<p>Upward comparison can induce negative affect and outcomes in college students. Self-compassion interventions have been used to alleviate symptoms of mental health concerns and linked to positive health outcomes and can be promising to alleviate negative outcomes of social comparison. Study 1 (800 participants) found a correlation between social comparison and self-compassion scales. Study 2 was conducted with 1192 undergraduate participants in which all participants completed a “reasoning task” on which they were informed they would be evaluated. An experimental group (self-compassion condition) completed a self-compassion writing exercise. A non-intervention control group and a positive feelings condition were also employed. Participants were shown their score on the reasoning task and of previous participants (manipulated feedback). Participants were able to view answers of one of these fictional participants. This choice served as a measure of social comparison preference. While it was expected that participants in the self-compassion group will have less negative affect and show lower preference for upward comparison compared to the control groups, there was no significant difference between the conditions in their social comparison preference. The affect level was significant between the groups. The experimental group experienced both heightened positive and negative affect compared to the non-intervention control and positive feelings conditions. There was no significant difference between the conditions for self-compassion level and social comparison orientation. This study gives crucial data on a population that experiences the highest mental health issues related to social comparison and effectiveness of self-compassion interventions in college counseling centers.</p>