The Role of Self-Compassion in Physical and Psychological Well-Being

• Published in: The journal of psychology Vol. 147; no. 4; pp. 311 - 323
• Main Authors: Hall, Cathy W., Row, Kathleen A., Wuensch, Karl L., Godley, Katelyn R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.07.2013; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Awareness; College students; Depression; Depression - psychology; Emotions; Empathy - physiology; Female; Health; Health Status; Humans; Identity; Judgment; Male; Mental health; Mental stress; Perception; physical well-being; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychological aspects; Psychological Tests - standards; psychological well-being; Psychological wellbeing; Psychology; Psychometrics - instrumentation; Quality of life; Self compassion; Self Concept; stress; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Undergraduate students; Well-being; Wellbeing; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0022-3980; 1940-1019
• DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2012.693138

The relation of self-compassion to physical and psychological well-being was investigated among 182 college students. The self-compassion scale was delineated into three composites, following the proposition by Neff that self-compassion consists of three main components: self-judgment versus self-kindness (SJ-SK), a sense of isolation versus common humanity (I-CH), and over-identification versus mindfulness (OI-M). Findings support the association between self-compassion and psychological and physical well-being, but the composites demonstrate different influences. SJ-SK and I-CH were predictive of both depressive symptomatology and physical well-being, and SJ-SK and OI-M were predictive of managing life stressors. The results of this study support and expand prior research on self-compassion.