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Table 4 Participant quotes related to themes

From: A pilot and feasibility study of a randomized clinical trial testing a self-compassion intervention aimed to increase physical activity behaviour among people with prediabetes

Theme

Quotes

Acceptability

“…the antibiotics one, where it almost felt like it was getting a little opinionated…” (control facilitator)

“it was that topic [exercise enjoyment] I think that some people were like ‘nope, I can’t see how this could ever be something I could enjoy’” (intervention facilitator)

“…people [were] talking about their goals and their background with exercise and trying to bounce ideas off each other” (intervention facilitator)

Group interaction/common humanity

“so I think one big benefit was the human aspect, right? So, listening to other people saying, ‘I didn’t have a good week’ or ‘I had all these plans for this week, but they kind of fell through’. So, kind of just the reminder that you know you’re human and you don’t have to beat yourself up, you just have to say ‘okay well that didn’t work, I’m going to try harder next week…kind of looking at the human aspect of it all” (participant #3)

“to know that other people are having the same difficulties makes you not feel like you’re so alone in dealing with it” (participant #11)

“even just hearing others’ experiences made a big difference” (participant #80)

“Just the positively, it was very positive experience… so that’s what I like.”

Changed perspective and understanding

“… really, I’m in control of this, and I can do this. I can change these things and I can do this. Whereas prior to that, it was more a matter of, well I was looking more at the obstacles and the challenges instead of looking at, again, if I can do this small change, I can do this small change, I can do this small change; I have these four small things and now I have a big change” (participant #11)

“it was a reminder and reinforcement of how important it is to exercise. What it does for the mind, the body, the spirit” (participant #16)

“just recognizing and knowing that even short bouts of exercise can make a difference... that really helped to motivate me to go ‘ok you know what. No more excuses!’” (participant #80).

Changed behaviour

“I finally started going to the gym that I had signed [up] for months ago. And for the first time ever in my life, I’m 63, and for the first time ever in my life, because I’ve joined many gyms and I actually started to enjoy it!” (participant #53)

“I haven’t been spending as much time sitting in front of the tv during the day. I’m actually making more fresh meals and doing more things and spending more time outside – things like that. So, I might not be moving as fast and making huge leaps, but I feel like those are the steps that we need to get to where we’re going” (participant #69)

“well I think being more mindful for myself and kinder to myself” (participant #75)

Receptiveness to session content

“I think for me, it was almost the first or second week where we made some goals for ourselves and saw what the barriers were. I think actually sitting down and writing those things down had a huge impact” (participant #69)

“I think the whole concept of self-compassion, not being so hard on yourself or so judgmental, is a useful one” (participant #50)

“like the one where you have to soothe yourself and all that. Like I’ve never done that. Ever. So, I found that sort of awkward, but I can see the value in doing that” (participant #66)

“I enjoyed all of them [control topics]. I have a particular interest in this kind of thing, so I was quite familiar with a lot of the material, but it was really good to refresh and there were aspects of the presentations that I was not aware were specifically helpful for people with prediabetes or even diabetes” (participant #94)

Receptiveness to structure and format

“I think it was a nice number. It wouldn’t have hurt if there were a couple more, but I think it was alright” (participant #53).

“I would have spread the individual sessions out to 8 or 10 weeks rather than having just 6” (participant #94).

“I just prefer in person because I think you bond even better with the group when it’s in person. But I could see that some people would prefer doing it over the computer” (participant #66)

“I enjoyed the Zoom… I almost prefer the Zoom because it’s coming home to me and not having to worry where are we meeting, is it dark out, is there a safety issue when I go to leave the meeting because now it’s getting dark” (participant #3)

Receptiveness to study components

“The class is no longer available, but I still have the information [the workbook]” (participant #11)

“[The text messages were a way] to keep focused and reminded” (participant #75)

“I found that we didn’t have enough time to complete them [in class activities] in a thoughtful manner” (participant #94)

New additions

“I think that having a Facebook group or some sort of ongoing involvement with one another, breakout groups, or things during the session would have been helpful. Just to get to know the other participants a bit better” (participant #94)

“more concrete recommendations…So you know to do so much resistance, for certain muscle types, muscle groups in the body” (participant #58)

“even showing videos of, like inspirational videos of older people, like the progression you know? The first day they started, 30 days in. Just showing a snippet of that too, and then the types of exercises they’re doing” (participant #66)

“usually like four of them would mainly do most of the talking” (facilitator 1—control group)