Meta-Analysis of Gender Differences in Self-Compassion
Abstract
While research suggests strong associations of self-compassion with mental health and well-being, gender norms may hinder the development of self-compassion by women on one hand, and men on the other. This study represents one of the first systematic analyses of potential gender differences in self-compassion using meta-analytic techniques, including whether such gender differences are moderated by age or ethnic minority status. Fixed-effects models were used to estimate the average effect size (ES) of gender differences in self-compassion scores across 71 journal articles and dissertations providing a total of 88 estimates. Results revealed that males had slightly higher levels of self-compassion than females, with a small ES observed (d = .18). This difference was larger in samples with a higher percentage of ethnic minorities. Researchers and practitioners should take these group differences into account in future studies and interventions focused on self-compassion, while not overemphasizing gender differences in self-compassion as being large in size.
Cite this
Lisa M. Yarnell, Rose E Stafford, Kristin D. Neff, Erin Dawna Reilly, Marissa C. Knox, Michael C Mullarkey (2015). Meta-Analysis of Gender Differences in Self-Compassion. Self and Identity. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2015.1029966
@article{m2015metaanalysis,
title = {Meta-Analysis of Gender Differences in Self-Compassion},
author = {Yarnell, Lisa M. and Stafford, Rose E and Neff, Kristin D. and Reilly, Erin Dawna and Knox, Marissa C. and Mullarkey, Michael C},
year = {2015},
journal = {Self and Identity},
doi = {10.1080/15298868.2015.1029966}
}Citations in this library
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