Self-Compassion: A Protective Factor Against Self-Stigma for Sexual Minorities?

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey L. Williams ◽  
Sheri L. Chandler ◽  
Sarah Claiborne
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Self Compassion

scholarly journals Stressed, Depressed, and Rank Obsessed

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Low Rank ◽  
Big 5 ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Fears Of Compassion ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Compassion Scale

As social creatures we monitor our relative rank and/or status with others via social comparisons. Whilst research has identified perceptions of inferiority or ‘low rank’ relative to others is a robust predictor of depressive, anxious, and stress symptomology, to date individual differences have been ignored. Here we provide empirical evidence for how divergence across personality traits interact with social rank variables to buffer or predispose toward depressive symptomology. Across three independent samples (N = 595) we replicated a social rank model of mental health, and with our third sample (N = 200) we sought to investigate attenuating roles for neuroticism vs compassion with multiple moderated regression models. Neuroticism predicted greater levels of rank-associated depression, and compassion failed to function as a protective factor for rank-associated depression. However, a closer inspection of the original Big-5 factor-structure positions this scale as a measure of ‘interpersonal submissiveness’ or ‘conflict appeasement’ rather than genuine compassion. Whilst it is necessary to delineate the conditions where compassion is appropriate and able to lead to positive mental-health outcomes, we argue this cannot be addressed with the Big-5 measure of trait compassion. We call for future work to consider valid and reliable measures for compassion, such as the self-compassion scale, submissive compassion scale, and fears of compassion scale, to more fully address how compassion may protect against both rank-based comparisons and severity of depression.

Self-Compassion Buffers the Negative Psychological Impact of Stigma Stress on Sexual Minorities

Mindfulness ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2338-2348
Author(s):  
Kevin Ka Shing Chan ◽  
Cherry Sin Wa Yung ◽  
George Muyi Nie
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Self Compassion

Stress, self-compassion, and school burnout in Thai high school students

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiti Ponkosonsirilert ◽  
Orawee Laemsak ◽  
Kullaya Pisitsungkagarn ◽  
Somboon Jarukasemthawee ◽  
Siripat Audboon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Optimal Level ◽  
School Students ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
School Burnout ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectivesHigh school has been recognized as a critical period for many students. With the upcoming competition for university admission, they tend to encounter significant stress. Exceeding its optimal level, stress became debilitating and could escalate into school burnout, which entailed various negative outcomes. The current study, hence, was aimed to identify a protective factor that helped mediate the relationship between stress and school burnout in Thai high school students. Self-compassion was selected here, given its relevant conceptual grounds and its cultural relevance (i.e., Thai individuals shown to be particularly oriented toward self-compassion).MethodsData were collected from 170 Thai high school students, who responded to measures of stress, self-compassion, and school burnout. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the hypothetical model where the positive association between stress and school burnout was mediated by self-compassion.ResultsAll indices of the model fits were confirmed, and the proposed model explained 80% of the variance in school burnout.ConclusionThe role of self-compassion in alleviating the impact of stress on school burnout was shown and relevant implications were discussed.

Body Appreciation

2019 ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Tylka
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factor ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Belly Dance ◽  
Body Appreciation ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Different Cultures

This chapter reviews body appreciation, which involves holding favorable opinions of the body regardless of actual physical appearance, accepting the body despite perceived imperfections, respecting the body by attending to its needs and engaging in healthy behaviors, and protecting the body by rejecting unrealistic societal appearance ideals. The chapter first presents the measurement of this construct, the original and revised Body Appreciation Scale (the BAS and BAS-2), which yield evidence of reliability and validity in samples across different cultures. Next, the chapter reviews the research on body appreciation, documenting its adaptive links to many indices of psychological well-being and physical health, such as positive affect; life satisfaction; intuitive eating; self-compassion; physical activity (yoga, modern and belly dance); sexual and reproductive health; and physical self-care. Its role as a protective factor against media exposure is also discussed. Last, clinical considerations and directions for future research are presented.

scholarly journals A Longitudinal Investigation on the Relation between Self-Compassion and Alcohol Use in a Treatment Sample: A Brief Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117822182090935
Author(s):  
Alisa R Garner ◽  
Sarah E Gilbert ◽  
Ryan C Shorey ◽  
Kristina C Gordon ◽  
Todd M Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Common Humanity ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Disorder Treatment ◽  
Sex And Age Differences ◽  
Chronic Problem

Alcohol misuse is often a chronic problem such that relapses following treatment are common. One potential protective factor for alcohol misuse is self-compassion, which includes self-kindness, feelings of common humanity, and mindfulness when faced with personal suffering and hardships. This study tested the hypothesis that self-compassion, and specifically self-compassion promoting facets including self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, were longitudinally associated with reduced alcohol use among a sample of men and women in substance use disorder treatment ( N = 62). Results partially supported the hypothesis, in that only the mindfulness facet of self-compassion was associated with decreased alcohol use over time. Sex and age differences as they related to the positive facets of self-compassion and alcohol use emerged. These findings suggest that positive facets of self-compassion may be beneficial factors to cultivate in alcohol treatment programs.

scholarly journals Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Confinement and Its Relationship with Meditation

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Óliver Jiménez ◽  
Laura C. Sánchez-Sánchez ◽  
José M. García-Montes
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering any protective factors, such as the practice of meditation or self-compassion, and their relationship with different lifestyles and circumstances of adults residing in Spain. A cross-sectional study was done using an anonymous online survey in which 412 participants filled out the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-2; the Impact of Events Scale; and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, reporting severe symptomatology of posttraumatic stress and mild anxiety and depression. Quality of cohabitation and age were found to be key variables in the psychological impact of confinement. The impact of confinement was more negative for those who reported very poor cohabitation as opposed to very good (F (3, 405) = 30.75, p ≤ 0.001, d = 2.44, r = 0.054) or for those under 35 years of age compared to those over 46 (F (2, 409) = 5.14, p = 0.006, d = 0.36). Practicing meditation was not revealed as a protective factor, but self-compassion was related to better cohabitation during confinement (F (3, 403) = 11.83, p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.05). These results could be relevant in designing psychological interventions to improve coping and mental health in other situations similar to confinement.

Direct and indirect effects of bereaved caregivers’ self-compassion on their complicated grief and their child’s mental health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Zhang ◽  
Irwin Sandler ◽  
Jenn-Yun Tein ◽  
Sharlene Wolchik ◽  
Erin Donohue
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Parental Warmth ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Bereaved Children ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Self-compassion, which involves mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity, has been found to be related to individuals’ mental health. Few studies have examined caregivers’ self-compassion in relation to parenting behaviors or child adjustment in addition to its relation their own mental health. Objectives: In the current study we examined caregivers’ self-compassion as a protective factor related to parentally bereaved children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. We further tested whether the relations were mediated by caregivers’ parenting practices or complicated grief (i.e., persistent severe grief reactions that impair normal functioning). Methods: The sample consists of caregivers who participated in an intervention study for bereaved families and reported high levels of complicated grief. At T1 (baseline) and T2 (20 weeks later), caregivers completed surveys on demographic information, self-compassion, complicated grief, parental warmth and consistent discipline, as well as child internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Findings supported that caregivers’ self-compassion was prospectively related to decreased internalizing and externalizing problems in bereaved children. The effect of self-compassion on externalizing problems was mediated by parental warmth and consistent discipline. Self-compassion was also prospectively associated with decreased complicated grief and psychological distress, although complicated grief and psychological distress were not related to child outcomes. Conclusions: These findings add to the knowledge on the psychological benefits of self-compassion for both bereaved children and their caregivers.

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