Mapping the Scholarly Landscape of Self-Compassion and Mental Health (2010–2025): A Bibliometric Analysis

We aimed to map the global research landscape on self-compassion and mental health by analysing publications retrieved from the Scopus database with a focus on publication trends, prolific authors, leading journals, geographic distribution, and thematic developments. We conducted a bibliometric analysis using relevant Scopus-indexed literature from inception through July 2025. We specifically focused on articles from 2010 to 2025. In our search strategy, we employed the terms “self-compassion” OR “self compassion” AND “mental health”. We retrieved a total of 2,437 documents, revealing a significant increase in publication output over the past decade, peaking between 2020 and 2024. The most prolific authors during this period included Paul Gilbert and Yasuhiro Kotera, with 41 publications each. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and China emerged as the leading countries in terms of research output. Keyword analysis highlighted recurring themes around mindfulness, resilience, depression, and emotional regulation. Influential articles by MacBeth & Gumley (2012) and Gilbert & Procter (2006) demonstrated foundational impact with over 1,200 citations each. The field of self-compassion and mental health research is expanding rapidly and is characterised by strong theoretical foundations, growing global interest, and interdisciplinary relevance. Our bibliometric analysis suggests that future research may benefit from adopting a combination of research designs, including more cross-cultural validations to enhance the empirical understanding and practical application of self-compassion across diverse clinical and sociodemographic populations and settings.