A 91亚色 study found that 鈥� every day for five to 15 minutes for a week 鈥� increased their happiness and self-esteem.

After six months, many were still actively helping others and were reporting that their happiness and self-esteem levels were still up, according to the study, which will be published in the spring edition of the , an international scientific quarterly available online through Springer science and business media.

Myriam Mongrain, associate professor of psychology in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health and lead author for the study, says 700 people from across Canada were recruited online at the end of 2007 through a Facebook ad and then directed to the survey site, . The age group of respondents ranged from 18 to 73 with 80 per cent women and 20 per cent men.

The data collected on the original respondents 鈥� before they had started the compassion exercise 鈥� showed that the majority were 鈥渄epressed,鈥� says Mongrain.

Of the original 700 recruits, 458 people completed the first week鈥檚 exercise which required them to help or interact with another person every day 鈥� it could be someone they knew or a stranger 鈥� 鈥渋n a supportive and considerate鈥欌�� way. The positive effects on their happiness and self-esteem were 鈥渧ery strong,鈥� says Mongrain.

After three months 260 responded, with the majority saying that they were still performing acts of kindness 鈥� one to three days a week 鈥� and feeling the same positive effects. After six months, which was the end of the study, there were 179 responses with most still doing a good deed one to three days a week and feeling happier for it.

Despite the high drop-out rate, the results indicate that the exercise of performing acts of kindness 鈥渟ustained increases in happiness and self-esteem,鈥欌�� says Mongrain, who had help analyzing the data from co-authors of the study, [91亚色 researchers] Jacqueline Chin and Leah Shapira.

The study, funded by the , was also covered May 17 in the London Free Press and Toronto Sun and May 18 in The Globe and Mail and on 680 News in Toronto.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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More than 700 people took part in a study that聽charted the effects of being nice to others, in small doses, over the course of a week. Researchers asked participants to act compassionately towards someone for 5 to 15 minutes a day, by actively helping or interacting with them in a supportive and considerate manner. Six months later, participants reported increased happiness and self-esteem.

鈥淭he concept of compassion and kindness resonates with so many religious traditions, yet it has received little empirical evidence until recently,鈥� says lead author聽Myriam Mongrain (right),聽professor of psychology in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 amazing is that the time investment required for these changes to occur is so small. We鈥檙e talking about mere minutes a day,鈥� she says.

Participants鈥� levels of depression, happiness and self-esteem were assessed at the study鈥檚 onset, and at four subsequent points over the following six months; those in the compassionate condition reported significantly greater increases in self-esteem and happiness at six months compared to those in the control group.

So why does doing good for others make us feel good about ourselves?

鈥淭he simplest answer is that doing noble, charitable acts makes us feel better about ourselves. We reaffirm that we are 鈥榞ood鈥�, which is a highly valued trait in our society. It is also possible that being kind to others may help us be kind to ourselves,鈥� Mongrain says. She notes that previous studies have demonstrated a causal relationship between compassionate behaviours and charitable self-evaluations.

鈥淐ompassion cuts both ways,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you make a conscious decision to not be so hard on others, it becomes easier to not be so hard on yourself. Furthermore, providing support to others often means that we will get support back. That is why caring for and helping others may be the best possible thing we can do for ourselves. On a less selfish level, there is something intrinsically satisfying about helping others and witnessing their gratitude,鈥� says Mongrain.

Not surprisingly, research has also shown that compassionate activities increase the level of meaning in one鈥檚 life, which in turn elevates levels of happiness.

Researchers expected that those with needy personalities would experience greater reductions in depressive symptoms and greater increases in happiness and self-esteem as a result of being kind to others.

鈥淲e hypothesized this would occur as a result of the reassurance [needy personalities] might extract from positive exchanges with others,鈥� Mongrain says. 鈥淲e did see some reduction in depressive symptoms for anxiously attached individuals, but further research is needed to see if there is any long-term benefit.鈥�

The study, 鈥淧ractising Compassion Increases Happiness and Self-Esteem鈥�, is forthcoming in the spring issue of the . It is co-authored by 91亚色 researchers Jacqueline Chin and Leah Shapira.

The research was funded by the .

You can follow the project online at , on Twitter and on Facebook.

Republished courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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