{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T22:17:25Z","timestamp":1778192245442,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,27]],"date-time":"2023-07-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1690416000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The present study examined the association and complementary effect of self-compassion on the subjective happiness and psychological well-being of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was based on a concurrent correlational design to examine relationships between self-compassion, subjective happiness, psychological well-being, resilience, and the meaning in life. Data were collected via a battery of questionnaires and analyzed, focusing on the above variables. The sample of this study (N = 526) consisted of Greek professionals in education and university students. The results showed that there is a strong positive relationship between self-compassion and subjective happiness, and between self-compassion and psychological well-being. The findings suggest that an attitude of self-compassion may well influence the development of psychological well-being and increase the subjective happiness of adults during the distressing era of a long-term pandemic. The results also indicated a positive relationship between self-compassion and meaning in life and showed that self-compassion is a prerequisite for resilience, which in turn may serve as a moderator of psychological well-being and subjective happiness.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20156464","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,28]],"date-time":"2023-07-28T02:10:45Z","timestamp":1690510245000},"page":"6464","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Self-Compassion as a Key Factor of Subjective Happiness and Psychological Well-Being among Greek Adults during COVID-19 Lockdowns"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0949-5623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kyriaki","family":"Sotiropoulou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Christina","family":"Patitsa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Venetia","family":"Giannakouli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Archival, Library and Information Studies, University of West Attica, 122 43 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michail","family":"Galanakis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Christiana","family":"Koundourou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, 8042 Pafos, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Georgios","family":"Tsitsas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 176 76 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"United Nations (2020). Policy Brief: COVID-19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health, United Nations. Available online: https:\/\/unsdg.un.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-05\/UN-Policy-Brief-COVID-19-and-mental-health.pdf."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2020). Mental Health and COVID-19, World Health Organization. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/teams\/mental-health-and-substance-use\/mental-health-and-covid-19."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2020). Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations during the COVID-19 Outbreak, World Health Organization. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/i\/item\/WHO-2019-nCoV-MentalHealth-2020.1."},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_4.1","unstructured":"World Health Organization-Regional Office for Europe (2021). Action Required to Address the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Service Delivery Systems in the WHO European Region: Recommendations from the European Technical Advisory Group on the Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19"},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_4.2","unstructured":"30 June 2021, World Health Organization-Regional Office for Europe. Available online: https:\/\/apps.who.int\/iris\/handle\/10665\/342932."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"136","article-title":"The influence of personality on compliance with COVID-19 public health protection measures: The role of prosocial behavior","volume":"11","author":"Patitsa","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Gov. Regul."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"585270","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2020.585270","article-title":"Self-Compassion Buffers the Adverse Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19-Related Threats: Results From a Cross-Sectional Survey at the First Peak of Hong Kong\u2019s Outbreak","volume":"11","author":"Lau","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Long, T.Q. (2021). Individual Subjective Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/su13147816"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-021-00680-w","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of students in an Italian university: A web-based cross-sectional survey","volume":"17","author":"Villani","year":"2021","journal-title":"Glob. Health"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/09638237.2020.1757052","article-title":"COVID-19 and its mental health consequences","volume":"30","author":"Kumar","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1007","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.82.6.1007","article-title":"Optimizing well-being: The empirical encounter of two traditions","volume":"82","author":"Keyes","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111781","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2022.111781","article-title":"Mindfulness and subjective happiness during the pandemic: Longitudinal mediation effect of hope","volume":"197","author":"Satici","year":"2022","journal-title":"Pers. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1006824100041","article-title":"A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation","volume":"46","author":"Lyubomirsky","year":"1999","journal-title":"Soc. Indic. Res."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Warrier, U., Dilip, D., Jain, H., and Agha, K. (2021). Dimensions of Psychological Well-being and Subjective Happiness in the New Normal: An Exploration. FIIB Business Rev.","DOI":"10.1177\/23197145211062975"},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"27","article-title":"Self-compassion, and psychological well-being","volume":"9","author":"Neff","year":"2004","journal-title":"Constr. Hum. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"17","article-title":"Self-Compassion and Resilience in Senior Living Residents","volume":"23","author":"Smith","year":"2015","journal-title":"Sr. Hous. Care J."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1007\/s11031-008-9119-8","article-title":"Self-kindness when facing stress: The role of self-compassion, goal regulation, and support in college students\u2019 well-being","volume":"33","author":"Neely","year":"2009","journal-title":"Motiv. Emot."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1080\/15298860902979307","article-title":"Self-compassion and psychological resilience among adolescents and young adults","volume":"9","author":"Neff","year":"2010","journal-title":"Self Identity"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1080\/15298868.2011.649545","article-title":"Self-compassion, Interpersonal Conflict Resolutions, and Well-being","volume":"12","author":"Yarnell","year":"2013","journal-title":"Self Identity"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"1","article-title":"Self-Compassion Moderates the Association Between Body Dissatisfaction and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"13","author":"Fan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Ment. Health Addict."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yunita, M.M., and Lee, C.F. (2022, June 16). The Effect of Self Compassion on the Subjective Well-Being of Unemployed Fresh Graduate in Jakarta During the COVID-19 Pandemic: In Jakarta, Indonesia. Available online: https:\/\/www.atlantis-press.com\/article\/125959449Aghniacakti.","DOI":"10.2991\/assehr.k.210805.008"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.54543\/kesans.v1i3.17","article-title":"Self-compassion and subjective well-being working mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"1","author":"Aghniacakti","year":"2021","journal-title":"Kesans Int. J. Health Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4023","DOI":"10.2147\/RMHP.S328665","article-title":"Predictors of Intention to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine of Health Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study","volume":"14","author":"Nguyen","year":"2021","journal-title":"RMHP"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-6494.2008.00537.x","article-title":"Self-Compassion Versus Global Self-Esteem: Two Different Ways of Relating to Oneself","volume":"77","author":"Neff","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Pers."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pigati, P.A., Righetti, R.F., Dourado, V.Z., Nisiaymamoto, B.T., Saraiva-Romanholo, B.M., and Tib\u00e9rio, I.F. (2022). Resilience Improves the Quality of Life and Subjective Happiness of Physiotherapists during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19148720"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-444-64150-2.00008-3","article-title":"Resilience","volume":"173","author":"VanMeter","year":"2020","journal-title":"Handb. Clin. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1037\/gpr0000077","article-title":"Meaning in Life as Comprehension, Purpose, and Mattering: Toward Integration and New Research Questions","volume":"20","author":"George","year":"2016","journal-title":"Rev. Gen. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1016\/j.explore.2017.02.001","article-title":"Compassion, Mindfulness, and the Happiness of Healthcare Workers","volume":"13","author":"Benzo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Explore"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1111\/aphw.12051","article-title":"The Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis","volume":"7","author":"Zessin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Appl. Psychol. Health Well Being"},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"3895","article-title":"What is the role of self-compassion on subjective happiness and life satisfaction?","volume":"13","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Hum. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"887","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.92.5.887","article-title":"Self-compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: The implications of treating oneself kindly","volume":"92","author":"Leary","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"863","DOI":"10.1007\/s12671-021-01822-2","article-title":"Compassion Protects Mental Health and Social Safeness During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across 21 Countries","volume":"13","author":"Matos","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mindfulness"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1111\/ajsp.12505","article-title":"Cultural validation of the Self-Compassion Scale and the Subjective Happiness Scale and the influence of gender on self-compassion and subjective happiness in a Sri Lankan undergraduate population","volume":"25","author":"Kumar","year":"2022","journal-title":"Asian J. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109708","DOI":"10.1016\/j.paid.2019.109708","article-title":"Perfectionism, (self-) compassion, and subjective well-being: A mediation model","volume":"154","author":"Stoeber","year":"2020","journal-title":"Pers. Individ. Differ."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1080\/00223980.2012.693138","article-title":"The role of self-compassion in physical and psychological well-being","volume":"147","author":"Hall","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"IBM Corp (2021). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, IBM Corp.. Version 28.0."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"(2022, March 01). The Jamovi Project. Jamovi. (Version 2.2) [Computer Software]. Available online: https:\/\/www.jamovi.org."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1007\/s10608-016-9774-0","article-title":"Why Does Positive Mental Health Buffer Against Psychopathology? An Exploratory Study on Self-Compassion as a Resilience Mechanism and Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy","volume":"41","author":"Trompetter","year":"2017","journal-title":"Cognit. Ther. Res."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"279","article-title":"Examining the impact of mindfulness and self-compassion on the relationship between mental health and resiliency","volume":"8","author":"Rizal","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr. Issues Pers. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"1","article-title":"Self-compassion, Resilience, Fear of COVID-19, Psychological Distress, and Psychological Well-being among Turkish Adults","volume":"24","author":"Hatun","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jrp.2006.03.004","article-title":"Self-compassion and adaptive psychological functioning","volume":"41","author":"Neff","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Res. Pers."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1751-9004.2010.00330.x","article-title":"Self-compassion, self-esteem, and well-being","volume":"5","author":"Neff","year":"2011","journal-title":"Soc. Personal. Psychol. Compass"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1037\/trm0000295","article-title":"The influence of COVID-19 stress on psychological well-being among Vietnamese adults: The role of self-compassion and gratitude","volume":"27","author":"Nguyen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Traumatology"},{"key":"ref_44","first-page":"412","article-title":"A State of De-Stress: Examining the relationship between subjective well-being, self-compassion, and empathy","volume":"7","author":"Hablado","year":"2020","journal-title":"Adv. Soc. Sci. Res. J."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.46827\/ejes.v9i7.4359","article-title":"Serial Multiple Mediation of Self-Transcendence and Psychological Resilience in the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19 and Subjective Happiness in University Students","volume":"9","author":"Anli","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur. J. Educ. Stud."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1294","DOI":"10.1007\/s12671-018-1078-x","article-title":"Cross-lagged analyses between life meaning, self-compassion, and subjective well-being among gifted adults","volume":"10","author":"Schnell","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mindfulness"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1459","DOI":"10.1007\/s10902-016-9783-4","article-title":"Brilliant: But what for? Meaning and subjective well-being in the lives of intellectually gifted and academically high-achieving adults","volume":"18","author":"Pollet","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Happiness Stud."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1490","DOI":"10.1007\/s12671-022-01891-x","article-title":"The Impact of Compassion from Others and Self-compassion on Psychological Distress, Flourishing, and Meaning in Life Among University Students","volume":"13","author":"Chan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mindfulness"},{"key":"ref_49","first-page":"719","article-title":"What predicts meaning in life? The role of perfectionistic personality and self-compassion","volume":"35","author":"Suh","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Constr. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"1","article-title":"The fear of COVID-19 and flourishing: The mediating role of search for meaning and presence of meaning","volume":"8","author":"Elemo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1080\/10615806.2021.1974408","article-title":"The relationship between COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and meaning in life: Testing the moderating effects of self-compassion and savoring","volume":"35","author":"Samios","year":"2022","journal-title":"Anxiety Stress Coping"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"678","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.60.7.678","article-title":"Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human Flourishing","volume":"60","author":"Fredrickson","year":"2005","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/20\/15\/6464\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T20:21:01Z","timestamp":1760127661000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/20\/15\/6464"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,27]]},"references-count":53,"journal-issue":{"issue":"15","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph20156464"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph20156464","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,27]]}}}