A multi-level meta-analytic review of attachment and fears of compassion

Abstract

Aversive responses to compassion (fears of compassion) correlate with poor wellbeing. Theoretical accounts suggest a relationship with attachment. This meta-analysis of 98 effect sizes from 3312 participants investigated associations between attachment styles and each type of fears of compassion (fears of compassion from others, for self, for others). We used a three-level data-structure to account for dependencies among effect sizes. We identified a small-to-moderate correlation between attachment and fears of compassion (r = 0.26). Fears of compassion moderately correlate with anxiety, avoidance, and security (rs = 0.40, 0.42, and − 0.34). Anxiety had moderate correlations with fears of compassion from others and self-compassion, and a smaller correlation with compassion to others (rs = 0.48, 0.40, and r = 0.24). Avoidance strongly correlated with fears of compassion from others, followed by a moderate correlation with self-compassion, and a smaller correlation with compassion to others (rs = 0.55, 0.40, and 0.25). Security's correlations were strongest for fears of compassion from others, differing from self-compassion and compassion to others (rs = −0.47, −0.30, and −0.21). No significant differences between anxiety and avoidance emerged. We identified no evidence of publication bias. Findings suggest insecure attachment relates to difficulty receiving compassion from oneself and others.