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Cited by 88Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsCancer survivorship and careAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Self-Compassion and Anxiety and Depression in Chronic Physical Illness Populations: a Systematic Review

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Hughes, Maria, Brown, Stephen L., Campbell, Sophie, Dandy, Shannon, Cherry, Mary G.·2021·Mindfulness
DOI 10.1007/s12671-021-01602-y
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Abstract

Objectives: Anxiety and depression are common in chronic physical illness populations. Self-compassion, the motivation and the capacity to alleviate one’s own suffering, is associated with reduced anxiety and depression in mental health populations. This review aimed to collate available research showing links between self-compassion and anxiety and depression in chronic physical illness populations. Methods: This study is a systematic review of English language studies investigating univariate and multivariate correlates of anxiety and depression by self-compassion constructs in adult chronic physical illness populations. Results: Twenty papers, reporting data from 16 unique studies, were included. Half sampled cancer patients. Self-compassion scores consistently showed moderate to large inverse associations with anxiety and depression over both univariate (r = −.37 to −.53 and r = −.38 to −.66, respectively) and multivariate analyses (β =.01 to β = −.55 and β = −.17 to β = −.59, respectively). Worry and depressive brooding, and shame, mediated relationships between self-compassion and anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Although findings suggest that self-compassion processes may have a role in alleviating anxiety and depression in chronic physical illness populations, methodological limitations limit confidence in this proposition. Prospective studies that identify theoretically plausible mediators and moderators are required before the development or modification of therapeutic interventions.

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  • The association between higher self-compassion and lower psychological distress and higher well-being is corroborated by a systematic review of 16 studies in people with chronic physical illness.

    “These results are corroborated by a systematic review of 16 studies in people with chronic physical illness (Hughes et al. 2021).”

    From The Mechanisms Underlying the Relationship Between Self‐Compassion and Psychological Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review. (2025) · cites this paper as Hughes et al. 2021

    The Abstract reports 16 unique studies in adults with chronic physical illness and inverse associations between self-compassion and anxiety and depression. The Univariate Analyses section also reports a negative association with total distress, but the review does not establish the claimed association with higher well-being. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • The associations found among the study variables were in line with previous research on the negative association between stigma, shame and psychological distress and the positive association with psychological flexibility and self-compassion.

    “Regarding the first aim, the associations found among the study variables were in line with-and further strengthened-findings by previous research on the negative association between stigma, shame and psychological distress on the one side and psychological flexibility and self-compassion on the other side (e.g., Hughes et al. 2021;Krafft et al. 2018;Matos et al. 2022;Yao et al. 2024;Zhang et al.”

    From Illness Stigma and Shame in People With Chronic Illnesses vs. SARS‐CoV‐2 Survivors: Associations With Psychological Distress Through Psychological Flexibility and Self‐Compassion. (2024) · cites this paper as Hughes et al. 2021

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  • Self-compassion is negatively associated with both depression and anxiety in community samples, chronic illness samples and SARS-CoV-2 recovery samples.

    “Self-compassion has previously been found to be negatively associated with both depression and anxiety in community samples, chronic illness samples and SARS-CoV-2 recovery samples (e.g., Bag et al. 2022;Hughes et al. 2021;Matos et al. 2022).”

    From Illness Stigma and Shame in People With Chronic Illnesses vs. SARS‐CoV‐2 Survivors: Associations With Psychological Distress Through Psychological Flexibility and Self‐Compassion. (2024) · cites this paper as Hughes et al. 2021

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Hughes, M., Brown, S. L., Campbell, S., Dandy, S., & Cherry, M. G.
Affiliations
  • University of Liverpool (GB)
  • Royal Liverpool University Hospital (GB)
  • Lancaster University (GB)
Corresponding author
Cherry, Mary G.
ORCID
Venue
Mindfulness
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-03-18
Volume
12
Issue
7
Pages
1597-1610
ISSN
  • 1868-8527 (ISSN-L)
  • 1868-8535
DOI
10.1007/s12671-021-01602-y
OpenAlex
W3139081562
Cited by
88
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3
FWCI
1.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Mindfulness (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RUNE (Research UNE) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
self-compassion, anxiety, depression, chronic physical illness, cancer patients, worry, shame, mediation, psychological distress

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