BONUS Can promoting compassion and gratitude through a four-week online training program improve women's mental health?

Abstract Background The period following the pandemic has witnessed
a surge in depression, distress, and anxiety, alongside a rise in
digitalization. This has underscored the necessity of finding
alternatives to in-person interventions for mental well-being.
According to positive psychology, compassion and gratitude can
alleviate anxiety and depression. This pilot study investigates the
impact of a four-week self-directed online training program that
emphasizes compassion and gratitude as essential components of
women's psychological well-being. Methods For this randomized
controlled trial, a sample of 51 women aged between 21 and 39 years
was selected. The experimental group (n = 26) underwent a four-week
training program on compassion and gratitude, which included
psychoeducation, compassion exercises, and journaling. The control
group was a waitlist control group (n = 25). Participants' levels
of compassion and gratitude were assessed before and after the
four-week program using standardized self-report surveys. The
German Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-G) and the German Multi-Component
Gratitude Measure (MCGM-G) were utilized to examine the differences
between the experimental group and the waitlist control group over
time, a repeated measures ANOVA was conducted. Results The study
shows that participants in the experimental group experienced a
significant improvement in both compassion and gratitude skills.
Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between
compassion and gratitude. Conclusion The findings of the pilot
study suggest that a brief self-directed online program aimed at
cultivating compassion and gratitude can enhance factors that are
crucial to women's mental well-being. Further research is necessary
to examine the long-term effects of these interventions and their
suitability for diverse demographics.