Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38769941›Full record

SynthesisClinical psychology & psychotherapy

Self-Compassion and Self-Forgiveness in Alcohol Risk, Treatment and Recovery: A Systematic Review.

Sophia J Berg, Michelle J Zaso, Kaitlyn M Biehler, Jennifer P Read

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical psychology & psychotherapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. The virtue of temperance: a neurobiological perspective.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sophia J BergDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Michelle J ZasoDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5511-9971
Kaitlyn M BiehlerDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3985-8827
Jennifer P ReadDepartment of Psychology, University at Buffalo - The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.

Funding

RESEARCH TRAINING ON ALCOHOL ETIOLOGY AND TREATMENTT32AA007583 · NIAAA · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · PI Gregory G Homish, KENNETH E LEONARD · 2000 to 2026
$8.5M
Identification and characterization of in-the-moment cognitive antecedents to alcohol use among drinkers with PTSDR00AA029728 · NIAAA · SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY · PI ZASO, MICHELLE J. · 2023 to 2025
$738k
Identification and characterization of in-the-moment cognitive antecedents to alcohol use among drinkers with PTSDK99AA029728 · NIAAA · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · PI ZASO, MICHELLE JOSEPHINE · 2022 to 2023
$337k
NIAAA NIH HHS K99 AA029728NIAAA NIH HHS R00 AA029728NIAAA NIH HHS T32 AA007583
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSelf-compassion and self-forgiveness are two self-focused, positive coping approaches that may reduce risk of problem drinking and/or aid in treatment/recovery from alcohol use disorder. The present systematic review aimed to evaluate support for the unique and complementary roles of self-compassion and self-forgiveness in alcohol outcomes.

methodsA systematic literature search yielded 18 studies examining self-compassion, 18 studies examining self-forgiveness and 1 study examining both constructs in alcohol outcomes.

resultsFindings suggest greater self-compassion and self-forgiveness relate to lower likelihood of problem drinking. Self-forgiveness was considerably more researched in treatment/recovery outcomes than self-compassion; self-forgiveness-based interventions appear able to improve drinking-adjacent outcomes, and self-forgiveness may increase across various alcohol treatments. Finally, research suggests that associations of self-compassion and/or self-forgiveness with alcohol outcomes could be driven by numerous factors, including coping-motivated drinking, depression, psychache, social support perceptions, mental health status and/or psychiatric distress.

conclusionsSelf-compassion and self-forgiveness both appear protective against harmful alcohol outcomes. Nevertheless, many questions remain about the role of self-forgiveness and, particularly, self-compassion in alcohol treatment and recovery outcomes. Future research should examine whether targeted interventions and/or adjunctive therapeutic supports designed to increase self-compassion or self-forgiveness can reduce alcohol use disorder symptoms to facilitate alcohol treatment and recovery success.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalAlcoholismEmpathyForgivenessHumansSelf Conceptalcohol usealcohol use disorderdrinkingself‐compassionself‐forgiveness

Identifiers

PMID38769941
PMCPMC11360266

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.