the Collins and Sivers asymmetries will be shown. The former is sensitive to the transverse spin structure of the nucleon, while the latter reflects the correlations between the quarks transverse momentum and the nucleon spin. This overview will conclude with a summary of the approved plans of COMPASS for the near future: the study of TMDs with a pioneering polarised Drell-Yan experiment and the measurement of generalised parton distributions (GPDs).

Self-Compassion as a Prospective Predictor of PTSD Symptom Severity Among Trauma-Exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans

PubMed Central

Hiraoka, Regina; Meyer, Eric C.; Kimbrel, Nathan A.; DeBeer, Bryann B.; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Morissette, Sandra B.

2016-01-01

U. S. combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Self-compassion, characterized by self-kindness, a sense of common humanity when faced with suffering, and mindful awareness of suffering, is a potentially modifiable factor implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationship between self-compassion and PTSD symptom severity after accounting for level of combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity. Participants at baseline assessment were 115 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans exposed to 1 or more traumatic events during deployment (n = 101 at follow-up). PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV at baseline and 12 months. Self-compassion and combat exposure were assessed at baseline via self-report. Self-compassion was associated with baseline PTSD symptoms after accounting for combat exposure (β = −.59; p < .001; ΔR2 = .34; f2 = .67; large effect) and predicted 12-month PTSD symptom severity after accounting for combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity (β = −.24; p = .008; ΔR2 = .03; f2 = .08; small effect). Findings suggest that interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for treating chronic PTSD symptoms among some Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. PMID:25808565

Self-Compassion as a prospective predictor of PTSD symptom severity among trauma-exposed U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

PubMed

Hiraoka, Regina; Meyer, Eric C; Kimbrel, Nathan A; DeBeer, Bryann B; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Morissette, Sandra B

2015-04-01

U.S. combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. Self-compassion, characterized by self-kindness, a sense of common humanity when faced with suffering, and mindful awareness of suffering, is a potentially modifiable factor implicated in the development and maintenance of PTSD. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationship between self-compassion and PTSD symptom severity after accounting for level of combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity in 115 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans exposed to 1 or more traumatic events during deployment. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS-IV) at baseline and 12 months (n =101). Self-compassion and combat exposure were assessed at baseline via self-report. Self-compassion was associated with baseline PTSD symptoms after accounting for combat exposure (β = -.59; p < .001; ΔR(2) = .34; f(2) = .67; large effect) and predicted 12-month PTSD symptom severity after accounting for combat exposure and baseline PTSD severity (β = -.24; p = .008; ΔR(2) = .03; f(2) = .08; small effect). Findings suggest that interventions that increase self-compassion may be beneficial for treating chronic PTSD symptoms among some Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Mindfulness and Self-Compassion program to reduce stress and prevent burnout in Primary Care health professionals].

PubMed

Aranda Auserón, Gloria; Elcuaz Viscarret, M Rosario; Fuertes Goñi, Carmen; Güeto Rubio, Victoria; Pascual Pascual, Pablo; Sainz de Murieta García de Galdeano, Enrique

2018-03-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Program on the levels of stress and burnout in Primary Care health professionals. Randomised, controlled clinical trial. Training in Mindfulness was offered to 1,281 health professionals in Navarra (Spain) Primary Care, and 48 of them accepted. The participants were randomly assigned to groups: 25 to the intervention group, and the remaining 23 to the control group. The Mindfulness and Self-Compassion training program consisted of sessions of 2.5chours/week for 8 weeks. The participants had to attend at least 75% of the sessions and perform a daily practical of 45minutes. The levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, perceived stress, and burnout were measured using four questionnaires before and after the intervention. After the intervention, the scores of the intervention group improved significantly in mindfulness (P<.001); perceived stress (P<.001); self-compassion: self-kindness P<.001, shared humanity P=.004, mindfulness P=.001; and burnout: emotional fatigue (P=.046). The comparison with the control group showed significant differences in mindfulness (P<.001), perceived stress (P<.001), self-kindness (P<.001) and emotional fatigue (P=.032). This work suggests that it may be beneficial to encourage mindfulness and self-compassion practices in the health environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.