Self-Compassion Training for Primary School Children in Ireland: Effects on their Wellbeing and Awareness of Self-Compassion
Rosemary Duffy and Ceri Sims
Citation: Duffy, R., & Sims, C. (2025). Self-compassion training for primary school children in Ireland: Effects on their wellbeing and awareness of self-compassion. European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9, 5, 1-17. https://www.nationalwellbeingservice.org/volumes/volume-9-2025/volume-9-article-5/
Processing dates: Submitted 17 October 2024; Resubmitted 3 May 2025; Accepted 10 May 2025; Published 14 June 2025
Abstract
Introduction: A mixed methods research study was designed to contribute to the limited existing research on the effect of self-compassion on children’s mental health. The study investigates the effectiveness of a self-compassion training programme on the wellbeing of primary school children in Ireland, as well as on their understanding and awareness of, and intention to use, self-compassion in the future.
Method: Seventy-five children between the ages of 9 and 13 were recruited from one school in Ireland and randomly allocated to either an intervention or waitlist control group. Participants’
levels of self-compassion were measured before and after receiving the four-week programme from their class teacher. Four children from the intervention group were also randomly selected to participate in a semi-structured interview.
Results: There was not a significant difference between levels of self-compassion in the intervention group compared to the waitlist control group following the programme. However, there was a significant increase in the level of self-compassion of girls in the intervention group post intervention. Participants reported an improvement in their wellbeing, as they learned to talk more kindly to themselves and they felt better about their mistakes. Participants also believed that they would use self-compassion again, especially in times of failure.
Conclusion: The results suggest that self-compassion can be taught to children and provides some evidence of potential mental health benefits of treating oneself with kindness in times of difficulty, especially for girls. Limitations of this study are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.
Keywords: self-compassion; primary school; children; Ireland; wellbeing
Biographies
Rosemary Duffy M.Sc., B.Ed. is a graduate of Buckinghamshire New University, U.K., from where she earned a distinction in the Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology programme. She also holds a B.Ed. in Education and Psychology (Hons) from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland. She is a qualified primary school teacher and is currently working as a primary school
mental health promotion officer with a mental health charity in Ireland. She is also a meditation teacher.
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7122-5851
Dr Ceri Sims is Associate Professor (Education with Research), School of Human and Social Sciences, Centre for Positive Psychology, Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe Campus, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 2JZ, UK.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0972-6268