Self-Compassion and Cultural Values: A Cross-Cultural Study of Self-Compassion Using a Multitrait-Multimethod (MTMM)...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cross-cultural Psychology

Background:

• Self-compassion is a key human capacity, yet its cultural variations and links to cultural values remain under-researched.
• Understanding these cross-cultural differences is crucial for a comprehensive view of self-compassion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how cultural values influence the structure and measurement of self-compassion.
• To examine the differential contribution of positive and negative items in assessing self-compassion across cultures.
• To explore the convergence of self-compassion facets in relation to cultural dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Cross-cultural study with 4,124 participants from 11 countries.
• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) model applied to the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS).
• Correlation analysis (Spearman's rho) between cultural values (Values Survey Module) and SCS item variance.

Main Results:

• Positive items contributed more to self-compassion traits in cultures with higher long-term orientation (r = 0.62, p = 0.042).
• Negative items showed less contribution in individualistic cultures (r = 0.40, p = 0.228).
• Common variance among self-compassion facets was inversely related to indulgence (r = -0.65, p = 0.030).

Conclusions:

• Cultural values, particularly long-term orientation and individualism, influence the measurement and conceptualization of self-compassion.
• The relative importance of positive versus negative items in assessing self-compassion varies across cultures.
• Cross-cultural research is essential for a nuanced understanding of self-compassion's multifaceted nature.