Compassion Focused Therapy's literature base continues to flourish and expand, building our knowledge and inspiring our practice. Below, you'll find links to the latest published research*, which has been compiled with a focus specifically on CFT. We have included hashtags to help highlight content and location.
Here is our research digest for research published in 2023
*At present, this list includes English language articles
Bagheri, F., Parsa, F., & Mahdiyan, H. (2024). Comparing the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy and emotion-focused therapy on the mental well-being of high school female students with suicide attempts. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health, 26(4). #girls #suicide #Iran
Behrouzian, F., Boostani, H., Asl, E. M., Sadrizadeh, N., & Karan, S. N. J. (2024). The Effectiveness of Compassion-focused Therapy on Patients with Bipolar Disorder, A Randomized Clinical Trial: The Effectiveness of Compassion-focused Therapy on Patients with Bipolar Disorder. Galen Medical Journal, 13. #bipolar #RCT #Iran
Blanning, S. (2024). Treating emotional neglect: polyvagal and trauma-informed compassion focused therapy. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 1-19. #trauma #USA
Douzenis, J., & Lashari, M. (2024). “It's Changed My Mind-Set About the Idea of Motherhood”: An Online Perinatal CFT Group Service Evaluation. BJPsych Open, 10(S1), S184-S185. #perinatal #group #UK
Heikkilä, M. H., Kaunomäki, J., Lindberg, N., Lahti, J., Marttunen, M., Ranta, K., Manninen, M. & Da Silva, D. R. (2024). Compassion-focused therapy with virtual reality for callous-unemotional youth: A clinical case study on the therapy process of a young offender. Psychiatria Fennica, 55, 102-123. #virtualreality #youngpeople #forensics #Finland
Heriot-Maitland, C., Lawlor, C., Keen, N., Kane, F., Jafari, H., & Peters, E. (2024). A brief compassion focused therapy group for outpatients with psychosis. Psychosis, 1-13. #psychosis
Heriot-Maitland, C., & Taylor, J. (2024). Developing a Compassion Focused Supervision Model for Senior Leaders in Education. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9 (2) #education leadership #UK
Kotera, Y., Lieu, J., Liu, H. T. G., Veasey, C., & Barnes, K. (2024). Organisational and Emotional Psychology Views on Yozan Uesugi’s Leadership. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(2), 1-16. #leadership #historical #Japan
Lawrence, K., Nicholson, H., Iwanow, M., Johnstone, T., Skelhorn, L., Toole, E., & O'Shaughnessy, R. (2024). An evaluation of compassion‐focused therapy groups for women accessing a specialist perinatal service in England. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research #groups #perinatal #UK
Liu, X., LI, G., Yang, C., & Wang, A. (2024). Effect of compassion focused therapy on cognitive function and sense of shame in stroke patients with hemiplegia. Modern Clinical Nursing, 43-48. #physicalhealth #selfcriticism
Maryam Shahab, M., Taklavi, S., & Pourmohseni Klouri, F. (2024). The effectiveness of compassion focused therapy on self-blame, guilt, and impulsive behaviors of adolescents with adverse childhood experiences. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 13(7), 171-180. #adolescents #ACE #Iran
Marques, C. C., Castilho, P., Castelo-Branco, M., Pereira, A. T., & Goss, K. (2024). Enhancing Understanding of Eating Psychopathology: A Network Analysis Study. Behavior Therapy. #eatingdisorders #Portugal
Mohammadi, M., Yarmohamadivasel, M., Mohagheghi, H., & Falahinia, G. (2024). The effect of compassion-focused therapy on symptoms of intrusion, arousal, and avoidance of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Applied Psychological Research. #PTSD #Iran
Penido, M. A., & Rocha, L. F. (2024). Compassion-Focused Therapy: A Transdiagnostic Approach to Self-Criticism in Clinical Practice. In Ornelas, A.C. (ed) Transdiagnostic Approaches in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 131-146 #transdiagnostic #selfcriticism
Sengupta, P., & Saxena, P. (2024). When compassion, aka karuna, enters the Indian psychotherapy space: A mixed‐method case‐series study of compassion‐focused therapy in depression. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24(4), 1489-1502. #depression #India
Spector, A., Melville, M., Craig, C., Henderson, C., Hiskey, S., Knapp, M., ... & Evans, R. (2024). Being kind to ourselves: group compassion-focused therapy (CFT) versus treatment as usual (TAU) to improve depression and anxiety in dementia–a protocol for a mixed-methods feasibility randomised controlled trial within the NHS. BMJ open, 14(12), e093249 #groupwork #dementia #UK
Stock, M., & Craig, C. (2024). Compassion Focused Therapy for an Older Adult with Complex Emotional Needs: A Case Study and Considerations for Practice. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(3), 1-21. #oldergeneration #casestudy #UK
Tirch, D., & Vogel, T. (2024). Compassion Focused Therapy for the Treatment of Trauma. In Senreich, E., Lala, S. & Straussner, A. & Dann, J. (eds) Experiential Therapies for Treating Trauma, Routledge; pp.241-255 #trauma
Turner, C. (2024). Breath-focused one-to-one singing sessions as a means of developing authentic voice in females with anxiety: An exploratory multiple-case study grounded in aspects of compassion focused therapy and polyvagal theory. Australian Voice, 25. #breathwork #singing #Australia
Twomey, C., Slingerland, N., & Brown, K. (2024). Clinician attitudes towards a compassion focused therapy group programme for psychosis: a brief report from a service review survey. Psychosis, 1-6. #psychosis
Varley, D., Sherwell, C. S., & Kirby, J. N. (2024). Daily effects of a brief compassion‐focused intervention for self‐compassion. British Journal of Psychology. #selfcompassion #Australia
Dehghani, Z., Mardani, Z., & Rezvanian, H. (2024). The Effectiveness of Compassion Focused Therapy on Improving Treatment Adherence & Blood Lipids (Cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL & HDL) in Patients with type 2 Diabetes. Quarterly Journal Of Health Psychology, 13(2), 77-96. #physicalhealth #Iran
Ah, S. A. A. K., Abbasi, G., & Zadegan, H. A. G. (2024)The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Guilt and Shame in Women with Eating Disorders. Journal of Health Promotion Management, 13 (1) #women #eatingdisorders #Iran
Calabria, L., & Marks, E. (2024). What Happens in Climate Cafés?: Exploring Responses to the Psychological Burdens of Climate Change in Seven UK Women. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. #climatechange #UK
Dawood, R., Vosper, J., Irons, C., Gibson, S., & Brown, G. (2024). Exploring the roles of compassion and post‐traumatic stress disorder on global distress after sexual trauma. British Journal of Clinical Psychology #PTSD #sexualtrauma
Hickey, T., Strohmaier, S., Fossey, E., & Heriot-Maitland, C. (2024). The Acceptability and Impact of a Video on Compassion Focused Therapy as a Psycho-Educative Tool to Deepen Awareness around Voice-Hearing. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9 (2) #voicehearing #psychoeducation #Australia
Erekson, D. M., Griner, D., & Beecher, M. E. (2024). Compassion focused therapy for groups: Transdiagnostic treatment for turbulent times. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 1-28. #groups #USA
Fraser, M. I., & Gregory, K. (2024). Applying a process-based therapy approach to compassion focused therapy: A synergetic alliance. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 32, 100754. #theory #Australia
Gilbert, P. (2024). Threat, safety, safeness and social safeness 30 years on: Fundamental dimensions and distinctions for mental health and well‐being. British journal of clinical psychology. #theory
Hiskey, S., & Clapton, N. E. (2024). Enhancing Therapist Courage: Feasibility and Changes in Distress Tolerance and Equanimity Following Martial Arts-Based Radically Embodied Compassion Workshops. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(2), 1-24. #embodiment #martialarts #UK
Jameson, P. (2024). Incorporating compassion-focused therapy into CAT: Theory, perspectives, and applications. In Brummer, L., Cavieres, M. & Tan, R. (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Oxford University Press #theory #clinicalpractice
Karami, P., Ghanifar, M. H., & Ahi, G. (2024). Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Compassion-Focused Therapy in Improving Distress Tolerance and Self-Compassion in Women with Experiences of Marital Infidelity. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC), 6(2), 27-35. #therapy #maritalinfidelity #Iran
Kaye, A. M. (2024) Compassion-Focused Mentoring: An Antidote to Adverse Faculty-Student Mentoring Outcomes? OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(2) #mentoring #students #USA
Kim, J. J., Sherwell, C., Parker, S. L., & Kirby, J. N. (2024). Compassion training influences heart-rate variability within severe depression. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 16, 100760. #depression #HRV #compassiontraining #Australia
Kirby, J. N., Day, J., & Gilbert, P. (2024). Social rank and compassion: How insecure striving, social safeness and fears of compassion mediate the relationship between masculinity, depression and anxiety. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. #socialrank #theory #masculinity
Kirby, J. N., Hoang, A., & Crimston, C. R. (2024). A Brief Compassion Focused Therapy Intervention Can Increase Moral Expansiveness: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness, 1-13. #RCT #CFTintervention #morality #Australia
Lucre, K., Ashworth, F., Copello, A., Jones, C., & Gilbert, P. (2024). Compassion Focused Group Psychotherapy for attachment and relational trauma: Engaging people with a diagnosis of personality disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. #groups #attachmentandrelationaltrauma #personalitydisorderdiagnosis
Lynch, S., Finnerty, C., Pender, R., Lowry, D., O’Meara, Y., & Brennan, D. (2024). The COMFORT trial: a randomised control trial comparing group-based compassion-focused therapy techniques and breathing pattern retraining with treatment as usual on the psychological functioning of patients diagnosed with cancer recurrence. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 34 (1) #cancer #breathingpractice #Ireland
Marques, C. C., Palmeira, L., Castilho, P., Rodrigues, D., Mayr, A., Pina, T. S., Telma Pereira, A., Castelo-Branco, M & Goss, K. (2024). Online Compassion Focused Therapy for overeating: Feasibility and acceptability pilot study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 57(2), 410-422. #onlinetherapy #pilotstudy #overeating
Mehrabi, N., Amiri, H., Omidi, A., & Sarvizadeh, M. (2024). The Effectiveness of Group Compassion-Focused Therapy on Body Image and Interpersonal Stress among Women with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences #breastcancer #Iran
Munafo, J. (2024). The Heavy Burden of Judgement: Cultivating Compassion with People Accessing Healthcare Services for Support with Weight Management. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(1), 1-10. #weight #stigma #UK
Rachwal, F., & Gredecki, N. (2024). A Phenomenological Investigation into the Use of Therapist Self-disclosure in Compassion-Focused Therapy With Forensic Clients. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 0306624X241227409. #selfdiscolure #IPA #UK
Rahimian, A., Namazi, M., & Aghili, S. M. (2024). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Experiential Avoidance and Post-Traumatic Growth in Sexually Abused Girls. Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS), 5(6), 41-49. #sexual abuse #girls #Iran
Sengupta, P., & Saxena, P. (2024). Compassion Focused Therapy in the Indian Context: A Perspective. International Journal of Indian Psychȯlogy, 12(1). #transcultural #India
Steffen, P & Moss, D. (2024) (eds) Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology: Theory, Assessment, and Practice. Oxford University Press. See Chapters 1, 10, 16 and 17.
Swee, M. B., Corman, A. G., Margolis, J. M., & Dick, A. M. (2024). Compassion-Focused Therapy for the Treatment of ICD-11–Defined Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The American Journal of Psychotherapy #therapy #complexPTSD #USA
Taylor, J., & Hocken, K. (2024). Illuminating the dark side: Life story and formulation work to understand criminogenic capacities and human harmfulness. Abuse: An International Impact Journal, 5(1), 46-60. #formulation #forensics
Varley, D., Sherwell, C. S., & Kirby, J. (2024). Brief Compassion Focused Therapy Reduces Fears of Compassion Irrespective of Individual Differences in Attachment. Pre-print. #attachment #fearsofcompassion #Australia
Vrabel, K. R., Waller, G., Goss, K., Wampold, B., Kopland, M., & Hoffart, A. (2024). Cognitive behavioral therapy versus compassion focused therapy for adult patients with eating disorders with and without childhood trauma: A randomized controlled trial in an intensive treatment setting. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 104480. #eatingdisorders #RCT
Compassion Focused Therapy's literature base continues to flourish and expand, building our knowledge and inspiring our practice. Below, you'll find links to the latest published research*, which has been compiled with a focus specifically on CFT. We have included hashtags to help highlight content and location.
Here is our research digest for research published in 2023
*At present, this list includes English language articles
Heikkilä, M. H., Kaunomäki, J., Lindberg, N., Lahti, J., Marttunen, M., Ranta, K., Manninen, M. & Da Silva, D. R. (2024). Compassion-focused therapy with virtual reality for callous-unemotional youth: A clinical case study on the therapy process of a young offender. Psychiatria Fennica, 55, 102-123. #virtualreality #youngpeople #forensics #Finland
Lawrence, K., Nicholson, H., Iwanow, M., Johnstone, T., Skelhorn, L., Toole, E., & O'Shaughnessy, R. (2024). An evaluation of compassion‐focused therapy groups for women accessing a specialist perinatal service in England. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research #groups #perinatal #UK
Maryam Shahab, M., Taklavi, S., & Pourmohseni Klouri, F. (2024). The effectiveness of compassion focused therapy on self-blame, guilt, and impulsive behaviors of adolescents with adverse childhood experiences. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ), 13(7), 171-180. #adolescents #ACE #Iran
Mohammadi, M., Yarmohamadivasel, M., Mohagheghi, H., & Falahinia, G. (2024). The effect of compassion-focused therapy on symptoms of intrusion, arousal, and avoidance of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Applied Psychological Research. #PTSD #Iran
Spector, A., Melville, M., Craig, C., Henderson, C., Hiskey, S., Knapp, M., ... & Evans, R. (2024). Being kind to ourselves: group compassion-focused therapy (CFT) versus treatment as usual (TAU) to improve depression and anxiety in dementia–a protocol for a mixed-methods feasibility randomised controlled trial within the NHS. BMJ open, 14(12), e093249 #groupwork #dementia #UK
Tirch, D., & Vogel, T. (2024). Compassion Focused Therapy for the Treatment of Trauma. In Senreich, E., Lala, S. & Straussner, A. & Dann, J. (eds) Experiential Therapies for Treating Trauma, Routledge; pp.241-255 #trauma
Turner, C. (2024). Breath-focused one-to-one singing sessions as a means of developing authentic voice in females with anxiety: An exploratory multiple-case study grounded in aspects of compassion focused therapy and polyvagal theory. Australian Voice, 25. #breathwork #singing #Australia
Varley, D., Sherwell, C. S., & Kirby, J. N. (2024). Daily effects of a brief compassion‐focused intervention for self‐compassion. British Journal of Psychology. #selfcompassion #Australia
Ah, S. A. A. K., Abbasi, G., & Zadegan, H. A. G. (2024)The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Guilt and Shame in Women with Eating Disorders. Journal of Health Promotion Management, 13 (1) #women #eatingdisorders #Iran
Calabria, L., & Marks, E. (2024). What Happens in Climate Cafés?: Exploring Responses to the Psychological Burdens of Climate Change in Seven UK Women. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. #climatechange #UK
Dawood, R., Vosper, J., Irons, C., Gibson, S., & Brown, G. (2024). Exploring the roles of compassion and post‐traumatic stress disorder on global distress after sexual trauma. British Journal of Clinical Psychology #PTSD #sexualtrauma
Hickey, T., Strohmaier, S., Fossey, E., & Heriot-Maitland, C. (2024). The Acceptability and Impact of a Video on Compassion Focused Therapy as a Psycho-Educative Tool to Deepen Awareness around Voice-Hearing. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9 (2) #voicehearing #psychoeducation #Australia
Erekson, D. M., Griner, D., & Beecher, M. E. (2024). Compassion focused therapy for groups: Transdiagnostic treatment for turbulent times. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 1-28. #groups #USA
Fraser, M. I., & Gregory, K. (2024). Applying a process-based therapy approach to compassion focused therapy: A synergetic alliance. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 32, 100754. #theory #Australia
Jameson, P. (2024). Incorporating compassion-focused therapy into CAT: Theory, perspectives, and applications. In Brummer, L., Cavieres, M. & Tan, R. (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Oxford University Press #theory #clinicalpractice
Karami, P., Ghanifar, M. H., & Ahi, G. (2024). Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Compassion-Focused Therapy in Improving Distress Tolerance and Self-Compassion in Women with Experiences of Marital Infidelity. Journal of Assessment and Research in Applied Counseling (JARAC), 6(2), 27-35. #therapy #maritalinfidelity #Iran
Kaye, A. M. (2024) Compassion-Focused Mentoring: An Antidote to Adverse Faculty-Student Mentoring Outcomes? OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(2) #mentoring #students #USA
Kim, J. J., Sherwell, C., Parker, S. L., & Kirby, J. N. (2024). Compassion training influences heart-rate variability within severe depression. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 16, 100760. #depression #HRV #compassiontraining #Australia
Kirby, J. N., Day, J., & Gilbert, P. (2024). Social rank and compassion: How insecure striving, social safeness and fears of compassion mediate the relationship between masculinity, depression and anxiety. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. #socialrank #theory #masculinity
Kirby, J. N., Hoang, A., & Crimston, C. R. (2024). A Brief Compassion Focused Therapy Intervention Can Increase Moral Expansiveness: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness, 1-13. #RCT #CFTintervention #morality #Australia
Lucre, K., Ashworth, F., Copello, A., Jones, C., & Gilbert, P. (2024). Compassion Focused Group Psychotherapy for attachment and relational trauma: Engaging people with a diagnosis of personality disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. #groups #attachmentandrelationaltrauma #personalitydisorderdiagnosis
Lynch, S., Finnerty, C., Pender, R., Lowry, D., O’Meara, Y., & Brennan, D. (2024). The COMFORT trial: a randomised control trial comparing group-based compassion-focused therapy techniques and breathing pattern retraining with treatment as usual on the psychological functioning of patients diagnosed with cancer recurrence. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 34 (1) #cancer #breathingpractice #Ireland
Marques, C. C., Palmeira, L., Castilho, P., Rodrigues, D., Mayr, A., Pina, T. S., Telma Pereira, A., Castelo-Branco, M & Goss, K. (2024). Online Compassion Focused Therapy for overeating: Feasibility and acceptability pilot study. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 57(2), 410-422. #onlinetherapy #pilotstudy #overeating
Mehrabi, N., Amiri, H., Omidi, A., & Sarvizadeh, M. (2024). The Effectiveness of Group Compassion-Focused Therapy on Body Image and Interpersonal Stress among Women with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences #breastcancer #Iran
Munafo, J. (2024). The Heavy Burden of Judgement: Cultivating Compassion with People Accessing Healthcare Services for Support with Weight Management. OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 9(1), 1-10. #weight #stigma #UK
Rachwal, F., & Gredecki, N. (2024). A Phenomenological Investigation into the Use of Therapist Self-disclosure in Compassion-Focused Therapy With Forensic Clients. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 0306624X241227409. #selfdiscolure #IPA #UK
Steffen, P & Moss, D. (2024) (eds) Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology: Theory, Assessment, and Practice. Oxford University Press. See Chapters 1, 10, 16 and 17.
Swee, M. B., Corman, A. G., Margolis, J. M., & Dick, A. M. (2024). Compassion-Focused Therapy for the Treatment of ICD-11–Defined Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The American Journal of Psychotherapy #therapy #complexPTSD #USA
Taylor, J., & Hocken, K. (2024). Illuminating the dark side: Life story and formulation work to understand criminogenic capacities and human harmfulness. Abuse: An International Impact Journal, 5(1), 46-60. #formulation #forensics
Varley, D., Sherwell, C. S., & Kirby, J. (2024). Brief Compassion Focused Therapy Reduces Fears of Compassion Irrespective of Individual Differences in Attachment. Pre-print. #attachment #fearsofcompassion #Australia
Vrabel, K. R., Waller, G., Goss, K., Wampold, B., Kopland, M., & Hoffart, A. (2024). Cognitive behavioral therapy versus compassion focused therapy for adult patients with eating disorders with and without childhood trauma: A randomized controlled trial in an intensive treatment setting. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 104480. #eatingdisorders #RCT