Self-compassion as a protective factor against maladaptive perfectionism and loneliness

Context and relevance. In the modern world, both international and Russian data indicate a crisis in psychological well-being and a high prevalence of mental disorders, particularly among young people. One possible explanation for this trend lies in the characteristics of contemporary culture, which shape the social situation of development of the younger generation. Among these characteristics is a culture of success and achievement, associated with high levels of perfectionism and experiences of loneliness. These trends highlight the need for protective factors that can counteract the destructive aspects of contemporary culture. In this paper, self-compassion is considered as one such factor. Objective. To synthesize current international empirical evidence on self-compassion and its potential protective role in relation to maladaptive perfectionism and loneliness. Method. Analytical review of international publications (Google Scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed). Sources included K. Neff's foundational works, meta-analyses and systematic reviews on self-compassion, and empirical studies published in 2021—2026 spanning different levels of evidence, from cross-sectional to longitudinal and experimental designs. Results. The review shows that the capacity for self-compassion reduces the risk of developing mental disorders and contributes to psychological well-being, while interventions aimed at cultivating it increase levels of self-compassion and improve mental health outcomes. Moreover, the level of self-compassion not only demonstrates a negative association with maladaptive perfectionism and loneliness but may also act as a protective factor that mitigates their negative consequences for mental health. Experimental studies suggest that practices aimed at developing self-compassion may be effective in reducing maladaptive perfectionism, whereas evidence on reducing experienced loneliness remains scarce given the novelty of the topic. A close interrelation between perfectionism and loneliness is also noted, which allows them to be regarded as a common target for psychological intervention. Conclusions. Given the unfavorable social situation of development of the younger generation, the capacity for self-compassion can be regarded as an important protective factor in the context of maladaptive perfectionism and loneliness.

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