A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people
Abstract Background Practising compassion has shown to increase well-being and reduce distress in people across cultures. However, very little research has explored cultural differences in different facets of compassion with a dearth of research evident especially in the Asian context. Several inhib...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425122000103/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797782573274890240 |
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| author | Lasara Kariyawasam Margarita Ononaiye Chris Irons Sarah E. Kirby |
| author_facet | Lasara Kariyawasam Margarita Ononaiye Chris Irons Sarah E. Kirby |
| author_sort | Lasara Kariyawasam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract
Background
Practising compassion has shown to increase well-being and reduce distress in people across cultures. However, very little research has explored cultural differences in different facets of compassion with a dearth of research evident especially in the Asian context. Several inhibitors and facilitators of compassion have been identified although the nuances of cultural differences of these remain unexploited. This study aimed to discover cross-cultural similarities and differences of the levels of compassion, facilitators and inhibitors of compassion between Sri Lankan and UK people.
Methods
A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based quantitative research was conducted among 149 Sri Lankan and 300 UK participants. Individual predictors (such as fears of compassion, self-reassurance, external shame, social safeness and pleasure, depression and anxiety) were also explored in relation to compassion, compassion to others, and compassion from others in each group.
Results
The results indicated that Sri Lankan participants were more self-reassured and self-compassionate and self-identifying as a Buddhist predicted higher self-compassion, when compared to UK participants. However, Sri Lankan participants reported higher levels of external shame and fear of compassion not just towards themselves, but also towards and from others, indicating difficulty in engaging compassionately with others. In contrast, UK participants reported higher social safeness, indicating that they were more likely to feel safe and soothed by the society than the Sri Lankan participants.
Conclusions
Society plays a pivotal role in shaping one's experiences of compassion. This study suggests that specific cultural and social factors should be considered when implementing Western compassionate approaches to non-Western settings.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:12:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a316d975419344cda25fb8b19ad23159 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-4251 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:12:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-a316d975419344cda25fb8b19ad231592023-07-12T08:58:17ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512022-01-0199911010.1017/gmh.2022.10A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan peopleLasara Kariyawasam0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2207-2182Margarita Ononaiye1Chris Irons2Sarah E. Kirby3Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKDepartment of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKBalanced Mind, London, UKDepartment of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKAbstract Background Practising compassion has shown to increase well-being and reduce distress in people across cultures. However, very little research has explored cultural differences in different facets of compassion with a dearth of research evident especially in the Asian context. Several inhibitors and facilitators of compassion have been identified although the nuances of cultural differences of these remain unexploited. This study aimed to discover cross-cultural similarities and differences of the levels of compassion, facilitators and inhibitors of compassion between Sri Lankan and UK people. Methods A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based quantitative research was conducted among 149 Sri Lankan and 300 UK participants. Individual predictors (such as fears of compassion, self-reassurance, external shame, social safeness and pleasure, depression and anxiety) were also explored in relation to compassion, compassion to others, and compassion from others in each group. Results The results indicated that Sri Lankan participants were more self-reassured and self-compassionate and self-identifying as a Buddhist predicted higher self-compassion, when compared to UK participants. However, Sri Lankan participants reported higher levels of external shame and fear of compassion not just towards themselves, but also towards and from others, indicating difficulty in engaging compassionately with others. In contrast, UK participants reported higher social safeness, indicating that they were more likely to feel safe and soothed by the society than the Sri Lankan participants. Conclusions Society plays a pivotal role in shaping one's experiences of compassion. This study suggests that specific cultural and social factors should be considered when implementing Western compassionate approaches to non-Western settings. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425122000103/type/journal_articleCompassioncross-culturalfacilitatorsinhibitorssocietySri LankanUK |
| spellingShingle | Lasara Kariyawasam Margarita Ononaiye Chris Irons Sarah E. Kirby A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health Compassion cross-cultural facilitators inhibitors society Sri Lankan UK |
| title | A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people |
| title_full | A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people |
| title_fullStr | A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people |
| title_full_unstemmed | A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people |
| title_short | A cross-cultural exploration of compassion, and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in UK and Sri Lankan people |
| title_sort | cross cultural exploration of compassion and facilitators and inhibitors of compassion in uk and sri lankan people |
| topic | Compassion cross-cultural facilitators inhibitors society Sri Lankan UK |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425122000103/type/journal_article |
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