Self-compassion and mindfulness are distinct but complementary concepts that have relevance for self-regulation, health and well-being. Self-compassion involves responding to challenges and failure with kindness, connectedness, and emotional balance rather than with self-criticism, isolation, and overidentification with one’s emotional experiences.
In contrast, mindfulness involves responding to situations with equanimity, being fully present to a situation, and observing it without judgement.
My work over the past 9 years has aimed to answer the questions: How does self-compassion impact health, goals, and well-being? What are the barriers to being self-compassionate? How is mindfulness involved in the self-regulation of behaviours and emotions?
Lay Articles
Two Counterintuitive Ways to Stop Procrastinating
In this GreaterGood.com article I outline why self-forgiveness and self-compassion can be effective for addressing procrastination.
Videos
How does self-compassion assist with procrastination? Excerpt from a webinar I gave for the Center for Conscious Awareness, Canada.
Book Chapters – Self-compassion
Sirois, F. M. (2023). A Triadic Pathway Model of self-compassion and health. In A. Finlay-Jones, K. Neff, & K. Bluth, & (eds.), Handbook of Self-Compassion, Springer Nature. Link
Journal articles – Self-compassion
*Hill, C., Vasiliou, V.,Ā Sirois, F. M.,Ā Hughs, O., & Thompson, A. R.Ā (in press). A meta-analysis of self-compassion and attachment styles in adults.Ā Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and PracticeĀ (IF = 2.6).Ā Open access.
*Baxter, R., &Ā Sirois, F. M.Ā (2025). Self-compassion and psychological distress in chronic illness: A meta-analysis.Ā British Journal of Health Psychology, 80,Ā e12761Ā (IF = 3.5).Ā Open access.
*Shepherd, L.,Ā Sirois, F. M., Harcourt, D., Norman, P., Aaron, D., Adkins, K., Cartwright, A., Hodgkinson, E., Murphy, N., & Thompson, A. R. Ā (2025). A multi-centre prospective cohort study investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self-compassion in appearance concerns after burn injuries.Ā British Journal of Health Psychology, 30,Ā e12754Ā (IF = 3.5).Ā Open access
*Shepherd, L.,Ā Sirois, F. M.,Ā Harcourt, D., Norman, P., & Thompson, A. R.Ā (2024). Early appearance concerns after burns: Investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self-compassion.Ā Body Image, 51Ā (IF =5.2).Ā Open access
*Biskas, M.,Ā Sirois, F. M.,Ā & Webb, T. L. (2023). Does psychoeducation help people to respond to goal lapses with self-compassion?Ā Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment,Ā 41, 839-851. (IF = 1.7)Ā Open access.
Finlay-Jones, A., Parkinson, A. Sirois, F. M., Perry, Y., Boyes, M., & Rees, C. (2023). Web-based self-compassion training to improve the wellbeing of youth with chronic medical conditions: A randomised control trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research. (IF = 7.08). Open access
*Beaton, D. M.,Ā Sirois, F. M., & Milne, E. (2022). The role of self-compassion in the mental health of adults with ADHD.Ā Ā Journal of Clinical Psychology,Ā 78,Ā 2497ā2512Ā (IF = 3.0).Ā Open access
*Beaton, D. M., Sirois, F. M., & Milne, E. (2022). Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study. PloS One, 17(2), e0263366. (IF = 2.74). Open access
*Biskas, M., Sirois, F. M., & Webb, T. L. (2022). Using social cognition models to understand why people, such as perfectionists, struggle to respond with self-compassion. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 61, 1160ā1182. (IF = 6.92). Open access
Brooks, B., Kaniuka, A., Rabon, J., Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J. (2022). Social support and subjective health in fibromyalgia: Self-compassion as a mediator. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 29, 375ā383. (IF = 2.62) Link
Rabon, J.K., Sirois, F.M., Barton, A., Hirsch, J. K. (2022). Self-compassion and suicidal behavior: Indirect effects of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness across increasingly vulnerable samples. Self and Identity, 21, 223ā243. (IF = 3.30). Link
Hirsch, J.K., Hall, B.B., Wise, H.A., Brooks, B.D., Chang, E.C., & Sirois, F.M. (2021). Negative life events and suicide risk in college students: Conditional indirect effects of hopelessness and self-compassion. Journal of American College Health, 69, 546-553. (IF = 2.39) Link | Self-archived version
Trindade, I. & Sirois, F. M. (2021). The prospective effects of self-compassion on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress: A study in inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 146, 110429 (IF = 4.62). Link | Archived version
*Beaton, D., Sirois, F. M., &Milne, L. (2020). Self-compassion and perceived criticism in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mindfulness, 11, 2506ā2518. (IF = 3.80). Open access
Finlay-Jones, A., Boyes, M., Perry, Y., Sirois, F. M., Lee, R., Rees, C. (2020). Online self-compassion training to improve the wellbeing of youth with chronic medical conditions: Protocol for a randomised control trial. BMC Public Health, 20:106. (IF = 4.14). Open access.
Kaniuka, A., Kelliher Rabon, J., Chang, E.C., Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J.K. (2020). Symptoms of anxiety and depression and suicidal behavior in college students: Conditional indirect effects of non-suicidal self-injury and self-compassion. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 34, 316-338. (IF = 1.40) Link | Archived version
Sirois, F. M. (2020). The association between self-compassion and self-rated health in 26 samples. BMC Public Health, 20:74 (IF = 4.14). Open access
Rabon, J.K., Hirsch, J.K., Kaniuka, A., Sirois, F.M., Brooks, B.D., & Neff, K. (2019). Self-compassion and suicide risk in veterans: When the going gets tough, do the tough benefit more from self-kindness? Mindfulness, 10, 2544ā2554. (IF = 3.80). Link | Self-archived version
*Clegg, S., Sirois, F.M., & Reuber, M. (2019). Self-compassion and adjustment in epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behaviour, 100. (IF = 3.34). Link | Self-archived version
Chang, E. C., Lucas, A. G., Chang, O. D., Angoff, H., Li, M., Duong, A. H., Huang, J., Perera, M. J Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J. K. (2019). Relationship between future orientation and pain severity in fibromyalgia patients: Self-compassion as a coping mechanism. Social Work, 64, 253ā258. (IF = 2.86). Link | Self-archived version
Sirois, F. M., Bogels, S. & Emerson, L. (2019). Self-compassion improves well-being in response to challenging parenting events. The Journal of Psychology. 153, 327-341. (IF = 4.01). Link | Self-archived version
Sirois, F. M., Nauts, S., & Molnar D. S. (2019). Self-compassion and bedtime procrastination: An emotion regulation perspective. Mindfulness, 10, 434ā445 (IF = 3.80). Link | Self-archived version
Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J. K. (2019). Self-compassion and adherence in five medical groups: The role of stress. Mindfulness, 10, 46-54. (IF = 3.80). Open access
Neff, K., TĆ³th-KirĆ”ly, I., Yarnell, L., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N., Guo, H., Hirsch, J., Hupfield, J., Hutz, C. S., Kotsou, I., Lee, W. K., Montero-Marin, J., Sirois, F. M., de Souza, L., Svendsen, J., Wilkinson, L., & Mantzios, M. (2019). Examining the Self-Compassion Scale in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31, 27-45. (IF = 6.08). Link | Self-archived version
Rabon, J.K., Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J.K. (2018). Self-compassion and suicidal behavior in college students: Serial indirect effects via depression and wellness behaviors. Journal of American College Health, 66 (2), 114-122. (IF = 2.39). Link | Self-archived version
Homan, K. J., & Sirois, F. M. (2017). Self-compassion and physical health: Exploring the roles of perceived stress and health-promoting behaviors. Health Psychology Open 4 (2), 1-9. (IF = 1.95). Open access
Sirois, F. M., & Rowse, G. (2016). The role of self-compassion in chronic illness care. Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management, 23, 521-527. Link | Archived version
Sirois, F. M. (2015). A self-regulation resource model of self-compassion and health behaviour intentions in emerging adults. Preventive Medicine Reports, 2, 218ā222. (IF- 2.81). Open access
Sirois, F. M., *Kitner, R., & Hirsch, J. K. (2015). Self-compassion, affect, and health-promoting behaviors. Health Psychology, 34, 661-669. (IF = 4.27). Link | Archived version
Sirois, F. M., Molnar, D. S., & Hirsch, J. K. (2015). Self-compassion, stress and coping in the context of chronic Illness. Self and Identity, 14, 334-347. (IF = 2.41). Link | Self-archived version
Sirois, F. M. (2014). Procrastination and stress: Exploring the role of self-compassion. Self and Identity, 13 (2), 128-145. (IF = 2.41). Link | Self-archived version
Journal articles – Mindfulness
Rad, H. S., Samadi, S., Sirois, F. M., & Goodarzi, H. (2023). Mindfulness intervention for academic procrastination: A randomized control trial. Learning & Individual Differences, 101,102244. (IF = 3.90). Link
*Stevenson, J., Millings, A., Emerson, L. M., Sirois, F. M., & Rowe, A. (2021). Adult attachment and mindfulness: Examining directionality, causality, and theoretical implications. Journal of Research in Personality, 90. (IF = 3.89). Link | Self-archived version
Sirois, F. M., & *Tosti, N. (2012). Lost in the moment? An investigation of procrastination, mindfulness, and well-being. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 30 (4), 237-248. (IF- 1.95). Link | Self-archived version
Fuschia Sirois 