Self-compassion mindsets: The components of the self-compassion scale operate as a balanced system within individuals

Abstract

Self-compassion is theorised to represent a synergistic system of interplay between self-kindness, self-judgement, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and overidentification. This study evaluated this proposition by identifying how the six components tend to interact within individuals to form self-compassion mindsets. Australian adults (N = 353; Mage = 41.54; 50.1% male) completed a web-based survey that included the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Latent Profile Analysis of the six SCS subscale variables identified three self-compassion mindsets in the sample that reflected incremental increases in total self-compassion: Uncompassionate Self-Responding, Moderately Self-Compassionate, and Highly Self-Compassionate. A second LPA in a student sample validated the three-mindset solution. The highly self-compassionate mindset was over-represented by male, older, retired, and highly educated individuals and the uncompassionate self-responding profile was over-represented by females and students. Partial correlations revealed that the predictive strength of each self-compassion component on psychological well-being and emotion regulation differed across mindsets. Results indicate that the positive and negative self-compassion components operate in unison, and that vulnerable individuals may benefit most from training programs that focus on increasing self-kindness to improve psychological well-being or on decreasing overidentification to improve emotion regulation.