The Moderating Influence of Self-Compassion on the Relationship between Shame Tendency and Hypersexuality

Abstract

Hypersexual behavior is thought to be associated with many negative outcomes, as well as shame-proneness. Self-compassion may be helpful in targeting the shame, which may attenuate the proposed cycle through which hypersexual behaviors become problematic by introducing alternate ways of relating to one’s self. In this study, 364 online participants completed surveys assessing hypersexual behaviors, shame-proneness, and self-compassion. The results indicated that individuals who had low shame-proneness and low self-compassion tended to have higher hypersexual behavior. These findings suggest that self-judgment, over-identification, and isolation may be important for clinicians and researchers to consider in the development of hypersexual behaviors.