Self-compassion in adolescence: Validation and neural correlates

Before we move to examining the impact of contemplative practice on self-compassion in youth, we need an established, validated measure of self-compassion. This study will validate the Youth Self Compassion Inventory (YSCI) with multi-modal assessment of neural correlates of self-compassion using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in a study of one hundred and thirty-two male and female adolescents, 12-17 yrs. We will use tasks measuring self-evaluation, self-monitoring of behavior, and a social challenge (social exclusion), concurrent EEG, and surveys assessing emotional health and mindfulness. We expect that brain responses to negative self-evaluative words and cognitive errors will predict less self-compassion. We predict that individuals with higher levels of self-compassion will better cope with social exclusion. Establishing an age-appropriate measure of self-compassion paves the way for understanding the skills and underlying mechanisms within contemplative practice that confer benefit for youth in schools and the broader society.