Self-compassion is recognized as a protective factor for mental health, helping to reduce stress and promote recovery. However, when individuals face high levels of stress, their ability to be self-compassionate may be diminished. Under such conditions, self-criticism can increase, and individuals may feel overwhelmed. This study aims to explore the bidirectional relationship between self-compassion and stress.
Study 1 employed a daily diary method to assess daily stress and self-compassion among college students during (high stress) and after (low stress) semester final exams week. Latent curve model with structured residuals (LCM-SR) revealed a negative effect of stress on self-compassion during high-stress periods, but no such effect during low-stress periods. However, self-compassion consistently predicted lower stress levels across both conditions.


Study 2 utilized a 2 (stress induction: high vs. low) × 2 (self-compassion induction: meditation vs. control) experiment to investigate the impact of stress and self-compassion induction on self-compassion levels. We measured self-reported (state self-compassion) and physiological (heart rate variability, RMSSD) outcomes at four time points: baseline, stress induction, self-criticism induction, and self-compassion induction. Post-hoc analyses revealed that self-compassion significantly decreased following high-stress induction. Self-compassion meditation increased self-compassion under low-stress conditions but had no effect under high-stress conditions. Heart rate variability showed that self-compassion meditation improved RMSSD under low stress, but had little effect under high stress.