Identifying the Components of Iranian Adolescent Compassionate Mind Training Program

To provide culturally-based interventions, it is essential to identify the factors that underlie them. This study aimed to identify the underlying components of the need for compassion in Iranian adolescents. The study was conducted qualitatively using interviews and texts. The literature review included approximately 150 articles, 25 Iranian and international dissertations, and 5 books related to compassion and positive psychology, all selected from credible sources. The interview stage aimed to find the answer to the factors affecting compassion in Iranian adolescents. The sample was selected from positive psychology professionals with a targeted method and theoretical saturation was achieved after interviewing 13 people. Out of 61 themes, 9 highly recurring were identified as influential on the need for compassion in Iranian adolescents. These included: educating traits of a compassionate mind, challenges of adolescence, self-awareness of talents, expression of emotions in adolescence, self-care, parental perfectionism, insistence on academic achievements, emphasis on choosing specific fields of study, and social media. All components were validated, with content validity index values ranging from 0.87 to 1. Six of the nine themes, recognizing talents, expressing emotions in adolescence, self-care, parental perfectionism, insistence on cognitive achievements, and social media, were new components emerging from Iranian society. The other two themes, educating traits of a compassionate mind and challenges of adolescence were emphasized in previous programs and by specialists in this study. The identified components can aid in developing the educational-psychological intervention in the school context and tailored to Iranian adolescents and culture.