Self-Compassion, Self Criticism and Perfectionism among Different Professionals: A Correlational study

Abstract

The current study assessed correlation self compassion, self criticism and perfectionism among different professionals. A cross-sectional study design was used, with a sample of 300 participants, comprising 100 teachers, 100 policemen, and 100 engineers, surveyed across Pakistan. Three reliable instruments were utilized to collect participants’ responses: Self compassion scale (Kristin Neff , 2011), Self Critical Ruminate Scale (Smart et al. 2016), and Short Almost Perfect Scale (Rice et al. 2014). The analysis, conducted using SPSS, predicted significant connections among self compassion, self-criticism and perfectionism. Specifically, individual with the higher self-criticism reported higher level of perfectionism compared to those with the lower level self-critical tendencies. Additionally, self compassion was associated with perfectionism initially, but its effect reduces when self-criticism was considered. Group differences emerged in key variables, with the region influencing the self-criticism link. Interestingly, rural and urban participants differed in self-criticism but not in perfectionism. These findings suggest interventions in various settings to reduce psychological burnout and promote well-being.