We investigated (i) the predictive relationships of compassion with negative emotionality (a marker of susceptibility to stress) and vital exhaustion (a marker of chronic stress response) and (ii) the effect of compassion on the developmental courses of negative emotionality and vital exhaustion over a follow-up from early adulthood to middle age. We used the prospective Young Finns data (n = 1031–1495, aged 20–50). Compassion was evaluated in 1997, 2001, and 2012; and vital exhaustion and negative emotionality in 2001, 2007, and 2012. The predictive paths from compassion to vital exhaustion and negative emotionality were stronger than vice versa: high compassion predicted lower vital exhaustion and lower negative emotionality. The effect of high compassion on lower vital exhaustion and lower negative emotionality was evident from early adulthood to middle age. Overall, high compassion appears to protect against dimensions of stress from early adulthood to middle age, whereas this study found no evidence that dimensions of stress could reduce disposition to feel compassion for others’ distress over a long-term follow-up.

我们调查了（i）同情与消极情绪（压力易感性的标志）和生命力衰竭（慢性压力反应的标记）的预测关系，以及（ii）同情心对消极情绪和生命力衰竭发展过程的影响从成年早期到中年的随访。我们使用了前瞻性的年轻芬兰人数据（n = 1031-1495，20-50 岁）。同情心在 1997 年、2001 年和 2012 年进行了评估；和 2001、2007 和 2012 年的生命力衰竭和消极情绪。从同情到生命力衰竭和消极情绪的预测路径强于反之：高同情心预测较低的生命力衰竭和消极情绪。从成年早期到中年，高同情心对降低生命力衰竭和降低负面情绪的影响是显而易见的。总体而言，高同情心似乎可以防止从成年早期到中年的压力维度，而这项研究发现没有证据表明压力维度可以降低长期随访中对他人痛苦的同情心。