| Developing undergraduates’ emotional intelligence (EI) may improve current academic and future work performance, as well as health and well-being. Self-compassion is a concept that seems to align with EI and research suggests EI and self-compassion are positively correlated. Both EI and self-compassion levels in undergraduates, as measured by the Assessing Emotions Scale (AES) and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF) respectively, have been improved through interventions. This quasi-experimental, quantitative study measured two dependent variables—AES and SCS-SF scores—using a pre- and posttest nonequivalent control group design. The independent variable was exposure to the self-compassion intervention designed using the Multiple Approaches to Understanding instructional design model and delivered asynchronously over three weeks. Instructors assigned the intervention as required coursework in three separate business and education courses, and intervention group participants (n =46) were recruited to take pre- and posttests, as well as answer weekly adherence and engagement questions. Participants for the control group (n = 48) were recruited from separate classes during the same 3-week period in Fall 2022. A repeated measures analysis of variance did not find statistically significant differences between or within groups on either dependent variable over the 3-week period. Adherence data indicates most participants did not complete the intervention activities. Four conclusions are discussed: delivery mode mismatch for these participants, the brief duration of the study, potential issues surrounding the use of incentives and participants in multiple courses contributing to the dependent variables’ standard deviations, and an alternative application for the intervention. Most self-compassion studies recruit volunteers to attend trainings, so this study adds to the literature by using participants who were assigned the intervention. |