Self-compassion as a predictor of interleukin-6 response to acute psychosocial stress.
We examined the hypothesis that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of stress-induced inflammation. On two consecutive days, plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed at baseline and at 30 and 120 min following exposure to a standardized laboratory stressor in a sample of 41 healthy young adults. Participants who were higher in self-compassion exhibited significantly lower day 1 IL-6 responses, even when controlling for self-esteem, depressive symptoms, demographic factors, and distress. Self-compassion was not related to day 2 IL-6 response but was inversely related to day 2 baseline IL-6 levels, and to increase in baseline IL-6 from day 1 to day 2. These findings suggest that self-compassion may serve as a protective factor against stress-induced inflammation and inflammation-related disease.
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States. Electronic address: jbreines@brandeis.edu.
Juliana G
JG
Breines
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Myriam V
MV
Thoma
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Danielle
D
Gianferante
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Luke
L
Hanlin
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Xuejie
X
Chen
Department of Psychology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Nicolas
N
Rohleder
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D015850:Interleukin-6
Acute psychosocial stress; Inflammation; Interleukin-6; Self-compassion; Self-esteem