Healing through compassion: a bibliometric analysis of the evolution of compassion-focused therapy

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this paper is to present a thorough grasp of the direction, major ideas, and future possibilities of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) research. Method: A quantitative bibliometric analysis was used to evaluate the theme trends in CFT literature. Using Scopus and Web of Science as the main databases, pertinent articles on CFT from 2005 to 2025 were found. The features and patterns of CFT research were examined using VOSviewer and Harzing’s Publish or Perish software. Results: The databases yielded 662 documents, 465 of which were journal articles. The year 2025 had the highest number of publications (105), while 2017 received the most citations (Scopus = 2,066; Web of Science = 1,674). The top nation and institution for CFT research are the United Kingdom and the University of Derby. With 90 articles, Paul Gilbert, the founder of CFT, was the most injuential author. The most productive journal in the CFT literature was the Mindfulness Journal. Conclusion: This paper obers helpful information about the trajectory of CFT and outlines a road map for future research and ongoing development in the field.