The Role of Self‐Compassion in Teachers' Well‐Being: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Studies revealed that teachers frequently experience stress and a decline in job satisfaction. This meta-analysis examined the association between teacher well-being measures and self-compassion, as well as the impact of mindfulness interventions on these traits. The study synthesises data from 19 studies, encompassing a total of 4420 teachers. It reveals a significant positive correlation between teacher well-being and self-compassion. Specifically, self-compassion inversely correlates with stress levels (r = -0.49) and positively correlates with job satisfaction (r = 0.32). Furthermore, mindfulness interventions have been shown to substantially enhance both self-compassion (Cohen's d = 0.77) and mindfulness (Cohen's d = 0.78) among teachers. These findings suggest that mindfulness interventions can effectively increase self-compassion, thereby improving teacher well-being. The positive association between self-compassion and teacher well-being underscores the potential benefits of targeted interventions to enhance these traits. However, further high-quality research is necessary to optimise interventions aimed at augmenting teacher self-compassion. This is crucial for fostering greater teacher well-being and effectiveness in educational settings.
Authors
- Ming Yu Claudia Wong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8390-8898)
- Hong Wang Fung (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4606-2173)
- Siying Tao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9959-4999)
- Guangzhe Frank Yuan
Institutions
- Hong Kong Baptist University (HK)
- University of South Carolina (US)
- City University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Education University of Hong Kong (HK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Psychology
- Published
- 2025-09-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.70098
- Primary Topic
- Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00