Self-compassion defuses the aggression triggered by social exclusion.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Social exclusion is a common experience with significant negative psychological impacts, notably increased aggression.
• Self-compassion is recognized for fostering resilience and aiding individuals in managing challenging situations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between self-compassion and aggression within the context of social exclusion.
• To explore both state and trait perspectives on self-compassion's role in mitigating aggression.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study (Study 1) examined correlations between social exclusion, aggression, and self-compassion.
• An experimental study (Study 2) used writing tasks to induce social exclusion and self-compassion to test causal links.

Main Results:

• Social exclusion correlated with higher aggression; self-compassion correlated with lower aggression and less social exclusion.
• Self-kindness and mindfulness moderated the social exclusion-aggression link, while common humanity mediated it.
• Self-compassion interventions demonstrably reduced aggression resulting from social exclusion.

Conclusions:

• Self-compassion effectively mitigates aggression triggered by social exclusion, highlighting its therapeutic potential.
• Findings support the development of clinical interventions to address the adverse psychological effects of social exclusion.