The association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and self-compassion: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Background:Self-compassion, defined as the ability to respond to personal suffering with mindful awareness, kindness, and recognition of shared humanity, has been linked to reduced risk and severity of psychopathology. No systematic reviews have examined the relationship between self-compassion and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms.Method:We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of peer-reviewed quantitative studies reporting associations between validated measures of self-compassion and OC symptoms. Eleven studies (N = 3,336) met inclusion criteria. Random-effects models estimated pooled correlations for total symptoms and four core OC symptom dimensions (symmetry/ordering, unacceptable thoughts, checking/responsibility, and contamination/washing). Moderator analyses examined clinical status and cultural orientation.Results:Across studies, self-compassion was moderately and negatively associated with OC symptom severity (r = –0.34, 95% CI –0.39, –0.30), with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 40%). All four symptom dimensions were inversely associated with self-compassion, with the strongest association emerging for unacceptable thoughts (r = –0.41). Neither clinical status nor cultural orientation significantly moderated effects. Funnel plot symmetry and fail-safe N analyses indicated minimal publication bias.Discussion:Findings suggest that lower self-compassion is reliably linked to greater OC symptom severity across studies, samples (clinical vs. community), and cultures (individualist vs collectivist), particularly for unacceptable thoughts. These results highlight self-compassion as a potential therapeutic target in OCD, warranting investigation in longitudinal and interventional studies.Keywords: obsessive-compulsive; OCD; self-compassion; meta-analysis