Man-Kind: An evaluation of a self-compassion group for men within a forensic setting.

This article evaluates the Man-Kind group, a self-compassion intervention developed in 2022 for men in a low secure forensic mental health unit, based on Kristen Neff's three pillars of self-compassion: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. The eight-session group incorporated masculine language and addressed traditional masculine norms to reduce barriers men may have toward self-compassion, with facilitation by two men and one woman. Among four male participants who completed the group, assessments showed increased self-compassion scores, particularly in common humanity, though overall distress levels remained low and unchanged. Limitations included a small sample size, cognitive difficulties among some participants, and challenges in emotional engagement, suggesting that findings are preliminary and further research with larger, more homogeneous groups is needed.