Self-compassion

The three studies we examine today all reflect work to enhance self-compassion. First, Yuan, Chang, Jiang & Jiang (2025) published “Be Kinder to Yourself: Awe promotes self-compassion via self-transcendence” in Emotion. Here’s the edited abstract:

Deficits in self-compassion heighten the vulnerability of mental disorders and jeopardize well-being, emphasizing the necessity of fostering self-compassion during unexpected suffering. In this research, we investigate awe as an antecedent for promptly promoting self-compassion. Across five studies (three preregistered), employing various self-compassion metrics (self-report scale and behaviors) and testing in both controlled and natural settings, we found that awe was positively associated with, or promoted, self-reported self-compassion (Studies 1, 2, 4, and 5) and self-compassionate behaviors in real life (Study 5). These effects were distinct from general positive emotions (Studies 1 and 4) or nature exposure (Study 4). We further found that self-transcendence mediated this effect (Studies 2, 4, and 5) beyond self-diminishment (Study 4) and had a causal effect on promoting self-compassion (Study 3). These findings imply that awe enhances self-compassion via self-transcendence. 

I love this study, partly because I am a fan of awe. It’s especially interesting that feeling awe quickly promotes self-compassion. The next study looks at self-compassion and attachment. Varley, Sherwell & Kirby (2024) published “Compassion Focused Imagery Reduces Fears of Compassion Irrespective of Attachment” in Journal of Counseling Psychology. The edited abstract and public significance statement follow:

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a brief compassion-focused imagery intervention for reducing fears of compassion. This study also examined whether individual differences in attachment would influence treatment effectiveness. We randomly assigned a nonclinical sample of 125 community-dwelling adults to a control group or an intervention group. Those in the intervention group completed a brief intervention involving daily compassionate imagery exercises for 1 week. Those who completed the intervention demonstrated significant reductions in fears of compassion for others, fears of compassion from others, and fears of self-compassion, irrespective of differences in attachment. These findings support the efficacy of compassion-focused imagery exercises in reducing fears of compassion across attachment patterns, suggesting their potential value for enhancing mental well-being.

By evaluating a brief compassionate imagery intervention, this study demonstrates the potential utility of a brief self-administrable intervention for alleviating fears of compassion in those with secure and insecure attachments alike. Our findings indicated that fears of compassion from others, compassion for others, and self-compassion were all reduced by the intervention. This provides a valuable, easy-to-implement tool that could be utilized to alleviate fears of compassion—a construct which is known to be associated with reduced mental well-being.

We identified that a brief, self-administered CFT intervention involving 1 week of daily engagement with a self-compassionate imagery exercise significantly reduced fears of self-compassion, fears of compassion for others, and fears of compassion from others. We demonstrated that these results were consistent across individual differences in attachment, indicating that this type of intervention is suitable for those with secure and insecure attachments alike. These findings provide encouraging evidence for the suitability of CFT approaches for those with insecure attachments, especially given that those with insecure attachments are more likely to experience elevated fears of compassion. These findings suggest that this type of CFT intervention reduces fears of compassion even in a brief timeframe and without necessitating face-to-face clinician guidance. We recommend that future research further develops and investigates the efficacy and feasibility of such approaches as brief, self-administrable interventions or, potentially, as adjuncts to traditional therapy.

This again is a brief intervention that demonstrates that self-compassionate imagery helps regardless of attachment security. Finally, López-Cavada, Jódar, Timulak & Corbella (2024) published “Emotion-Focused Treatment for Self-Criticism in a Nonclinical Population: A randomized controlled trial” in Journal of Counseling Psychology. The edited abstract and impact statement:

Self-criticism is a transdiagnostic phenomenon associated with different psychopathological manifestations in clinical and nonclinical samples. This fact has led to an increase in research on its measurement and treatment. This study seeks to examine the effects of emotion-focused therapy on self-criticism in a nonclinical population through pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up questionnaires. The study was designed as a randomized control trial comparing emotion-focused therapy for self-criticism (n = 24) versus a wait-list control group (n = 28). The efficacy was evaluated using Inadequate Self and Hated Self scales of Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring scale, as well as measures of depression, general distress, and interpersonal problems. The results showed significant improvements on the inadequate self, depression, general distress, self-compassion, and self-reassuring measures at the end of the treatment for emotion-focused therapy condition in comparison with the control, with most of the changes also being maintained in the follow-up. The results show the promise of emotion-focused therapy as a way of treating self-criticism. These benefits were sustained even after the therapy ended, highlighting its potential as a promising approach for anyone dealing with self-critical thoughts. 

The use of random assignment to intervention and control groups is a long-standing way to study efficacy of interventions. Here, we find that emotion-focused therapy for self-criticism is beneficial in increasing self-compassion and reducing thoughts of personal inadequacy, depression, and general distress. Taken together these studies illustrate the value of self-compassion and strategies for enhancing it.