Effect of Religiosity on Compassion, Self-compassion, and Emotional Regulation

Religiosity has been conceptualized as a meaning system that shapes emotional experience and moral orientation. However, its differential associations with compassion and self-compassion remain theoretically unclear. The present study examined whether religiosity predicts compassion, self-compassion, and emotional regulation among Pakistani university students (N = 200). Participants completed measures of mature religiosity, compassion, self-compassion, and emotional regulation. Religiosity was positively associated with emotional regulation (r = .36, p < .01) and compassion (r = .15, p < .05), but was not significantly related to self-compassion. Regression analyses indicated that religiosity predicted emotional regulation and compassion; however, its unique contribution to compassion diminished when emotional regulation and self-compassion were entered simultaneously. Emotional regulation and self-compassion emerged as stronger predictors of compassion in the multiple regression model. These findings suggest that religiosity may promote outward-directed compassion primarily through regulatory processes, while not necessarily fostering self-directed kindness. The results highlight an important distinction between interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions of compassion within religious meaning systems.