Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40183405›Full record

SynthesisPsychology and psychotherapy2025

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

Charlotte Hill, Vasilis S Vasiliou, Fuschia M Sirois, Olivia Hughes, Andrew R Thompson

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psychology and psychotherapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

5 authors.

Charlotte HillSouth Wales Clinical Psychology Training Programme, School of Psychology, Psychology Tower Building, Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3475-3118
Vasilis S VasiliouSouth Wales Clinical Psychology Training Programme, School of Psychology, Psychology Tower Building, Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.
Fuschia M SiroisDepartment of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
Olivia HughesSouth Wales Clinical Psychology Training Programme, School of Psychology, Psychology Tower Building, Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.
Andrew R ThompsonSouth Wales Clinical Psychology Training Programme, School of Psychology, Psychology Tower Building, Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6788-7222

Funding

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAttachment 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.

designRandom-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.

methodsA systematic search of the literature using SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases retrieved 37 eligible studies.

resultsThe meta-analyses revealed a medium effect size for the positive association between self-compassion with secure attachment, r

conclusionsThe 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.

Indexed as

EmpathyObject AttachmentSelf ConceptAdultFemaleHumansMaleattachmentattachment dimensionsmeta‐analysismoderatorsself‐compassion

Identifiers

PMID40183405
PMCPMC12617489

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.