title: The mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment in a sample of adolescents.
abstract: The objectives of the present study were to analyze the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment in adolescents and the role of self-compassion as a mediator in this relationship. The sample was composed of 109 adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years old with poor school performance. The participants filled out a battery of questionnaires made up of: a socio-demographic data questionnaire; the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ); the Youth Self-Report (YSR); and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Results indicated that victimization was positively associated with psychological maladjustment. Moreover, adolescents reporting poly-victimization showed significantly higher level of psychological maladjustment and different types of victimization show different effects on adolescents' psychological maladjustment. Self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment and reduced negative consequences in adolescents who reported having been victimized. Adolescence is a time of development and search for identity in which strengthening personal protective factors could help overcome any traumas experienced. Therefore, developing self-compassion in adolescence could be a good way to help young people recover from bad experiences and protect themselves against future negative experiences. As self-compassion can be improved with practice it could be included in adolescent intervention and prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: Aggression and Family Research Unit, University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Játiva
authors.affiliation: Aggression and Family Research Unit, University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cerezo
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescents; Poly-victimization; Psychological maladjustment; Self-compassion; Victimization