Self-Compassion and Culture
There has been a small amount of research exploring whether self-compassion levels differ across
cultures. Neff, Pisitsungkagarn and Hseih
examined self-compassion, independent and
interdependent self-construal, and psychological well-being in Thailand, Taiwan and the United
States. Mean self-compassion levels were highest in Thailand and lowest in Taiwan, with the
United States falling in between. (All cultures differed significantly from one another, although
within-culture variations in self-compassion were as great as between-culture variations).
These cross-cultural differences may be explained by the fact that Thais are strongly influenced by
Buddhism and the value of compassion is emphasized in parenting practices and everyday
interactions in Thailand. In contrast, the Taiwanese are more influenced by Confucianism, and
shame and self-criticism is more strongly emphasized as a means of parental and social control in
Taiwan. Americans may have reported in-between self-compassion levels because the culture
displays more mixed messages with regard to self-compassion (e.g., a strong emphasis on
positive self-affect but also an isolating, competitive ethos.) Although Thais had the highest levels
of self-compassion, Americans had the highest levels of self-esteem. In all three cultures, however,
greater self-compassion significantly predicted less depression and greater life satisfaction,
suggesting that there may be universal benefits to self-compassion despite cultural differences in
its prevalence.
Self-Compassion and Interpersonal Relationships
While there is evidence that self-compassion psychologically benefits the individual, there is also
evidence that self-compassion enhances interpersonal relationships. In a study of heterosexual
couples
, for instance, self-compassionate individuals were described by their partners as being
more emotionally connected, accepting and autonomy-supporting while being less detached,
controlling and verbally or physically aggressive in their relationship than those lacking self-
compassion. Self-compassionate people also appear to have more compassion for others. A
recent study by Neff and Pommier
found that self-compassionate people reported feeling
higher levels of empathetic concern, forgiveness and altruism towards others than those who
lacked self-compassion, and they were also less likely to experience personal distress when
considering others’ suffering. This suggests that self-compassion may be an important skill to
teach caregivers, especially since it has been found to be a protective factor against caregiver
burnout
Self-Compassion in Clinical Contexts
An exciting area of research concerns the implications of self-compassion for clinical practice.
People who lack self-compassion are more likely to have critical mothers, come from dysfunctional
families and display insecure attachment patterns than self-compassionate people do
. Given
that therapy clients often have problems related to their family backgrounds, they may be
especially likely to benefit from developing greater self-compassion.
It is an interesting empirical question whether self-compassion is implicitly generated in
psychotherapy, and is one of the factors underlying effective treatment. This certainly seems to be
the case, and may have important implications for understanding the therapeutic process. Neff,
Kirkpatrick and Rude
conducted a study that tracked changes in self-compassion experienced
by therapy clients over a one-month interval. Therapists used a Gestalt two-chair technique
designed to help clients lessen self-criticism and have greater compassion for themselves. Results
indicated that increased self-compassion levels over the month-long period (which were assessed
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