Moderators of Self-Compassion as it Relates to Prosocial Compassion and Helping Intentions

Support for the self, or “self-compassion,” is a construct defined by three elements: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Previous literature suggests those with increasingly higher trait self-compassion... [ view full abstract ]

Support for the self, or “self-compassion,” is a construct defined by three elements: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Previous literature suggests those with increasingly higher trait self-compassion are increasingly likely to engage in helping behavior. However, some studies have found results to the contrary. Additionally, significant research suggests that self-compassion is positively related to compassion toward others, or "prosocial compassion." Once again, however, some have found opposing results that instead suggest that self-compassion and prosocial compassion are in fact negatively related. With a sample of college undergraduates, this study seeks to clarify these discrepancies using moderators. Through five surveys measuring both trait variables and reactions to a vignette, this study tests the idea that the reasons for helping behavior moderate the relationship between self-compassion and that behavior, such that more intrinsically motivated actions (as delineated by Self-Determination Theory) are more likely to demonstrate a positive relationship with trait self-compassion. The surveys will also attempt to clarify a moderator between self-compassion and prosocial compassion. This study posits that previous inconsistent results are due to conceptual overlap of two different constructs; specifically that the inclusion of a personal distress scale in measuring prosocial compassion causes the relationship between prosocial compassion and self-compassion to appear negative. Personal distress directly contradicts the common humanity and mindfulness facets of self-compassion in that personal distress suggests an individual is emotionally compromised by the suffering of another while self-compassionate individuals are thought to have the ability to objectively approach hardship without such emotional compromise.