https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9945-8577
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Abstract
Background
Evidence supports the positive influence of compassion on care experiences and health outcomes. However, there is limited understanding regarding how compassion is identified by people with lived experience of mental health care.
Aim
To explore the views and experiences of compassion from people who have lived experience of mental health.
Methods
Participants with a self-reported mental health condition and lived experience of mental health (n = 10) were interviewed in a community setting. Characteristics of compassion were identified using an interpretative description approach.
Results
Study participants identified compassion as comprised three key components; 'the compassionate virtues of the healthcare professional', which informs 'compassionate engagement', creating a 'compassionate relational space and the patient’s felt-sense response'. When all these elements were in place, enhanced recovery and healing was felt to be possible. Without the experience of compassion, mental health could be adversely affected, exacerbating mental health conditions, and leading to detachment from engaging with health services.
Conclusions
The experience of compassion mobilises hope and promotes recovery. Health care policymakers and organisations must ensure services are structured to provide space and time for compassion to flourish. It is imperative that all staff are provided with training so that compassion can be acquired and developed.
Acknowledgements
The authors are sincerely grateful to all study participants for taking to time to share their experiences.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 The therapeutic relationship refers to the relationship between HCP and client. It’s how the HCP and client engage, with the hope of bringing about a beneficial change for the client (Bordin, Citation1979).
2 The Mental Health Act (Citation2007) is the legislation that covers the assessment, treatment, and rights of people with mental health conditions.
3 Researchers and policymakers increasingly recognise that adverse childhood events (ACE) can cause trauma and impact adult mental health. The ACE framework provides a guide for early interventions with the aim of mitigating suffering in the future (Parliament UK, Citation2018).
4 PD is an abbreviation used to refer to people with a diagnosis of ‘Personality Disorder’. Attitudes towards people with Personality Disorder have been shown to be generally negative (McKenzie et al., Citation2022).