The role of self-compassion interventions in reducing anxiety and depression among university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The aim of present systematic review and meta-analysis study was to evaluate the role of self-compassion interventions in reducing anxiety and depression in university students. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE (Ovid), and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials published between January 2015 and December 2025. Study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using Hedges’ g as the standardized effect size because different validated outcome measures were used across studies. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA/MP version 17 (College Station, TX, USA). The review protocol was prospectively registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD420261443161). Eleven randomized controlled trials involving 803 participants were included. Self-compassion interventions significantly reduced anxiety compared with control conditions (Hedges’ g = − 0.854, 95% CI: −1.088 to − 0.620; p < 0.001), with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 48.5%). Similarly, self-compassion interventions significantly reduced depression symptoms (Hedges’ g = − 0.694, 95% CI: −0.904 to − 0.485; p < 0.001), with low heterogeneity (I² = 41.1%). Leave-one-out sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the pooled estimates remained statistically significant after sequential exclusion of each study, indicating robust findings. Self-compassion-based interventions are a promising, complementary approach to reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression among university students.