Self-compassion and emotion regulation: testing a mediation model

ABSTRACT

Self-compassion (SC) seems to play an important role in improving Emotion Regulation (ER). Nevertheless, the results of previous studies regarding the links between SC and ER are not consistent, especially facing diverse models of ER (strategy-based vs skill-based). The goal of this prospective study was to evaluate the links between these three concepts, by testing the predictive roles of SC and ER skills on both ER adaptive and maladaptive strategies, using standardised questionnaires and visual analogue scales. Results of regression analysis showed that self-compassion positively predicts cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, problem-solving, relaxation, self-support, tolerance and ER skills and negatively predicts behavioural avoidance, expressive suppression and ruminations. Results also showed that ER skills positively predict cognitive reappraisal, expression, acceptance, relaxation, self-support and tolerance and negatively predicts behavioural avoidance, expressive suppression and ruminations. Results from a mediation model are also promising regarding both the role of ER skills on the effect of SC on adaptive ER strategy use. Even if this study can be associated with common limits of self-report measures, it highlights the role of SC in a model of ER.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-compassion
• emotion regulation
• emotion regulation strategies
• emotion regulation skills

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the participants who contributed to this study and Adrien Teinturier for his contribution to this study. Conceptualisation, methodology, Investigation, validation, data curation, writing – original draft and visualisation, M.P. and C.N., formal analysis, M.P., C.N. and C.L., writing – review, editing and project administration, M.P., C.N., C.Bo., R.S., and C.Ba.; supervision, C.Bo., R.S., and C.Ba. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the conclusions of this study as well as the Ethics Committee's advice and the questionnaire are openly available at the Center for Open Science (OSF) at the following address: https://osf.io/yjm9a/?view_only = 50021e2c65e24260a07be97424974815.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.