Compassion for self versus other: A critical review of compassion training research

• Published in: The journal of positive psychology Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 675 - 690
• Main Authors: Quaglia, Jordan T., Soisson, Annelyse, Simmer-Brown, Judith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 03.09.2021
• Subjects: Altruism; compassion; mental training; prosocial; self-compassion
• ISSN: 1743-9760; 1743-9779
• DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1805502

There is rapidly growing interest in Western compassion trainings that rely especially on traditional Buddhist practices. This growing body of research distinguishes between two distinct compassion constructs, namely self-compassion versus other-oriented compassion (hereafter, other-compassion). However, the Buddhist traditions from which most studied compassion practices derive emphasize the relevance of compassion for breaking down artificial barriers between self and other. We therefore conducted a comprehensive review of 94 randomized controlled trials on compassion training, examining how the dualistic division of compassion (into self- versus other-compassion) has shaped compassion training research to date. Our review finds patterns both consistent (e.g. a disproportionate focus on the self-oriented benefits of compassion trainings) and inconsistent (e.g. particular pairings of self-other emphasis across training and outcome) with the dualistic division of compassion. Overall, findings reveal the need for more research on social benefits of self- and other-compassion training, as well as less dualistic approaches to compassion.