Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jordan Moreno

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

School Psychology

Committee Chair

Randy Floyd

Committee Member

Elizabeth Meisinger

Committee Member

Jia Wei Zhang

Committee Member

Ryan Farmer

Abstract

Abstract This meta-analysis sought to determine the overall association between self-compassion and openness to experience across the existing body of literature, as well as to add to the currently limited research on the associations between the individual subscales of self-compassion and openness to experience. A systematic search was conducted throughout several databases, including PsychINFO, ERIC, SCOPUS, and WorldCat Dissertation Search, using the following commonly used search terms: self-compassion, self compassion, Self-Compassion-Scale, open, openness, Big Five, HEXACO, and NEO.The study carefully extracted a total of 122 unique effect sizes (Pearson’s r) from 37 different samples, drawing on data from a combined total of 23,480 participants across all included studies. Results from the analysis indicated a weak, yet still positive, relation (r = .17) between self-compassion and openness to experience, with a statistically significant moderation effect found for the negative factor subscales of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS; i.e., self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification). All studies included in the meta-analysis used a variation of the SCS, including the widely used Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form, which retains core elements of the original measure while offering greater efficiency in administration.The results of this study illustrate the complex and nuanced interplay between self-compassion and openness to experience, and provide a more in-depth consideration of how positive psychological well-being may be associated with higher levels of openness in individuals. These findings offer valuable insights into the possible mechanisms underlying this relationship. The implications of these findings could help psychological practitioners and clinicians further individualize and tailor treatment approaches to better match their clients’ specific personality traits, particularly with regard to augmenting the use of positive psychological interventions in therapeutic settings. Furthermore, these findings raise important questions and highlight the need for additional, more detailed research in this area. In particular, further research is needed in order to clarify the unique contributions of the different subscales of openness to experience to self-compassion, and to better understand the potential moderation effects of key demographic variables such as ethnicity, race, and gender on this association. Continued investigation will help support more informed interventions and theoretical models moving forward.

Comments

Data is provided by the student

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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