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Self-compassion at the start of university: what did researchers find?

Alanoud AlturkiMedical review: Tatmeen team6 min read
استمارتان بمربعات اختيار على مكتب، بجانبهما أقلام وكتب وكوب.
Article contents
  1. The study at a glance
  2. Why does this not establish a cause?
  3. Looking at a setback in your first year
  4. Writing is a separate practice
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. Sources and references
  7. Writer and reviewer

Starting university brings new demands: a different approach to study, more decisions and unfamiliar relationships. Is the way you treat yourself during that transition linked to your well-being? Katie Gunnell and colleagues followed 189 first-year students and found that increases in self-compassion were associated with positive changes1 in some of the measures they studied. They did not test a stress-reduction technique or establish that self-compassion caused those changes.

The paper appeared online on 17 November 2016 and in the March 2017 issue of Personality and Individual Differences, volume 1071.

The study at a glance

Element What happened
Participants 189 first-year students at one Canadian university.
Design Self-report questionnaires at the start, then about five months later.
Measures Self-compassion, psychological-need satisfaction, vitality, positive and negative affect.
What did not happen No assigned treatment, writing experiment or separate stress measure.

Increasing self-compassion was associated with greater satisfaction of competence, autonomy and relatedness needs, and lower negative affect. The statistical model also found indirect associations with vitality1 and positive affect through need satisfaction.

Competence means feeling able to handle challenging tasks; autonomy involves a sense of choice in what you do; relatedness involves connection and belonging. At university, these might mean knowing how to begin a difficult assignment, having room to make a decision, or feeling that there is someone you can turn to. These examples explain the concepts; they are not additional findings from the study.

The questionnaires' measure of negative affect should not be treated as a finding about every kind of stress or a mental-health disorder. A reduction in negative affect is not evidence that a stress treatment worked.

Why does this not establish a cause?

When two things change together, questions remain about direction and other influences. Better circumstances might make a student less self-critical; the two might reinforce one another. Changes in relationships or study could also affect both.

Two questionnaires cannot separate every possibility. One Canadian university does not automatically represent every student, clinical patient or Saudi university context. These limits define what can be concluded, rather than make the finding worthless.

Looking at a setback in your first year

Suppose your first test grade is lower than you expected. “I'm not cut out for university” can close off useful questions. Did you understand the question format? Do you need a different study approach, clarification from the lecturer, or more time than your circumstances allow? If you realise you memorised the material without practising how to apply it, you could review one question you got wrong and ask, “I knew the information, but I didn't understand how to use it here. Could you show me where I went wrong?” You have something specific to work on, even while the grade remains disappointing.

Work hours or family responsibilities may also contribute to the difficulty. Reassurance and an even busier schedule would not resolve those constraints. You can treat yourself more fairly while still needing support or a practical change. This is a way of considering the situation, not a method tested by Gunnell's study.

Writing is a separate practice

Kristin Neff’s official educational exercise suggests exploring self-compassion through writing2. It was not part of Gunnell’s study.

If you wish, try two sentences about a minor everyday setback: “This is what happened and what was difficult,” followed by “This is what I need and can do now.” Use this brief reflection to think through the situation, rather than as a treatment for stress. Stop if it increases distress.

Seek appropriate support when distress persists or interferes with life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is self-compassion linked to well-being in first-year university students?

One study found an association. Katie Gunnell and colleagues followed 189 first-year students at one Canadian university and found that increasing self-compassion was associated with lower negative affect and greater satisfaction of competence, autonomy and relatedness needs. The study did not establish that self-compassion caused those changes.

Does the study show that self-compassion reduces stress?

No. The researchers did not test a stress-reduction technique, assign a treatment or use a separate stress measure. A reduction in negative affect is not evidence that a stress treatment worked. Two questionnaires also cannot separate the direction of the link from other influences, such as better circumstances or changes in relationships or study.

What do competence, autonomy and relatedness mean in this study?

They are the needs whose satisfaction was associated with increasing self-compassion. Competence means feeling able to handle challenging tasks; autonomy involves a sense of choice in what you do; relatedness involves connection and belonging. At university, these might mean knowing how to begin a difficult assignment, having room to make a decision, or feeling that there is someone you can turn to.

How should I handle a low grade on my first university test?

Instead of concluding “I'm not cut out for university”, ask useful questions. Did you understand the question format? Do you need a different study approach, clarification from the lecturer, or more time than your circumstances allow? You could review one question you got wrong and ask for clarification. The grade can remain disappointing even once you know your next step. This is a way of considering the situation, not a method tested by Gunnell's study.

Can writing help with self-compassion?

Kristin Neff’s educational exercise suggests exploring self-compassion through writing, but it was not part of Gunnell’s study. If you wish, try two sentences about a minor everyday setback: “This is what happened and what was difficult,” then “This is what I need and can do now.” Use it to think through the situation, not as a treatment for stress, and stop if it increases distress. Seek appropriate support when distress persists or interferes with life.

Writing and article review

Alanoud AlturkiWritten byAlanoud Alturki

Content writer and researcher at Tatmeen, writing in Arabic and English on mental health and everyday life topics, including relationships, stress, work, habits, and family.

Tatmeen teamMedical reviewTatmeen team

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