The holistic view of compassion: A meta‐analysis on the association of self‐compassion, other‐compassion, well‐being and psychological distress

Abstract

While ample evidence has demonstrated the beneficial effects of self‐compassion and other‐compassion on the promotion of well‐being and reduction of psychological distress independently, the effects of their co‐occurrence have been less examined. By employing a three‐level meta‐analysis, the present study synthesized 193 studies across 31 cultural contexts. Results showed that the effect size of the association between self‐compassion and other‐compassion was small ( r  = .19), and that the cultural values of collectivism–individualism moderated the association, with stronger effects shown in cultures with higher collectivistic orientation. Additionally, self‐compassion and other‐compassion showed a stronger effect size on mental well‐being when there was a higher congruence (higher correlation) between self‐compassion and other‐compassion. Other‐compassion also showed a stronger effect size on psychological distress when congruence between self‐compassion and other‐compassion was high. These findings underscore the dual importance of cultivating both self‐ and other‐compassion to maximize their effects on the enhancement of mental well‐being and the alleviation of psychological distress.