Miyagawa, Y. (宮川裕基) (2026).
How self-compassion promotes authentic self-expression: The role of self-concept clarity.
セルフ・コンパッションは真正の自己表現を促す―自己概念の明確性を介した過程―
Journal of Happiness Studies, 27, 1.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-025-00985-2
Three studies (n = 1,581) investigated whether self-compassion enables individuals to achieve high levels of state self-concept clarity, thereby facilitating authentic self-expression toward others. These studies also explored the relation of self-compassion to inauthentic self-expression. Study 1 utilized scenarios in which individuals were unsure about what others were thinking. Study 2 focused on participants’ actual experiences of such situations. Study 3 implemented an experimental manipulation of self-compassion in the situations. Across three studies, individuals with high self-compassion reported higher state self-concept clarity and authentic self-expression. State self-concept clarity consistently mediated the positive association between self-compassion and authentic self-expression, independent of state self-esteem as a parallel mediator. The relation of self-compassion to inauthentic self-expression was not consistently found. This study indicates that self-compassion promotes state self-concept clarity and authentic self-expression toward others. State self-concept clarity elucidates the mechanism through which self-compassion facilitates authentic self-expression.