Self-Compassion and Self-Construal in the United States, Thailand, and Taiwan

Self-compassion is a self-attitude construct derived from Buddhist psychology (Neff, 2003a). It entails being kind rather than harshly critical toward oneself, perceiving one's experiences as part of the larger human experience, and holding painful feelings in mindful awareness. Given that self-compassion is an Asian construct, this study compares self-compassion levels in the United States, Thailand, and Taiwan. Results indicate that self-compassion is highest in Thailand and lowest in Taiwan, with the United States falling in between. Interdependence is linked to self-compassion in Thailand only, whereas independence is linked to self-compassion in Taiwan and the United States. Results suggest that self-compassion levels in these societies are linked to specific cultural features rather than general East—West differences. However, self-compassion is significantly associated with well-being in all three cultures.