Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Training to Improve the Subjective Well-Being of Postpartum Women After Caesarean Delivery

Fahmi Windia Rahayu, Missiliana Riasnugrahani, Evany Victoriana
(Submitted 10 January 2024)
(Published 25 September 2025)

Abstract


Postpartum women experience both physical and psychological changes. Previous studies have shown that women who delivered via caesarean section tend to have lower levels of Subjective Well-Being (SWB) than those who gave birth vaginally. If left unaddressed, these psychological challenges may lead to anxiety or depression. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training on improving the Subjective Well-Being of postpartum women following caesarean delivery. This research employed a randomized controlled pilot trial (waitlist control) with pretest–posttest assessments and utilized non-parametric analysis (Mann-Whitney U Test). The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) were used to measure Subjective Well-Being and self-compassion. The results showed a significant increase in Subjective Well-Being among participants in the experimental group after receiving the MSC training. The findings suggest that MSC training is effective in improving the well-being of postpartum women who delivered via caesarean section.

Keywords


subjective well-being; self-compassion; mindful self-compassion; postpartum; caesarean section.

Full Text: PDF

DOI: 10.22146/gamajpp.93022

References


Akhtar, H., & Firmanto, A. (2021). The pursuit of happiness: Predicting happiness based on anchor theory. Indigenous: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi.

Ali, R. N. H., Katili, D. N. O., & Umar, S. (2020). The type of childbirth on post partum blues in Dr. M.M. Dunda Hospital Limboto. Jurnal Keperawatan Profesional, 1(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.36590/kepo

Alderdice, F., & Gargan, P. (2019). Exploring subjective well-being after birth: A qualitative deductive descriptive study. European Journal of Midwifery, 3(March). https://doi.org/10.18332/ejm/104679

Amperaningsih, Y., Siwi, P. N., Waluyo, M., & Lampung, M. (2018). Stres pasca trauma pada ibu postpartum dengan sectio caesarea emergency dan partus spontan. Jurnal Keperawatan, 14(1).

Battulga, B., Benjamin, M. R., Chen, H., & Bat-Enkh, E. (2021). The impact of social support and pregnancy on subjective well-being: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 710858. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710858

Bluth, K., & Eisenlohr-Moul, T. A. (2017). Response to a mindful self-compassion intervention in teens: A within-person association of mindfulness, self-compassion, and emotional well-being outcomes. Journal of Adolescence, 57, 108–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.04.001

Booker, J. A., & Dunsmore, J. C. (2019). Testing direct and indirect ties of self-compassion with subjective well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(5), 1563–1585. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0011-2

Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13

Diener, E., Glatzer, W., Moum, T., Sprangers, M. A. G., Vogel, J., & Veenhoven, R. (2009). Assessing well-being (Vol. 39). Social Indicators Research Series. Springer. http://www.springer.com/series/6548

Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2003). Personality, culture, and subjective well-being: Emotional and cognitive evaluations of life. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 403–425. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145056

Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Beyond money: Toward an economy of well-being. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5(1), 1–31.

Ernawati, D., Merlin, W. O., & Ismarwati, I. (2020). Kejadian postpartum blues pada ibu postpartum di RS PKU Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Jurnal Ners dan Kebidanan (Journal of Ners and Midwifery), 7(2), 203–212. https://doi.org/10.26699/jnk.v7i2.art.p203-212

Fernandes, D., Martins, A., Canavarro, M., & Moreira, H. (2022). Mindfulness- and compassion-based parenting interventions applied to the postpartum period: A systematic review. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31, 287–302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02175-z

Fernandes, D. V., Canavarro, M. C., & Moreira, H. (2022). Self-compassion and mindful parenting among postpartum mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of depressive and anxious symptoms. Current Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02959-6

Germer, C. K., & Neff, K. D. (2013). Self-compassion in clinical practice. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(8), 856–867. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22021

Germer, C. K., & Neff, K. D. (2019). Mindful self-compassion (MSC). In I. Itvzan (Ed.), The handbook of mindfulness-based programs: Every established intervention, from medicine to education (pp. 357–367). Routledge.

Guo, L., Zhang, J., Mu, L., & Ye, Z. (2020). Preventing postpartum depression with mindful self-compassion intervention: A randomized control study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 208(2), 101–107. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001096

Klingle, K. E., & Van Vliet, K. J. (2019). Self-compassion from the adolescent perspective: A qualitative study. Journal of Adolescent Research, 34(3), 323–346. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558417722768

Lowdermilk, D. L., Perry, S. E., & Bobak, I. M. (2000). Maternity women’s health care (7th ed.). Mosby.

Myers, D. G., & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy? Psychological Science, 6(1), 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1995.tb00298.x

Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032

Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2018). The mindful self-compassion workbook. Guilford Press.

Neff, K. (2011). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself (1st ed.). HarperCollins.

Papini, N. M., Mason, T. B., Herrmann, S. D., & Lopez, N. V. (2022). Self-compassion and body image in pregnancy and postpartum: A randomized pilot trial of a brief self-compassion meditation intervention. Body Image, 43, 264–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.09.010

Pratiwi, Y., & Coralia, F. (2022). Studi mengenai gambaran subjective well-being pada ibu pekerja selama masa pandemi Covid-19. Jurnal Riset Psikologi, 1(2), 140–146. https://doi.org/10.29313/jrp.v1i2.560

Romadhani, R. K., & Hadjam, M. N. R. (2017). Intervensi berbasis mindfulness untuk menurunkan stres pada orang tua. Gadjah Mada Journal of Professional Psychology (GamaJPP), 3(1).

Sugianto, D., Suwartono, C., & Sutanto, S. H. (2020). Reliabilitas dan validitas self-compassion scale versi bahasa Indonesia. Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.24854/jpu02020-337

Tang, L., Zhang, X., & Zhu, R. (2020). What causes postpartum depression and how to cope with it: A phenomenological study of mothers in China. Health Communication, 36(12), 1495–1504. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1771063

Torgerson, D. J., & Torgerson, C. J. (2008). Designing randomised trials in health, education and the social sciences: An introduction. Palgrave Macmillan.

Wijayanti, D. (2015). Subjective well-being dan penerimaan diri ibu yang memiliki anak down syndrome. Psikoborneo, 3(2), 224–238.

Wulandari, B., Veronika, D., & Kaloeti, S. (2021). Subjective well-being in working mothers during the Covid-19 pandemic: A systematic literature review. Jurnal Psikologi, 1(1), 1–9.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Gadjah Mada Journal of Professional Psychology (GamaJPP)

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.