Specific Aim 1: Evaluate whether SCT+HABITS shows more practice frequency and practice automaticity from baseline to 3-month, and to 6-month follow-up compared to the SCT. Hypothesis 1. The SCT+HABITS group will show greater increases in practice frequency and practice automaticity than SCT from baseline to 3-month, and to 6-month follow-up.
Specific Aim 2: Determine whether SCT+HABITS, relative to SCT, will experience increased self-compassion and self-compassion automaticity, and reduced stress and psychopathology. Hypothesis 2. SCT+HABITS will promote greater increases in self-compassion and self-compassion automaticity, and greater reductions in stress and psychopathology from baseline to 3-month, to 6-month follow-up.
Specific Aim 3: Assess whether greater baseline to 3-month follow-up increases in practice automaticity mediate the association between SCT+HABITS and baseline to 6-month follow-up increases in (a) self-compassion and (b) self-compassion automaticity, as well as reductions in (c) stress and (d) psychopathology. Hypothesis 3. Greater baseline to 3-month follow-up increases in practice automaticity will mediate the association between the SCT+HABITS group and baseline to 6-month follow-up increases in (a) self-compassion and (b) self-compassion automaticity, as well as reductions in (c) stress and (d) psychopathology.
Exploratory Aim: Evaluate the barriers, facilitators, and acceptability of SCT+HABITS and SCT alone. This aim will be addressed via qualitative analyses to characterize barriers and facilitators to habit formation, and the proportion of participants in each condition (SCT+HABITS and SCT alone) who noted each type of barrier and facilitator. Participants will self-report on acceptability and feasibility via questionnaire. Then, the investigators will examine whether SCT+HABITS and SCT alone will meet or exceed the established criteria for acceptability and feasibility.
