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Open Access 01-06-2017 | Original Article

Why Does Positive Mental Health Buffer Against Psychopathology? An Exploratory Study on Self-Compassion as a Resilience Mechanism and Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy

Authors: Hester R. Trompetter, Elian de Kleine, Ernst T. Bohlmeijer

Published in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Issue 3/2017

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that positive mental health or wellbeing protects against psychopathology. How and why those who flourish derive these resilient outcomes is, however, unknown. This exploratory study investigated if self-compassion, as it continuously provides a friendly, accepting and situational context for negative experiences, functions as a resilience mechanism and adaptive emotion regulation strategy that protects against psychopathology for those with high levels of positive mental health. Participants from the general population (n = 349) provided measures at one time-point on positive mental health (MHC-SF), self-compassion (SCS-SF), psychopathology (HADS) and negative affect (mDES). Self-compassion significantly mediated the negative relationship between positive mental health and psychopathology. Furthermore, higher levels of self-compassion attenuated the relationship between state negative affect and psychopathology. Findings suggest that especially individuals with high levels of positive mental health possess self-compassion skills that promote resilience against psychopathology. These might function as an adaptive emotion regulation strategy and protect against the activation of schema related to psychopathology following state negative affective experiences. Enhancing self-compassion is a promising positive intervention for clinical practice. It will not only impact psychopathology through reducing factors like rumination and self-criticism, but also improve positive mental health by enhancing factors such as kindness and positive emotions. This may reduce the future risk of psychopathology.

We also ran an alternative mediation model. We found significant, partial mediation for the link between psychopathology and positive mental health as mediated by self-compassion [indirect effect = −.447, 95 % CI = (−.607; −.312)]. The findings correspond to empirical evidence for a bidirectional relationship between psychopathology and positive mental health (Lamers et al. 2015).

We also ran an alternative moderation model. We found no evidence for a model in which self-compassion would moderate the relationship between psychopathology and state negative affect (interaction effect = −.006, SE = .005, p = .193).

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Title: Why Does Positive Mental Health Buffer Against Psychopathology? An Exploratory Study on Self-Compassion as a Resilience Mechanism and Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy
Authors: Hester R. Trompetter
Elian de Kleine
Ernst T. Bohlmeijer
Publication date: 01-06-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Cognitive Therapy and Research / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9774-0

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Why Does Positive Mental Health Buffer Against Psychopathology? An Exploratory Study on Self-Compassion as a Resilience Mechanism and Adaptive Emotion Regulation Strategy

Abstract

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