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A meta‐analysis of self‐compassion and attachment in adults.

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Title: A meta‐analysis of self‐compassion and attachment in adults.
Authors: Hill, Charlotte (AUTHOR), Vasiliou, Vasilis S. (AUTHOR), Sirois, Fuschia M. (AUTHOR), Hughes, Olivia (AUTHOR), Thompson, Andrew R. (AUTHOR)
Source: Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice. Dec2025, Vol. 98 Issue 4, p833-858. 26p.
Subjects: Psychological distress, Research funding, Attachment behavior, Sex distribution, CINAHL database, Self-compassion, Age distribution, Meta-analysis, Descriptive statistics, Systematic reviews, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals, Self-perception, Avoidance (Psychology), Adults
Abstract: Objective: Attachment might shape the extent to which a person is self‐compassionate. Despite the plethora of research examining attachment and self‐compassion, no previous systematic review has quantified the magnitude of the associations between self‐compassion and different attachment dimensions. Design: Random‐effects meta‐analyses examined the magnitude of the associations of self‐compassion with anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment, using correlational effects (r‐value). Moderator analyses tested whether the effects varied as a function of participant age, sex, population type (students vs. community sample) and attachment measure used within studies. Methods: A systematic search of the literature using SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases retrieved 37 eligible studies. Results: The meta‐analyses revealed a medium effect size for the positive association between self‐compassion with secure attachment, ravg =.395, 95% CI [0.248, 0.524], and medium and small effect sizes for the negative associations with anxious attachment, ravg = −.282, 95% CI [−0.329, −0.233], and avoidant attachment, ravg = −.280, 95% CI [−0.320, −0.240]. Moderator analyses indicate that the magnitude of associations with avoidant attachment varied as a function of participant age and population type (students vs. community samples). Conclusions: The findings suggest differential associations between self‐compassion and attachment dimensions. Self‐compassion was positively associated with secure attachment, while the reverse was found for insecure attachment. Negative associations between self‐compassion and avoidant attachment were larger for older individuals. Ageing populations may be vulnerable to lower self‐compassion when already more prone to experiencing avoidant attachment. Compassion‐focused therapy may be an effective therapeutic option when working with individuals reliant on anxious or avoidant attachment dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: A meta‐analysis of self‐compassion and attachment in adults.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hill%2C+Charlotte%22">Hill, Charlotte</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vasiliou%2C+Vasilis+S%2E%22">Vasiliou, Vasilis S.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sirois%2C+Fuschia+M%2E%22">Sirois, Fuschia M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hughes%2C+Olivia%22">Hughes, Olivia</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thompson%2C+Andrew+R%2E%22">Thompson, Andrew R.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Psychology+%26+Psychotherapy%3A+Theory%2C+Research+%26+Practice%22">Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 98 Issue 4, p833-858. 26p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+distress%22">Psychological distress</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attachment+behavior%22">Attachment behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+distribution%22">Sex distribution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22CINAHL+database%22">CINAHL database</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-compassion%22">Self-compassion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+distribution%22">Age distribution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meta-analysis%22">Meta-analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systematic+reviews%22">Systematic reviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-perception%22">Self-perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Avoidance+%28Psychology%29%22">Avoidance (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: Attachment might shape the extent to which a person is self‐compassionate. Despite the plethora of research examining attachment and self‐compassion, no previous systematic review has quantified the magnitude of the associations between self‐compassion and different attachment dimensions. Design: Random‐effects meta‐analyses examined the magnitude of the associations of self‐compassion with anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment, using correlational effects (r‐value). Moderator analyses tested whether the effects varied as a function of participant age, sex, population type (students vs. community sample) and attachment measure used within studies. Methods: A systematic search of the literature using SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases retrieved 37 eligible studies. Results: The meta‐analyses revealed a medium effect size for the positive association between self‐compassion with secure attachment, ravg =.395, 95% CI [0.248, 0.524], and medium and small effect sizes for the negative associations with anxious attachment, ravg = −.282, 95% CI [−0.329, −0.233], and avoidant attachment, ravg = −.280, 95% CI [−0.320, −0.240]. Moderator analyses indicate that the magnitude of associations with avoidant attachment varied as a function of participant age and population type (students vs. community samples). Conclusions: The findings suggest differential associations between self‐compassion and attachment dimensions. Self‐compassion was positively associated with secure attachment, while the reverse was found for insecure attachment. Negative associations between self‐compassion and avoidant attachment were larger for older individuals. Ageing populations may be vulnerable to lower self‐compassion when already more prone to experiencing avoidant attachment. Compassion‐focused therapy may be an effective therapeutic option when working with individuals reliant on anxious or avoidant attachment dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1111/papt.12590
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 26
        StartPage: 833
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Psychological distress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attachment behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sex distribution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: CINAHL database
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      – SubjectFull: Self-compassion
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      – SubjectFull: Age distribution
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      – SubjectFull: Meta-analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Adults
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              Text: Dec2025
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