Mindfulness and self-compassion mechanisms of action: a correlational study

This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action of mindfulness and self-compassion. the literature on mindfulness indicates that self-compassion may be one mechanism by which mindfulness improves mental health and psychological well-being. To this hypothesis, the present study evaluates the mediating role of self-compassion in the relation between mindfulness and two positive psychological functioning variables: satisfaction with life and emotion regulation. Some authors have proposed that the influence of mindfulness on self-compassion may be reciprocal. To test this proposal, the present study also evaluates the mediating role of mindfulness in the relation between self-compassion and the two studied variables. Finally, emotion regulation has been regarded as a possible mechanism of action for self-compassion. Motivated by this idea, this study also sought to find out whether emotion regulation mediates the relation between self-compassion and satisfaction with life. Our results provide empirical support to the mediating role of self-compassion in the relation between mindfulness and positive psychological functioning. Contrarily, mindfulness generally does not mediate the effects of self-compassion, which contradicts the idea of the reciprocal influence of mindfulness and self-compassion. Finally, our results also confirmed the mediating role of emotional repair between self-compassion and satisfaction with life.