Compassion-based interventions in Asian communities: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Abstract

Purpose: practising compassion increases well-being and reduces depression, anxiety, and psychological distress among clinical and non-clinical populations. There is a rapid increase in compassion-based interventions within the past two decades. However, the reviews are limited to predominantly Western cultures. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the literature attempting to promote and increase compassion in Asian communities.

Method: eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted between 2016 to 2021 were included in the meta-analysis with data from 1012 participants across Thailand, Japan, China and Hong Kong. Effect sizes were calculated to test the efficacy of the compassion-based interventions on the self-compassion outcome. Intervention efficacy was tested by comparing the intervention groups against control groups (wait-list control and active control groups) at pre- and post-interventions.

Results: significant between-group differences in change scores were found on self-report measures of self-compassion with large effect sizes in interventions with wait-list control groups (d = .86) and small effect sizes in interventions with active-control groups (d = .19).

Conclusions: although compassion-based interventions are heterogeneous in nature and limited in scope, there is promising evidence of improving self-compassion in Asian communities. This supports for the cross-cultural applicability of compassion-based interventions. However, research within the Asian context is limited and at an infancy stage, signifying the importance of conducting further compassion-based interventions in clinical and non-clinical groups living in the Asian communities.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Lasara Kariyawasam: orcid.org/0000-0002-2207-2182

ORCID for Sarah Kirby: orcid.org/0000-0003-1759-1356

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