Running head: SELF-COMPASSION, SOCIAL INTEREST, AND DEPRESSION

Depression is a serious condition that manifests through physical, emotional, cognitive, and social impairments. Self-compassion is a particular way of relating to oneself that has roots in Buddhist philosophy but is also gaining an empirical understanding. The following literature review and research proposal examines research relating to self-compassion, depression, and the Adlerian concept of social interest to investigate any correlations, and possible causation, between the constructs. Available research indicated that there are a number of possible variables underlying depression, such as severity level, a tendency toward self-criticism and/or a negative cognitive style, that may affect the course of depression and/or the effectiveness of treatment for depression. Available research indicated that self-compassion is a unique construct that may offer distinctive cognitive, emotional, and behavioral protections. These protections may have particular ramifications for people with a tendency toward self-criticism. An analysis of social interest illustrates that it is an established construct from a theoretical standpoint yet a complex construct to measure from an empirical standpoint. This researcher proposes a study that would analyze the strength and directionality of possible correlations between these constructs and their underlying dimensions as measured by the Self-Compassion Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (2 nd ed.), and Sulliman Scale of Social Interest. SELF-COMPASSION, SOCIAL INTEREST, AND DEPRESSION 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgements. 4 Introduction. 5 Self-Compassion. 7 Definition. 7 Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem. 8 Self-Regulation and Behavioral Motivation. 13 Meditation. 15 Self-Compassion Summary. 16 Social Interest. 18 Definition and Development. 18 Measuring Social Interest. 20 Correlational Research. 23 Social Interest Summary. 25 Depression. 26 Definition and Diagnosis. 26 Prevalence and Role Impairment. 27 Theories of Depression. 28 Interpersonal Psychotherapy. 28 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. 29 Hopelessness Depression. 33 Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression. 34 Treatment for Depression. 37 Depression Summary. 40 Connecting Self-Compassion, Depression, and Social Interest. 42 Self-Compassion and Depression. 42 Self-Compassion and Social Interest. 45 Social Interest and Depression. 47 Methodology for Proposed Study. 49 Participants and Recruitment. 49 Informed Consent. 49 Incentives. 55 Study Procedures. 57 Self-Compassion Scale. 58 Beck Depression Inventory – II. 62 Sulliman Scale of Social Interest. 65 Limitations and Potential Bias. 66 Hypothesizing Results. 69 Discussion. 72 References. 76 SELF-COMPASSION, SOCIAL INTEREST, AND DEPRESSION 4 Acknowledgments I would first like to extend profound thanks to Dr. Marina Bluvshtein, the Chairperson for this literature review and research proposal. Each conversation with Dr. Bluvshtein brought me more deeply into the material and this paper would not have been possible without her thoughtfulness and dedication. Thank you also to Dr. Roger Ballou for being the Reader for this project. I would also like to thank Dr. Jim Sulliman, Dr. Henry Stein and Dr. Gary Leak, for providing permission to include their research in this paper and proposal. On a broader level, I extend the deepest gratitude to spiritual teachers the 14 th Dalai Lama and Pema Chodron for introducing me to important Buddhist concepts and bringing that understanding to a Western audience. I also extend appreciation and acknowledgment to Dr. Kristin Neff whose work on self-compassion has deepened the empirical understanding of this important construct. I dedicate this paper to my family. Thank you to my parents, Ross and Monique Hammond, for their steadfast support. I am consistently impressed by their work ethic, courage and generosity. Thank you to my husband, Jason Evans, for his ongoing encouragement and for inspiring me to extend beyond my comfort zones. Thank you to my aunt, Philly Murtha, for providing energy and enthusiasm for the process. I also wish to extend deep gratitude to my grandmother, Jane Hammond, a true spiritual teacher and friend. My grandmother modeled an incredible curiosity and openness when engaging with the world around her. With that spirit of learning, she encouraged me to pursue further education and was the first person to suggest Adler Graduate School. I will always be grateful for that suggestion and guidance. SELF-COMPASSION, SOCIAL INTEREST, AND DEPRESSION 5 Self-Compassion, Social Interest, and Depression Sharon Salzberg, a well-known Buddhist teacher from the United States, tells the story of an encounter with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama (Salzberg, 2011). In 1990, Salzberg attended a Mind and Life conference in Dharmsala, India. Salzberg wanted to ask the Dalai Lama about personal suffering. She posed the question: ‘What do you think about self-hatred? ’ (Salzberg, 2011, para. 1). Salzberg reported that silence overtook the room. The Dalai Lama sought various translations from his interpreter. Salzberg wrote that, “finally, looking back at me, the Dalai Lama tilted his head, his eyes narrowed in confusion. ‘Self-hatred? ’ he repeated in English, as though trying out the words. ‘What is that? ’” (Salzberg, 2011, para. 1). The Dalai Lama’s surprising unawareness relating to the idea of self-hatred opened the door to a cultural examination for how individuals view themselves (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998). The Dalai Lama later noted that “the idea of hating oneself was completely new to me” (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998, p. 283). Howard Cutler, an American psychiatrist who has collaborated with the Dalai Lama, suggested that this lack of cultural awareness indicates that self-hatred is not an innate human quality (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 2009). Cutler also hypothesized that, if not an innate human quality, self-hatred could potentially be eliminated. In subsequent years, the Dalai Lama has discussed the idea of self-hatred in greater detail (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998). In order to counteract self-hatred, the Dalai Lama suggested focusing on the innate potential of all living beings and “the positive aspects of one’s existence” (p. 287). The Dalai Lama’s writings have also highlighted one’s relationship to self, observing that “no matter how much we may dislike some of our characteristics, underneath it all we wish ourselves to be happy, and that is a profound kind of love” (Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998, pp. 286287). The Dalai Lama noted that people may overlook this relationship with oneself, thinking SELF-COMPASSION, SOCIAL INTEREST, AND DEPRESSION 6 that compassion should only be extended outward. Yet he clarified that “love should first be directed at oneself” (Dalai Lama, 2005, p. 25). The Dalai Lama has strongly emphasized the importance of developing and nurturing compassionate feelings in his teachings (Dalai Lama, 2005; Dalai Lama & Cutler, 1998). This researcher is particularly intrigued with the idea of directing such compassionate feelings toward oneself. This researcher chose self-compassion as the primary variable for this literature review and research proposal because it bridges traditional Buddhist philosophy and curre