Self-Compassion and Mental Health in Sexual and Gender Minority People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Purpose: Literature shows that sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are at higher risk of developing minority stress-related mental health problems. Recently, it has been suggested that promoting self-compassion through affirmative mental health care for SGM people can be beneficial. However, no systematic analysis has been published exploring the relationship between self-compassion and mental health indicators in SGM individuals. We aim to fill this gap by synthesizing and meta-analyzing studies that focus on the relationship between self-compassion and mental health in SGM people. Methods: After registering in PROSPERO (CRD42021254774), PubMed, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and Web of Knowledge were systematically searched to identify studies assessing the association between self-compassion and mental health and/or minority stress indicators in SGM individuals. All screening steps and data extraction were performed independently by the two researchers. The quality of each study was assessed with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute tool, and meta-analysis was performed on R software. Results: Twenty-one studies were included in the meta-analysis, corresponding to a total of 6573 nonheterosexual and/or noncisgender participants. All meta-analytic models were significant: higher levels of self-compassion were associated with less depression, anxiety, psychological distress, suicidal ideation, internalized homophobia/transphobia, and stigma, and with more well-being, ou…
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Self-compassion has a specific role underlying the impact of parental invalidation on borderline features in sexual minority adults.
“Overall, our results seem to corroborate research suggesting the importance of self-compassion in SM individuals (e.g. Carvalho & Guiomar, 2022), but move the needle further by showing its specific role underlying the impact of parental invalidation on borderline features in SM adults.”
From To feel safe inside and out: The effect of self-compassion and social safeness underlie the relationship between parental invalidation and borderline features in sexual minority adults. (2024) · cites this paper as Carvalho & Guiomar, 2022
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Seabra, D., Gato, J., Petrocchi, N., & do Céu Salvador, M. (2024) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-024-02403-9 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Cano, S., Carreiras, D., Carvalho, S. A., & Cunha, M. (2024) · Psychology & Sexuality · doi:10.1080/19419899.2023.2219679
Self-citation
- Authors
- Carvalho, S. A., & Guiomar, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Coimbra (PT)
- Corresponding author
- Carvalho, Sérgio A.
- Venue
- LGBT Health
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-07-01
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 287-302
- ISSN
- 2325-8292 (ISSN-L)
- 2325-8306
- OpenAlex
- W4220661048
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 5
- FWCI
- 1.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- LGBT Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- self-compassion, sexual and gender minorities, minority stress, mental health, depression, anxiety, psychological distress, suicidal ideation, internalized homophobia, internalized transphobia, stigma, well-being, outness, social support
- MeSH terms
- Sexual and Gender Minorities, Self-Compassion, Adult, Aged, Humans, Mental Health, Sexual Behavior, Social Stigma
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