A Pilot Study of Loving-Kindness and Self-Compassion Meditation on Depressive Symptoms among People Living with HIV

https://doi.org/10.22146/gamajpp.113205

Martaria Rizky Rinaldi(1*), Katrim Alifa Putrikita(2), Abdul Kholiq Ismail(3)

(1) Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(2) Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(3) Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta, Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


Individuals living with HIV frequently experience elevated depressive symptoms due to chronic stress, stigma, and emotional burden. Compassion-based interventions such as Loving-Kindness and Self-Compassion Meditation (LKCM) have the potential to improve emotional well-being, yet evidence in HIV-positive populations remains limited. This study examined the preliminary effects of a brief Loving-Kindness and Self-Compassion Meditation (LKCM) intervention on depressive symptoms among individuals living with HIV. It was hypothesized that participants receiving LKCM would show greater reductions in depression than those in a control condition. Using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design, 18 participants were assigned to either an experimental group (n = 10) that received a two-session LKCM intervention or a no-treatment control group (n = 8). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the DASS-21 depression subscale before and after the intervention. The results revealed significant reductions in depressive symptoms over time in both groups, with a greater magnitude of reduction in the LKCM group; however, between-group differences did not reach statistical significance. Effect size estimates indicated a pattern of greater within-group change in the LKCM group, without supporting conclusions regarding intervention-specific benefits. These findings provide preliminary evidence that LKCM may offer short-term psychological benefits for individuals living with HIV, although definitive conclusions regarding effectiveness cannot be drawn. Larger, adequately powered trials with extended follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings and clarify the potential role of LKCM as a depression management strategy in resource-limited settings.

Keywords


compassion-based interventions; depression; HIV; loving-kindness meditation; self-compassion

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/gamajpp.113205

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