Profiles of self‐compassion and psychological outcomes in cancer patients

Abstract Objectives The protective role of self‐compassion in cancer patients' psychological outcomes has been confirmed. However, using a composite score of self‐compassion, previous research could not clarify how distinct components of self‐compassion may mutually interact. This study, using a person‐centred approach, aimed to identify profiles of self‐compassion in cancer patients and examined the associations of self‐compassion profiles with sociodemographic and medical variables and psychological outcomes. Methods This cross‐sectional study included 289 patients with heterogeneous cancer types recruited from two hospitals in Xi'an, China. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct profiles of self‐compassion. The Bolck‐Croon‐Hagenaars approach was used to examine how these profiles related to sociodemographic and medical characteristics and psychological outcomes. Results Five profiles of self‐compassion were identified: ‘average self‐compassion’ (54%), ‘high self‐compassion’ (19.4%), ‘low self‐compassion and low self‐coldness’ (11.4%), ‘high self‐compassion and high self‐coldness’ (8%), and ‘average self‐compassion and high self‐coldness’ (7.2%). Patients with the ‘high self‐compassion’ profile tended to be older and report no cancer recurrence, and those with the ‘low self‐compassion and low self‐coldness’ profile tended to be female. Patients with the ‘high self‐compassion’ profile reported the fewest depressive and anxiety symptoms while patients with the ‘average self‐compassion and high self‐coldness’ profile reported the most depressive and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions The study revealed five self‐compassion profiles in cancer patients, which had different psychological outcomes. Future longitudinal research should investigate the causality between self‐compassion profiles and psychological outcomes.