A Compassionate Approach to Pain: A Qualitative Journey Through Women's Experiences of Self-Compassion and Gratitude Interventions for Chronic Pain Management

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of women with chronic pain who are currently using self-compassion and gratitude interventions. The theoretical framework for this study was based on self-compassion theory and Buddhist psychology. The research question guiding this study was: What are the lived experiences of women with chronic pain who are currently using self-compassion and gratitude interventions? Fifteen women with chronic pain participated in semi-structured interviews. The data collected were analyzed using Moustakas's (1994) Modification of the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen Method of Phenomenological data analysis. This involved a thorough process of obtaining and analyzing verbatim transcripts, identifying invariant meaning units, clustering these into themes, and developing comprehensive descriptions of the participants' experiences. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) Way of Life, highlighting the transformational impact of self-compassion and gratitude practices on participants' daily lives and self-perception; (2) Spiritual Perspectives, showing how faith and spiritual practices were intertwined with gratitude and self-compassion; (3) Acceptance, demonstrating how these practices helped participants accept their pain without judgment; (4) Self-Compassion and Gratitude Techniques, detailing the various emotional, spiritual, and physical practices used by participants; and (5) Self-Compassion and Gratitude Characteristics, discussing the strengths and challenges of these practices as perceived by the participants. The findings revealed that self-compassion and gratitude practices led to significant improvements in how participants managed their chronic pain. Participants reported changes in their internal dialogue, greater emotional resilience, and a more positive outlook on life.