The role of self-compassion in the daily lived experiences of family caregivers of people with dementia: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Introduction: While there is a growing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of self compassion with respect to well-being amongst professional caregivers, less is known about the role of self-compassion in the lived experiences of family caregivers, and most specifically those supporting a significant other with dementia. This study aimed to explore the role of self-compassion in the lived experiences of family caregivers of people with dementia. Method: A qualitative design was utilised involving the completion of semi-structured interviews with participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven family caregivers of people with dementia whose family member was accessing an older adult mental health service. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Results: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used and revealed a number of superordinate and subordinate themes in the interview narratives. The superordinate themes included: relational challenges; coping responses; caring for self; and enhanced awareness leading to more effective responses to self and others. Discussion: Overall, the findings highlight a dearth of self-compassion among family caregivers in this study, while also pointing to the complex interplay of factors that can promote or hinder more self-compassionate responses. These findings are discussed in relation to clinical implications, such as the potential role of professionals and services in explicitly teaching self-compassion to family caregivers, and future research, most notably the need for compassion-focused interventions to be tested for feasibility and then efficacy for use with this population