Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)

ObjectivesThe objective of the present simulated reanalysis was to scrutinize Lee and Fung's conclusion that self-compassion and burnout have causal effects on spiritual wellbeing.MethodologyWe simulated data to resemble the data used by Lee and Fung. We used triangulation and fitted complement...

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Main Authors: Kimmo Sorjonen, Bo Melin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1576395/full
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author Kimmo Sorjonen
Bo Melin
author_facet Kimmo Sorjonen
Bo Melin
author_sort Kimmo Sorjonen
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivesThe objective of the present simulated reanalysis was to scrutinize Lee and Fung's conclusion that self-compassion and burnout have causal effects on spiritual wellbeing.MethodologyWe simulated data to resemble the data used by Lee and Fung. We used triangulation and fitted complementary models to the simulated data.FindingsWe found contradictory increasing, decreasing, and null effects of initial self-compassion and burnout on subsequent change in spiritual wellbeing.ConclusionThe present divergent findings indicated that it is premature to assume causal effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing and the suggestions by Lee and Fung in this regard can be challenged.ImplicationsIt is important for researchers to be aware that correlations, including adjusted cross-lagged effects, do not prove causality in order not to overinterpret findings, something that appears to have happened to Lee and Fung. We recommend researchers to triangulate by fitting complementary models to their data in order to evaluate if observed effects may be due to true causal effects or if they appear to be spurious.
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spelling doaj-art-22252c9d45fd4a4c9b56deacffced9d62025-08-20T03:53:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15763951576395Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)Kimmo SorjonenBo MelinObjectivesThe objective of the present simulated reanalysis was to scrutinize Lee and Fung's conclusion that self-compassion and burnout have causal effects on spiritual wellbeing.MethodologyWe simulated data to resemble the data used by Lee and Fung. We used triangulation and fitted complementary models to the simulated data.FindingsWe found contradictory increasing, decreasing, and null effects of initial self-compassion and burnout on subsequent change in spiritual wellbeing.ConclusionThe present divergent findings indicated that it is premature to assume causal effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing and the suggestions by Lee and Fung in this regard can be challenged.ImplicationsIt is important for researchers to be aware that correlations, including adjusted cross-lagged effects, do not prove causality in order not to overinterpret findings, something that appears to have happened to Lee and Fung. We recommend researchers to triangulate by fitting complementary models to their data in order to evaluate if observed effects may be due to true causal effects or if they appear to be spurious.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1576395/fullburnoutcross-lagged panel modelself-compassionsimulationspiritual wellbeingspurious prospective effects
spellingShingle Kimmo Sorjonen
Bo Melin
Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
Frontiers in Psychology
burnout
cross-lagged panel model
self-compassion
simulation
spiritual wellbeing
spurious prospective effects
title Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
title_full Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
title_fullStr Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
title_full_unstemmed Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
title_short Questionable evidence for prospective effects of self-compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing: a simulated reanalysis and comment on Lee and Fung (2024)
title_sort questionable evidence for prospective effects of self compassion and burnout on spiritual wellbeing a simulated reanalysis and comment on lee and fung 2024
topic burnout
cross-lagged panel model
self-compassion
simulation
spiritual wellbeing
spurious prospective effects
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1576395/full
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