Being Kind to Yourself: Investigating the Effects of a Brief Self-Compassion Intervention on Self-Oriented Perfectionism in Post-Secondary Students

Perfectionism is prevalent among post-secondary students and is often associated with psychological distress, reduced self-efficacy, and diminished well-being. Self-compassion includes being kind to oneself in the same way one might be compassionate toward a friend. However, perfectionists often face challenges in adopting self-compassionate practices. The current project aimed to investigate the effects of a five-week self-compassion practice, completed multiple times per week, on self-oriented perfectionism, academic self-efficacy, and psychological well-being among post-secondary students (N = 55). Analyses of the effectiveness of the intervention revealed that the brief self-compassion intervention had significant impacts on enhancing self-compassion, academic self-efficacy, and well-being, and reducing self-oriented perfectionism. Implications of these findings suggest that a brief self-compassion intervention demonstrates similar effects to formal self-compassion interventions, highlighting the potential benefits of employing an accessible, time-efficient self-compassion practice on post-secondary student well-being.