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Self-compassion in context: a reflexive thematic analysis of migrant domestic workers' experiences in Singapore
Yeoh Lai Lin Rachel1, Barlas Joanna1,2
1School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Singapore, Singapore.
Objectives:
Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) face adverse living and working conditions that place them at a heightened risk of poor mental health outcomes. While prior research has examined MDWs' coping strategies and resilience, little is known about how they understand and engage in self-compassion, an intrapersonal process strongly linked to mental well-being. This study aimed to examine how MDWs conceptualize self-compassion and the sociocultural factors that influence their capacity to practice it.
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten female Filipino and Indonesian MDWs living in Singapore recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Results:
Three interrelated themes were generated: (1) grounding self-compassion in self-worth and identity, (2) contextual conditions shaping self-compassion, and (3) enacting self-compassion in everyday life. These themes illustrate the complex interplay between participants' internalized self-perceptions, cultural narratives, and structural conditions that shape their engagement with self-compassion.
Conclusions:
The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of self-compassion in marginalized caregiving populations. They advocate for the need to address structural determinants of MDWs' well-being and to develop culturally sensitive psychoeducation and interventions.
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