Self-Criticism, Self-Compassion, and Self-Regulation

This Research Topic welcomes researchers, scholars, and practitioners to submit manuscripts that offer a comprehensive and integrative examination of the relationships among self-criticism, self-compassion, and self-regulation. The aim of this collection is to advance current empirical and theoretical understanding within transdiagnostic frameworks that move beyond traditional diagnostic categories and help clarify core psychological mechanisms underlying mental health and functioning. Particular emphasis will be placed on research exploring both the adaptive and maladaptive functions of self-criticism, including its potentially protective roles as well as its associations with psychopathology and diminished well-being.We are especially interested in studies examining the mechanisms through which self-compassion may mediate or moderate the impact of self-criticism, and its role in emotion regulation, behavioral control, and attentional processes.We welcome submissions employing diverse methodological approaches, including experimental, longitudinal, qualitative, mixed-methods designs, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Contributions investigating the efficacy of experiential techniques across therapeutic modalities—such as cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, and third-wave approaches—are particularly encouraged, especially when addressing their impact on the development of self-compassion and self-regulatory capacities. We also seek work addressing the integration and transgressive potential of theoretical models, understood as their applicability across different clinical and non-clinical contexts.This Research Topic adopts an interdisciplinary perspective and is open to emerging research directions, including the role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in facilitating or hindering self-regulation and self-compassion processes. We also consider contributions examining altered states of consciousness, including psychedelic-assisted contexts, provided they adhere to rigorous methodological and ethical standards.A further area of interest concerns self-help and guided self-help interventions, particularly barriers to their effectiveness—such as those stemming from heightened self-criticism—and strategies for overcoming these challenges. We encourage submissions that explore implications for mental health, quality of life, and interpersonal functioning across both clinical and non-clinical populations.The scope of the collection includes, but is not limited to:• Mechanisms and functions of self-criticism (adaptive and maladaptive)• The role of self-compassion in emotion and behavior regulation• Interactions among self-criticism, self-compassion, and self-regulation• Transdiagnostic models in understanding and treating mental disorders• Effectiveness of experiential techniques across therapeutic modalities• Barriers to self-help and guided self-help, including the role of self-criticism• Interventions supporting the development of self-compassion and self-regulation with applications of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in this domain• Associations with quality of life, mental health, and interpersonal relationships• Research in both clinical and non-clinical populations• The potential role of psychedelic experiences in modulating these processesWe invite submissions of original, rigorous, and innovative research that contribute to a deeper understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying psychological functioning, as well as their applications in clinical practice and broader societal contexts. Topic editors: Małgorzata Łysiak, Dorota Mącik Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80191/self-criticism-self-compassion-and-self-regulation