Examining Life Satisfaction and Self-Compassion Among Students Attending a Historically Black College and University in the U.S.

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between life satisfaction and self-compassion among university students attending a historically black college and university (HBCU) in the U.S. Southeast. A non-experimental descriptive research design, which included a self-report questionnaire using the Satisfaction with Life Scale and Self-Compassion Scale was applied to this study. A total of 148 university students enrolled in leisure and health courses at the HBCU participated in the study. A significant association was found related to life satisfaction and measures of self-compassion. The association of life satisfaction and self-compassion was also measured by controlling for gender, GPA, and perceived health, thus indicating sub-scale of self-kindness may be a predictor of life satisfaction.