Feasibility and Acceptability of Mindful Self-Compassion Among Transgender and Nonbinary Young Adults

Inclusion Criteria

• transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer (or another non-cisgender identity)
• have reliable access to a smart phone or computer/tablet and the Internet and is reasonably able to make the time commitment required of the program (self-report)
• speak and understand English

Exclusion Criteria

• has had formal mindfulness training (i.e. mindfulness-based stress reduction course) or engages in regular mindfulness practice (15 minutes more than twice a week for the last six months or more)
• Score 15 or higher on the patient health questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8)
• Score 2 or higher on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
• Experienced an acute physical health crisis (e.g., chemotherapy, recovery from severe injury) (Germer \& Neff, 2019, p. 80) in the past year
• Head trauma, seizure, or loss of consciousness in the past 6 months
• Reports a history of trauma AND Scores 14 or higher on Post-Traumatic Checklist, 6-item Civilian version
• Reports a diagnosis of a personality disorder
• Reports a diagnosis of schizophrenia or a history of psychosis
• Reports acute panic attack in the past month and history of acute panic attacks with concern/worry about having another one in the future OR Reports severe social anxiety which would make attending class too difficult
• Reports an acute episode of psychosis or suicide attempt in the past 12 months
• Has engaged in non-suicidal self-injury in the past 6 months
• Currently prescribed antipsychotic medications, benzodiazepine (equivalent to 30mg diazepam/day) or opioids (>40mg morphine equivalent/day)
• Prescribed any other psychiatric medication, including medication for opioid use disorder, whose dose has been changed in the past 8 weeks or is anticipated to change in the next 2 months.
• Currently engage in harmful drinking (5 or more drinks on one occasion (Flentje et al., 2020) more than once in the past 2 weeks; OR have any concerns about the expectation to not be using substances during group sessions
• has undergone detoxification from alcohol or other drugs and has been in sustained remission (with or without medication) for less than 1 year
• Has been hospitalized overnight for mental health related reasons in the past year (any diagnoses except bipolar disorder) OR have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and have had an episode of mania or have been hospitalized in the past 2 years
• Reports any other acute physical or mental illness symptoms that may make group participation difficult